· How to unblock your gutters.
· How to bleed your radiators.
· How to put up a shelf.
· How to change a fuse in a plug.
· How to check and change a fuse in a car.
· How to fit a smoke alarm.
· How to fit a new toilet seat.
· Read your electricity and gas meters.
-------How to unblock your gutters! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you need:
A brush
A long hose pipe
It’s important to keep your gutters clear, otherwise metal gutters will rust away and you’ll have water pouring down and causing all types of problems for you. It’s not too tricky to do them yourself, and it’s essential to get it sorted if you have a tree overhanging your property to avoid an expensive repair…
Step 1
Get a ladder! Make sure it’s safe, if you don’t feel confident enough to do it then don’t take any risks and get professional help.
Try not to rest your ladder on the gutter if you can avoid it.
Clear the gutter of leaves and dirt, get rid of the fine dirt too otherwise it will only speed up the build up and you’ll have to clean them more often.
Step 2
Get the hose and turn it on. Shove the hose down the pipe, if the pipe has bends then try to manoeuvre the pipe around the bends to get it nice and clear. Don’t give up immediately, a garden hose will get around most gutter pipe bends with a bit of help. The leaves should come out of the bottom of the pipe as the water pressure forces it clear.
If you find that the hose doesn’t clear the blockage then you may need to take a section of the gutter out to clear it. If you have metal pipes then this becomes more difficult as you may need to cut the pipe, if you’re unsure then it’s best to get it done by a professional.
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-------How to put up a shelf. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you need:
Screws (may be provided with the shelf – if not then don’t get screws too long, around 40mm)
Pencil
Masonry plugs (rawl plugs)
Masonry drill (2mm wider than the screw width)
Hammer
Spirit level
A shelf and brackets
Step 1
Decide where you want your shelf to go, and using the spirit level draw a line where you want the bottom of the shelf to go. Don’t draw too hard. Put 1 of the brackets on the line so that it lines up with where you want the shelf to sit. Hold the bracket up and draw through the holes where the screw goes, so you know where to drill. Leave about 5 inches of overhang at the end of the shelf.
Now do the same with the other bracket, leaving a gap between the 2 (depends on the length of your shelf). Remember to line this one up in the same way on the line you drew. Draw through the bracket holes.
Step 2
Get the drill out. Set it to drill clockwise and drill your holes where you marked earlier. Be a bit careful, if you’re drilling into plasterboard then there could be wiring inside, if in doubt use a no-contact current & voltage detector (cheap and useful) – simply turn the device on and bring it to the wall to see if it detects a current close (which means there could be wiring inside the wall).
Step 3
Once you’ve drilled your holes, put each of the masonry plugs into the holes and tap them gently in with a hammer so each is almost flat the wall.
Step 4
Use a screw to put up 1 bracket in the top hole only so it hangs, and tighten it a little. Now do the same with the other bracket, and place the shelf on top to check it lines up using the spirit level again.
Step 5
Screw in the other screws and tighten them. Now place the shelf on the brackets and attach these to the brackets (this varies between designs, many are a short screw upwards into the shelf). Admire your skills!
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-------How to check and change a fuse in a car. ---------------------------------------------------------
What you need:
New fuses of the correct amps
Pliers
Have your wipers or lights or electrics windows stopped working? It could be a fuse, and it’s easy to check…
Step 1
Find where your fuse box is located, it’s often inside the interior, under the steering wheel or it can be in the engine bay in a box.
Inside the fuse box will be all the blade fuses lined up. Usually the positions are labelled on the underside of the lid, look for the function e.g. the lights, that aren’t working and use the guide to find the correct fuse. If the fuse box doesn’t have a guide then check the car manual or search the internet for the fuse guide (almost everyone is available). A Haynes manual will also have the fuse labelling diagrams inside.
Step 2
You should be able to pull out the fuse with your fingers but if it’s a bit stiff then use the pliers to carefully pull it out. You should be able to see if the fuse is blown because the metal connection joining the 2 metal prongs will be broken and melted, the fuse may be melted a bit too.
Get your new fuse (make sure it is the same amp rating as the old one, check the guide to confirm this) and simply slot it back into the hole, again being careful. Check it and you’re done!!
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-------How to fit a new toilet seat. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you need:
A new toilet seat with fittings (available from most good hardware shops)
Pliers
Nothing breaks the concentration like an annoying busted toilet seat... So fix it! It's easy and quick and worth it.
Step 1
Now remember this is for regular toilet seats, not your space-age fruity designs which may have special fixtures... The seat is attached by 2 metal bolts that hold the seat hindge to the bowl. At the back under the seat will be 2 wing nuts, or jst plain nuts. Use a spanner or the pliers to undo the nuts if they are tight, turn them anti-clockwise to undo. Once the nuts are off you can simply lift the old seat upwards and the bolts will slip out, nice.
Step 2
Now you need to get the new seat, and put the 2 bolts attached to the seat back through the holes in the bowl. Remember to add any washers that may be provided with the seat. Now add another washer to the end of the bolts on the underside of the bowl, and do up the nuts a little. Now adjust the seat so it is positioned perfectly for optimal comfort, and tighten up the nuts! Bingo, a comfy crapper.
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-------How to bleed your radiators. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you need:
Radiator bleed key (may not be needed if your radiator has an adjustable nut, just use a small spanner/wrench)
Radiators that don’t work properly is a real pain, but it’s not too tricky to fix if you think it’s air in the system. Here’s how!
It gets in there when you add new water, and can also build up due to the water pump.
How do you know? The tops of radiators will often be cold, or the whole radiator. Also high level pipes may not feel hot.
Turn of your central heating system. There’s no need to shut the whole thing off, just make sure the thermostat is turned right down so it won’t turn and start water pumping around and potentially all over your floor. It can get more air in too!
It works best with warm water in the system (the increased water pressure pushes the air out), simply turn the valve ANTI-CLOCKWISE until you hear a hissing, which is the air escaping. You can use a cloth to catch any water that may spray out.
Once Water starts to dribble out, tighten the nut/valve again (not too tight). Done! Try your heating, if the whole radiator now feels hot you’ve cracked it…
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-------How to change a fuse in a plug. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you need:
A new fuse (make sure it is the correct rating, check the appliance for guidance)
Screwdriver
Step 1
Unplug the appliance from the socket and turn it over so you can see the heads of the screws. Use a medium size screwdriver and undo the screws, turning them ANTI-CLOCKWISE. Once you have removed all 3 (or sometimes 2) turn the plug over to the top side and lift off the top half, be a bit careful to stop the fuse and pins dropping out.
Step 2
The fuse is situated in between 2 clips that link 2 pins together. Carefully unplug the dead fuse from the brass tops of the 2 pins, being careful not to pull the pins out of the bottom of the plug case. Clip in the new fuse (doesn’t matter which way), then replace the top half of the plug onto the bottom half. It will clip together nicely, make sure you don’t catch any of the wires between the plug casings as this can damage the wires, don’t force it!
Place the screws into the holes on the bottom of the plug and use the screwdriver to screw them back in (CLOCKWISE), until tight. Now test it!
If it’s still not working…
If you find it doesn’t work then check the connections and try the fuse in a different appliance that your know is working. The plug could also be dead, you can also test the plug by putting it onto an appliance you know works (with a working fuse) to see if the fault lies with the plug or the appliance.
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-------How to fit a smoke alarm . ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What you need.
Screws (should be provided with the shelf – if not then use screws that fit into the screw holes)
Washers
Masonry plugs (rawl plugs)
Pencil
Hammer
A drill with a masonry or wood drill bit (depends on what you’re are attaching the alarm too)
A smoke alarm a battery
Fitting a smoke alarm is a good idea, and it's not hard at all...
Step 1
Decide where you want it! It's best to have them on the ceiling near or in the kitchen or in a hallway.
Step 2
Get a ladder and get to the ceiling with your alarm and a pencil. Hold the alarm up and mark where the holes need to go. Don't do it near a light fitting! To be sure you don't drill into electrical cables it's a good idea to use a no-contact current & voltage detector (cheap and useful) – simply turn the device on and bring it to the ceiling to see if it detects a current close (which means there could be wiring inside the ceiling).
Step 3
Get your drill out and drill where you have marked with the pencil. Use a drill bit that's the right size for the masonary plugs (if it's wood you're putting it onto then just screw it straight in).
Step 4
Get up there and tap in lightly the masonry plugs with a hammer so they are flat with the ceiling. Put a washer over each screw so it sits by the screw head. Now screw the alarm into the masonry plugs with the screws that will have been provided with it. If you need screws then use ones that fit the holes in the alarm... Done!
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-------How to read your electricity and gas meter. ------------------------------------------------------
If you swap over your gas or electricity and you have meters then you'll need to give them a reading. It's rather simple really...
Step 1
You need to find where your meters are. They could be inside or outside in an external box of cupboard. Usually you'll need a special key to upen a box, it is often a triangular-ended key that is available from your gas supplier. Get it open!
Step 2
Now to read the guages. Reading either is the same, work your way from the left to the right guage, writing down the lower number next to the needle, so if the needle is betwen 6 and 7, then wrte down 6. Do this for each dial as you go until you will have a long number. That is your reading!
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