What do I do if I smell gas?
The immediate steps in order, why you must not touch a light switch, and who to call.
beginner5 min4 min read
Home & DIY
Practical answers for repairs, cleaning, decorating and the household problems that turn up whether you planned for them or not. Written so you can start with what you already own.
2,154 guides
How do I remove mould?
How to remove black mould from walls, sealant and ceilings, and how to stop it returning by fixing the moisture causing it.
beginner45 min3 min readHow do I know if a builder is any good?
A staged process that narrows a list to one, with the specific verification that belongs at each stage — because this single decision determines how the whole project goes.
beginner3 hr6 min readHow do I unblock a sink?
How to clear a blocked kitchen or bathroom sink in escalating order — plunger, trap, then drain snake — without resorting to caustic chemicals.
beginner30 min3 min readShould I leave the heating on low all day?
The honest answer to the most argued-about heating question, and the two situations where the usual advice is wrong.
beginner15 min3 min readWhere should smoke alarms go and how many do I need?
One per floor is the minimum and rarely enough — where each type belongs, how high, and what to keep them away from.
beginner45 min3 min readDo I need planning permission, or is my project permitted development?
What permitted development actually is, the five things that remove it, and why the honest answer always ends at the council rather than at a checklist.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I find draughts in a room?
Three ways to find air movement you cannot feel, working room by room, and which draughts to leave alone.
beginner45 min4 min readHow do I fix a dripping tap?
How to stop a tap dripping by replacing the washer or ceramic cartridge, including how to tell which type of tap you have.
beginner45 min4 min readHow do I get a heating system ready for winter?
The hour of work in September that prevents the emergency call-out in December.
beginner1 hr 30 min4 min readHow do I keep a room cool in summer without air conditioning?
Stopping heat getting in during the day and getting it out at night — in that order, because blocking sun beats moving air.
beginner30 min4 min readHow do I thaw a frozen condensate pipe?
Why a boiler shuts down in a cold snap, how to find the pipe, and the warm-water method that restarts it in twenty minutes.
beginner45 min5 min readHow do I turn off the water, gas and electricity in an emergency?
Find all three shut-offs now, label them, and make sure everyone in the house knows where they are.
beginner20 min2 min readHow do I ventilate a house properly in winter?
Getting moisture out without losing the heat — short sharp airing rather than a window on the latch all day.
beginner20 min3 min readWhat electrical work am I allowed to do myself?
Where the line sits between a job you can do and one that must be certified, and why the paperwork matters as much as the safety.
beginner15 min2 min readWhy does my trip switch keep going off?
Telling an RCD trip from a breaker trip, the socket-by-socket method that finds the faulty appliance, and when to stop and call someone.
beginner30 min4 min readDo I need planning permission for an extension?
What governs the planning answer for a house extension in England, the prior approval route for larger rear extensions, and the consents that sit alongside planning.
beginner25 min4 min readHow do I find pipes and cables before drilling?
The safe zones, what a detector can and cannot find, and how to reduce the risk when you must drill.
beginner15 min3 min readHow do I fix a leaking waste pipe under a sink?
Finding which of the four usual joints is leaking, and the fixes for each — most need no tools beyond your hands.
beginner45 min4 min readHow do I keep a bedroom cool enough to sleep in?
The daytime work that decides how the night goes, and what actually helps once you are trying to sleep.
beginner20 min4 min readHow do I paint a room?
The order of work for painting a room properly — preparation, cutting in, rolling and second coats — and how long each stage actually takes.
beginner8 hr3 min readHow do I test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms?
How often, how to test properly, where they should be, and what the different beeps mean.
beginner15 min2 min readHow much should I pay a builder up front?
Why payments should follow completed work, what a sensible schedule looks like, what a retention is for, and the card payment that quietly buys you protection.
beginner30 min4 min readWhy does my boiler keep cutting out?
Separating a boiler that locks out from one that short-cycles, and the householder checks for each before an engineer is needed.
beginner45 min5 min read
Going deeper: MaterialWorld
Material properties, comparisons and suitability — paints, fillers, sealants, timber, tile, insulation.
MaterialWorld is in development — GuideHQ covers the practical answers in the meantime.