How do I stop mould growing on my window reveals?
Why the strip of plaster beside and above a window runs colder than the rest of the wall, and the three fixes that actually raise its temperature.
beginner40 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 stop pigeons and gulls roosting or nesting on my roof?
The legal timing that controls when you can act, the proofing that works on each situation, and the food sources that decide whether birds keep coming back.
advanced3 hr5 min readHow do I stop plywood splintering when I cut it?
Which face tears with which saw, and the five things — blade, tape, scoring, support and face orientation — that between them give a clean edge.
beginner20 min3 min readHow do I take down a stud wall?
Proving the wall is not structural, dealing with the services inside it properly rather than cutting them, and making good the floor, ceiling and walls where it used to be.
intermediate6 hr5 min readHow do I tell if my soffits or fascias are rotten?
The signs of rot in eaves timber, what to check and from where, and the difference between a repairable board and a full replacement.
beginner45 min4 min readHow do I tell if roof flashing has failed?
Where flashings are and what failure looks like, how to inspect from the ground, and matching the internal leak to the external cause.
beginner45 min4 min readHow do I test a floor for damp before laying flooring?
The plastic sheet test, what a hygrometer reading means, and deciding whether a damp proof membrane is needed under a new floor.
beginner1 hr3 min readHow do I tile a splashback?
Tiling a small area properly — setting out from the centre, cutting cleanly, and grouting so it lasts.
intermediate5 hr3 min readHow do I unblock a shower head?
How to restore a shower head that has gone weak or sprays sideways, by descaling the nozzles and clearing the inlet filter.
beginner1 hr2 min readHow do I wire a plug and change a fuse?
Which wire goes where, the correct fuse rating for the appliance, and when to replace the lead instead.
beginner20 min3 min readHow long before I can use a shower after applying silicone?
The difference between skinning over and curing right through, why 24 hours is the honest answer, and what happens if you shower too soon.
beginner5 min3 min readHow long should an oven, hob or countertop appliance last?
Realistic service lives for each cooking appliance, the part that usually fails first on each, and what that means for whether a fault is early or expected.
beginner15 min4 min readHow long should cordless tool batteries last?
Two clocks run on every lithium pack — cycles and calendar age — and for most home users it is the second one that kills it.
beginner10 min3 min readHow many fence panels and posts do I need?
Turning a measured boundary into a materials list — panels, posts, gravel boards, concrete and fixings — without the classic one-post-short error.
beginner30 min3 min readHow much space do I need to leave around furniture?
The circulation and door-swing dimensions a room actually needs to work, why the wardrobe is the item most often got wrong, and what to do when a room cannot give them.
beginner20 min5 min readHow much weight will double-sided tape or mounting pads actually hold?
The figure on the pack is a shear rating measured on ideal glass, and almost nothing you mount at home is loaded in shear on ideal glass.
beginner12 min5 min readHow should I store a gas bottle in hot weather?
Pressure in an LPG cylinder rises with temperature, so summer storage is about shade, ventilation and keeping it upright and outdoors — not about how much is left in it.
beginner12 min5 min readIs a 20V battery more powerful than an 18V one?
Two numbers describing the same pack, why manufacturers choose different ones, and the voltages where the difference is real.
beginner8 min3 min readIs electrical tape safe to use on a damaged cable?
What PVC electrical tape is actually for, why a taped cable is never a repair, and the small number of situations where using it is legitimate.
beginner10 min4 min readIs it a wasp nest or a bee nest?
Telling wasps, honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees apart by the insect, the nest and the behaviour — because the right response is completely different for each.
beginner15 min4 min readIs it safe to hang a mirror or picture above a bed?
Why the wall above a bed is the one place a fixing must not be marginal, what may reasonably go there, and the alternatives that get the same effect with no risk.
beginner20 min5 min readIs my guttering big enough for my roof?
Capacity depends on the roof area draining into the run, the profile of the gutter and how many outlets it has — and the commonest fix is another downpipe rather than a bigger gutter.
intermediate20 min2 min readIs positive input ventilation worth fitting?
How a PIV unit actually reduces humidity, the houses where it transforms a condensation problem, the ones where it will disappoint, and what it costs you in heat.
intermediate45 min5 min readOil-based or water-based gloss — which should I use?
Yellowing, durability, drying time and smell — the real trade-offs between traditional oil gloss and modern acrylic, and where each still wins.
beginner15 min3 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.