The most common problem is that the air conditioner is not blowing cold air. There are approximately 7 different causes for this.

Here are some problems that occur from inside the house:

1. The main problem usually occurs with the filter just inside the air conditioning unit panel. Generally people can change the filter themselves, but they neglect changing their air conditioning filter once a month and it ends up clogging. When the filter gets blocked, the condenser
Fins on the inside part of the heating system can not “breath” which causes it to freeze up, literally. Be certain to change your filter and try turning the unit off for a few hours to allow any ice to thaw.

There is one thing people may not realize. The most important function of an air conditioning unit is to take OUT the heated air inside the house, not to cool the house down. When the unit takes the hot air out, it replaces it with the cold air sifting through the freon filled condenser fins. Untrained persons tend to think that the unit turns the hot air to cold air, which is false.

2. A different problem could be that the inside condenser fins might be clogged also because it caught the debris from the dirty air filter. There are special fin brushes you can buy to get the majority of it cleaned.

3. In addition, a low freon pressure could also be the culprit. The ideal pressure reading should be around 65-70 psi so you will need freon gauges to get a reading from the high side (the larger of the two freon lines). Freon can slowly escape from the outside unit over time. That is why the unit must be serviced occasionally. A set of pressure gauges can be bought if you want to check the psi yourself, but you will not be able to add freon. The reason for this is because you need an EPA license to work with freon. If you do need freon, companies will charge somewhere around $18 per pound per unit to install.

4. When the thermostat is turned down low and the unit inside is not coming on at all it could be caused by the condenser fan motor. Wire connections could be burning up or may have been loosened by vibration. When this happens, it needs to be replaced.

Problems from outside the house:

If the inside unit is on and there is no cool air, check the outside unit because it may not be turned on.

1. The outside condenser fan may be burnt out. A professional must service the outside unit for safety purposes. If the inside unit is running and the outside is not then the outside condenser will heat up and shut down until it has cooled off. This can also cause the seals inside the condenser to warp or even melt. First turn off the power to the unit. Next, the top part of the air conditioning housing needs to come off with an ordinary screwdriver. The fan is attached to the top lid and can also be easily unscrewed. Disconnect the corresponding wires and label them to allow with easy re-installation. After the wires are connected back, turn the power back on and attach everything the same way it came off. It’s one of the easier tasks to handle.

2. The contactor may also be malfunctioning. You can tell this by a buzzing noise (usually loud). To change this part you must take off the panel located on the backside of the unit. The contactor will look like a box with piston-like features. Again, you will be able to locate it easily by the sound it’s making. Next, turn the power off and check for electricity flow with an Ohm-meter. When you start taking the contactor off, you can either unscrew the mounting brackets first or disconnect the wires. Just make sure you label the wires first so you know which wires connects to each lead. Once the new contactor is mounted you can connect the wires and replace the panel. Another job well done.

3. The outside unit may not be working at all therefore it may not be getting electricity. You can check this by looking at the breakers inside the house and also the breaker box just above the unit outside. In some cases, the connectors to the outside breaker may have melted together and they would have to be changed to a new breaker system or the wires could be hooked up directly with no breaker connection. The direct connection would mainly be used for a temporary fix until a professional can install the breaker.

Time to complete job: A painted wooden door may take half a day to strip, including repairing any holes and cracks.
Approximate budget: Heat guns cost from around £15 in DIY stores.

Safety: Dealing with lead paint

Older houses (pre-1960) may have lead-based paint on the woodwork. You can buy a home testing kit from DIY stores that will indicate if lead is present and suggest ways of removing it safely. It is generally safer to use a chemical stripper than a heat gun to remove lead paint. Always avoid sanding or scraping dry paint as this can spread the lead particles. Visit the FAQs on the British Coatings Federation website for more advice on the best way to deal with lead paint.

Stripping with chemicals

Chemical strippers are usually gels that will stay on vertical surfaces as the paint is softened by the chemical reaction. They are often the best way of stripping old woodwork. Be sure to open all doors and windows and don’t work if the weather is very warm as the solvents will dissolve too quickly to work properly.

You will need:

-Heat gun
-Scrapers
-Shavehook
-Dust sheets
-Goggles
-Old paintbrush
-Dust mask
-Rubber gloves
-Nylon abrasive pads
-Chemical stripper
-Bucket of water

Step 1: Preparation

Spread dustsheets around the area and pour some of the stripper into a small container. Screw the lid back on to the container to stop it evaporating as you work.

Use an old paintbrush to dab the stripper over the woodwork.

Tip: Have a bucket of cold water handy in case of accidents. Wear rubber gloves and long sleeves to protect your skin and goggles if you need to work overhead.

Step 2: Stripping

Leave the stripper to soften the paint until the surface layers can be easily scraped off – test it every few minutes. Remove any paint from spindles, handrails and other mouldings with a shaped scraper called a spokeshave and a coarse nylon abrasive pad.

Tip: Work on no more than about half a square metre (1/2 yd) of woodwork at a time so that the stripper does not evaporate before you have scraped off the paint.

Step 3: Neutralising

When you have scraped off as much paint as possible, neutralise the stripper with plenty of warm water or white spirit (follow the maker’s instructions). Rub over the surface with a nylon pad to clean off the paint residue and allow to dry for at least 24 hours before varnishing or painting.

Step 4: Paint stripping with a heat gun

Heat guns use a lot of electric current so always fully unwind any extension lead so that it doesn’t overheat. If you’re working indoors, make sure it’s in a well-ventilated room.

Only use a heat gun on flat areas of wood, such as door panels, because the heat can scorch delicate mouldings. Keep the gun moving gently about 50mm (2in) from the surface and scrape away the paint when it begins to bubble.

Tip: You can fit a heat shield to the nozzle to protect glass from the heat when stripping window frames.

source: uktv

Time to complete job: 3 hours plus drying time
Approximate budget: From £15

Tip: Ideally, paint your windows in the morning to maximise drying time. Depending on the drying conditions, this should leave your windows enough time to dry before you need to close them for the night.

You will need:

• Protective sheets

• A damp sponge,

• A sanding block

• Masking tape,

• Paint

• A small one-inch paintbrush

Step 1: Preparation – cleaning

To avoid any stains, start by protecting your surfaces with sheets.

Sound paintwork should be washed with a sponge and sugar soap. It’s vital to remove any dirt, grease or loose material before you decorate as you don’t want to ruin the final appearance or deal with flaking paint later on. Wash thoroughly but make sure you don’t soak the wood as it will need to be fully dry before you paint.

Step 2: Preparation – sanding

Rub the woodwork down with a sanding block to provide a smooth surface ready to receive the new paint. Bear in mind that old paintwork may contain lead which is a potential health risk. If you’re not sure, it may be worth calling in a professional. Any defects or bare patches you uncover will need to be touched up with a little undercoat before decorating.

Step 3: Masking off the glass

Using masking tape, mask off the glass close to the wood (but not quite touching it). As a general rule, your undercoat should not touch the glass but you can let your overcoat lap onto your glass by no more than 2mm.

Step 4: Begin painting

Painting a sash window can seem an awkward task but the secret is in moving the sashes as you work. Start by lifting the inner bottom sash, and lowering the outer top sash. Try to expose at least half of the now lower outer sash. Start painting in the centre and work outwards, painting the cross-bars first before moving onto the side-rails.

It may take a few windows for you to achieve a good brushing technique but start by not over-painting or being over-careful. Remember – smooth, relaxed strokes will yield the best results.

Step 5: Rotate the sashes & finish painting

Now you can rotate the sashes by pushing down the inner sash and using the unpainted crossbar of the outer sash to pull it up. This will expose all the unpainted areas which can now be blended in to the previously painted woodwork. If you are painting the sill as well, leave this till last. Lift the lower sash up to give you enough access.

Step 6: Drying & finishing

Leave the windows in this final position until the paint is nearly dry and then remove any masking tape you have left. This should be peeled back on itself at a slight angle away from the edge. Take it off slowly as ripping may cause damage to the paintwork.

Finally, use a bladed paint scraper to remove any spots of paint from the glass or to trim the edges.

source: uktv

Here’s How:

1. Start looking in your child’s favorite books, magazines, decorating books, and even get ideas online. You’ll get great inspiration for a theme.
2. Be sure to involve an older child by getting his or her ideas and choose favorite colors, favorite sports or artistic interests, or story or movie characters, like Harry Potter or Spiderman.
3. Shop for fabric, wallpaper or border paper that will reinforce your chosen theme. Select a main print that will set the tone for the whole room.
4. Choose a background color to use on the painted walls, floors, and ceiling. Use your main fabric print to guide you.
5. Select coordinating fabrics, accessories, and prints that mix well with the main fabric. Use the colors in the print for inspiration.
6. Choose a focal point for the room. While many choose the bed as the main point of interest, you could focus on a display shelf, a painted wall mural, or decorated play area. The focal point should really reinforce your chosen theme.
7. Use some imagination when selecting and planning on decorative elements. If your child loves tennis, string a net behind the bed for a headboard. You could arrange tennis rackets (collected from tag sales or flea markets) around the netting. Place tennis balls onto the tips of clothes hooks. You might use a section of picket fencing for a headboard in a cottage style room.
8. Choose bedding that will enhance both the color scheme and theme you’ve selected. Pretty flowers work for almost any girl’s room scheme and blue chambray fits with most boy rooms.
9. Be sure to save a place to display your child’s artwork, collections, and projects. You can set them on well-placed shelves or make an artistic display on the wall.
10. Don’t forget to save plenty of room to store clothes, books, toys, games projects, and hobby supplies. A child of any age needs a desk for a computer and school work. If the storage items will be out in view, be sure they’re decorated to fit the theme, too.
11. Create a window treatment that enhances the theme and adds to the decor. Decorative hardware on doors, drawers, and cabinets can continue the theme.
12. A good rule to follow for a themed, coordinated room is to repeat each color, fabric, and print, if possible, in at least three places around the room. If you do, everything will really tie together.

Tips:

1. Safety should be of primary consideration when selecting items for a child’s room. Keep electrical cords out of the way, use non-skid pads under decorative area rugs, and don’t stack storage units too high.
2. Using coordinating colors in all elements of the room will bring even unlike things together to support the theme.
3. Use a common background color when you use several coordinating prints in one room. Choose patterns and prints in different scale, such as a large sailboat print with smaller coordinating plaids and stripes.
4. You can create inexpensive framed art by using your child’s own artwork or cutting pictures out of books or magazines.

source: about

Here’s How:

1. Prepare the walls
   If you’re hanging wallpaper on new drywall, prime the wall first with wallpaper primer to seal the drywall and help the paper adhere to the wall.Wash any dirt or dust from the old walls and sand smooth any chipped paint. Remove old wallpaper using wallpaper remover, a wide blade, and rags.

   Remove electrical outlet and light switch covers.

   Use a putty knife to apply spackle over holes or cracks. Allow the spackle to dry, then sand lightly until the surface is smooth.

2. Pick a starting point.
   The first strip of wallpaper will line up with the last strip of wallpaper you hang and the pattern should match up at that place. You will want to start and finish wallpapering in a corner, near the curtains or behind a door so that the mismatch is less obvious. The focal point of the room should have the fewest seams.Measure out from your starting point and use a level to lightly draw a vertical straight edge on the wall. This line marks where the first strip of wallpaper should be placed.
3. Cut the wallpaper
   Lay the first roll of paper, print side down, on the flat work surface. Confirm the top and bottom of the pattern. Measure, then cut the first wallpaper strip to the proper length, adding a few extra inches at the top and bottom. (This will be trimmed off later). Measure and cut the next several strips in order, paying attention to pattern match.There are four pattern types — random match, drop match, straight across match and free match.
4. Activate the adhesive on pre-pasted paper.
   If the wallpaper is pre-pasted, loosely roll up the first cut strip of paper right side out and immerse it in room-temperature water in the water tray or bathtub. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for immersion time. Pull the strip out of the water, allowing the wallpaper to unroll slowly.
5. Apply wallpaper paste.
   For un-pasted wallpaper, apply pre-mixed paste using a large pasting brush or paint roller, working from the middle to the ends. Be sure that all areas are covered with paste with no un-pasted spots. Gently fold the top of the sheet down to the middle so that the pasted sides touch. Next, fold the bottom edge up to the middle. This allows the paste to cure and keep it from drying out. Do not crease the wallpaper.
6. Hang the wallpaper.
   Starting at the ceiling, carefully unfold the top half of first piece of the wallpaper and gently place the side edge of the strip along the measured line. Don’t forget to leave a few extra inches of paper at the top and bottom for trimming later.

   When the strip is in the right position, drop down the bottom half and gently smooth the paper against the wall with your hands, beginning at one edge and working your way across. Use a smoothing brush or damp sponge to smooth out any air bubbles. Use a seam roller to gently smooth down the edges of the wallpaper.

7. Trim the excess paper.
   Use a wide-blade putty knife to hold down the top of the wallpaper strip at the ceiling. Use the utility knife or straight-edge razor to trim the excess wallpaper. Repeat at the bottom of the strip. Carefully clean any paste from the ceiling and baseboard.Wipe the strip of wallpaper with a clean, damp sponge to remove any paste and remaining air bubbles.
8. Smooth the corners.
   At the corners, measure from the last full-width strip of wallpaper to the corner. Add 1 inch to that measurement and cut the next strip of wallpaper to that width. Activate or apply paste to the strip.

   Apply the wallpaper on the wall, making sure to smooth it totally into the corner for interior corners or around the corner for exterior corners.

   At the corner, make a small slit from the top of the strip to the wall to allow the strip to lay flat at the ceiling. Repeat on the bottom to allow the strip to lay flat at the floor. Trim off the top and bottom and clean the strip.

9. Hang around the corner.
   Place the next strip of wallpaper on the wall so that it overlaps the extra 1 inch of paper from the previous piece.
10. Repeat hanging the strips around the room.
    Continue hanging the next strips of wallpaper, taking care to match the pattern, trimming at the ceiling and floor, removing any creases or air bubbles, securing the seams, and cleaning the paste off the paper.
11. Replace light switch and plug plates.
    If desired, cover the switch and plug plates with wallpaper, taking care to match the wallpaper pattern.

Tips:

1. Don’t be in a hurry. Work slowly to avoid making mistakes.
2. Have a large area to work in and don’t crowd yourself.
3. Cover every area of the back of the wallpaper with paste. Any area left dry, even a small space, will bubble and not adhere to the wall.
4. Smooth paper surfaces gently. Don’t put any pressure on the face of the wallpaper.
5. Carefully clean off the surface of the wallpaper before the paste dries.

What You Need:

• Wallpaper and Paste
• Large Flat Work Surface
• Tape Measure and Level
• Ladder
• Drop Cloth
• Sandpaper, Spackle, Putty Knife
• Bucket, Water, Water Tray, Sponges, Rags
• Utility Knife or Straight Edge Razor
• Smoothing Brush
• Seam Roller

source: about

Time to complete the job: 20 mins – 1½ hours

Time to complete the job: 1 hour

Time to complete job: One day.

Approximate budget: 200mm (8in) thick insulation rolls, 7m (8yds) long and 370mm (15in) wide cost from around £12 each.

First Steps

Before you start work, use a torch to check that all the exposed woodwork looks in good condition. Check especially for any dampness or small holes that indicate woodworm. Carry out any repair work or call in a professional.

Insulation is sold in various thicknesses but you should have a minimum of 200mm (8in) over all the roof space. Measure the distance between your ceiling joists. Mineral-fibre is usually sold in 5-8m (5.5-9yds) lengths, 370mm (15in) wide to fit the standard spacing.

Insulation fibres can irritate the skin so always wear a dusk mask, gloves and overalls to lay the new insulation.

Tip: Take off your watch to avoid it catching on the mineral fibres.

via:uktv

It’s important to make sure all your gas appliances are installed properly and serviced regularly.

Problems
Contact a Gas Safe Register registered installer immediately if you notice the appliance isn’t working properly. Never try and tackle any repairs or pipe connections yourself.

Warning Signs
Problems with your gas appliances may be indicated by soot deposits around the appliance and/or a yellow/orange flame rather than the normal blue flame. Another sign the appliance isn’t working correctly is excessive condensation in the room.

Smell of Gas
If you smell gas in your home, follow a few simple rules to protect yourself:

1. Open all the doors and windows nearest the smell of gas. It could be that the boiler pilot light has gone out or a gas appliance has been left on e.g. a cooker hob ring. If the light is on and the appliances are all turned off, there may be a gas leak.
2. Turn off the gas at the gas supply meter.
3. Don’t turn on light switches, use the doorbells or any other electrical switches.
4. Do not smoke, light a match or use any other kind of naked flame.

Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odourless and tasteless gas that can be produced when a gas appliance has not been correctly installed or maintained or the chimney or flue becomes blocked. This is a potentially lethal gas, so follow these simple steps if you suspect there is any danger:

1. If you experience drowsiness, headaches, nausea or pains in the chest when using a gas appliance, switch it off.
2. Open the doors and windows and call the National Grid 24-hour gas emergency line on 0800 111 999.
3. Contact a doctor and mention the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.

source: uktv.co.uk

Even if you have several water butts that provide you with most of your water needs in the garden (and you should!), you’ll still find that a source of running water in the garden is necessary on occasion. How else are you going to fill that gorgeous water feature you’ll be installing this spring? Our guide below will help you get tapped out.

Time to complete the job: 1 hour

Step 1: Run the mains outside

If you’re comfortable with more complex plumbing tasks, you can do this yourself. You’ll need to drill a hole through the side of your house big enough to draw a pipe connected to your mains water through to the outside.

If you have any doubts, it’s best to get a plumber in to do this for you.

Step 2: Mark and drill

If your house is made of brick, stick a few pieces of masking tape to the wall where you want the tap to go.

Hold the tap base against the tape and mark the screw placement with a pencil. Drill into the brick work using the hammer drill.

Step 3: Hang the tap base

Press wall plugs into the holes then gently tap them home with the hammer.

Screw the base to the wall. It needs to be secure so kids and husbands can use a bit of force on it without wrenching it from the wall.

Tip: If you use a 7mm drill bit, use brown wall plugs. For a 6mm drill bit, use red.

Step 4: Attach the hose

Slide a jubilee hose clip loosely over the hosepipe protruding from the wall. Press the nozzle into the open end of the hose. Make sure you have a washer in the nozzle, as this will provide the seal. Connect the nozzle to the tap base. Tighten the connection with a spanner.

Slide the jubilee clip into place on the hose and tighten the grub screw.

Tip: When tightening connections on any plumbing work, don’t force them tight. Make the connection firm and tighten it just another pinch.

Step 5: Assemble the tap

Wrap PTFE tape around the thread that connects the tap to its base. This will give you a leak-free seal. Wind the tap on to the base – firmly but not too tight.

Water those hydrangeas!

source: uktv