New Grump of the Day

[LadyArowana]

My compost is frozen, and no that's not a euphemism. Basically everything is frozen. Is everyone still alive out there?

 

[Zebra]

I'm hoping my frog in the bottom of the pond is still alive.

 

[noj]

Outside brass tap had thawed but when turned on there was no water.

Dismantled it and found that the little plastic anti-return valve inside was stuck (guess distorted by the ice). Valve removed and tap reinstalled, all works now.

Few minutes later I notice that the compression joint under the tap is leaking...

Nipped that up and all seems ok.

Think I can live without getting a new valve, could cause a world of pain taking the tap off again.

 

[Feltwell]

Christmas lights that are wired in series.

Need I say more.

 

[Zebra]

Outside brass tap had thawed but when turned on there was no water.

Dismantled it and found that the little plastic anti-return valve inside was stuck (guess distorted by the ice). Valve removed and tap reinstalled, all works now.

Few minutes later I notice that the compression joint under the tap is leaking...

Nipped that up and all seems ok.

Think I can live without getting a new valve, could cause a world of pain taking the tap off again.

I hate plumbing. Never ever goes right first time.

 

[wobs]

I hate plumbing. Never ever goes right first time.

This makes me feel better.

 

[Lacan07]

I hate plumbing. Never ever goes right first time.

I'm plumbing my bathroom at the moment and have way more respect for plumbers this last month or so.

 

[Cubist]

Must say, despite recent history, I much prefer plumbing to electrics - much easier to find a bad joint and the risk impact can be cleared up with a mop.

 

[Feltwell]

I must be a masochist, I quite enjoy plumbing and electrics!

Jobs I hate - anything that should be simple but is made difficult solely by bad access.

Ohh, and lifting carpets - such a hassle to move all the furniture to lift the carpet to get under the floorboards.....and you always need to roll the carpet back further than you think.

 

[Lacan07]

What with all the talk of condensation on here recently due to the recent dramatic change in outside temperatures I was at the house today and discovered this on my bedroom ceiling! Did we have some wild rain last night?!!

Anyways, I've always known there was an issue here, it gets damp in that corner periodically but its a bit of a mystery. I think its leeching from the bricks. Looks like I'll have to take another look. No point getting a roofer round though until Spring if mortar work is required.

 

[Feltwell]

What with all the talk of condensation on here recently due to the recent dramatic change in outside temperatures I was at the house today and discovered this on my bedroom ceiling! Did we have some wild rain last night?!!

Anyways, I've always known there was an issue here, it gets damp in that corner periodically but its a bit of a mystery. I think its leeching from the bricks. Looks like I'll have to take another look. No point getting a roofer round though until Spring if mortar work is required.

The junction between a roof and a chimney stack is always a notorious weak spot. My money would be on either flashing (if there is any - flaunching never works properly on the side of a stack in my experience - if it's flaunched I'd replace it with lead flashing) or pointing, or both. Possibly the flaunching around the pots, that gets a hard time.

I had the same problem here, but since I repointed the stack and resealed the lead flashing in the brickwork it's been fine.

 

[paulc]

Christmas lights that are wired in series.

Need I say more.

Found a fix for that. Just leave the darned things up in the loft along with the rest of the Christmas decorations.

 

[fernicarry]

The potatoes I had stored in the outside cupboard must have frozen because they've gone all wet and soggy. Mash instead of roast for Xmas dinner?

 

[Cubist]

Found a fix for that. Just leave the darned things up in the loft along with the rest of the Christmas decorations.

Been trying that for years now. We have a 60 foot Lawson Fir at the end of our path to the road and each year I get the suggestion "Wouldn't it be nice to dress it for Xmas?"

My reply - 'Not even with help from the Norwegian government!'. Bah, hum bug.

 

[Lacan07]

The junction between a roof and a chimney stack is always a notorious weak spot. My money would be on either flashing (if there is any - flaunching never works properly on the side of a stack in my experience - if it's flaunched I'd replace it with lead flashing) or pointing, or both. Possibly the flaunching around the pots, that gets a hard time.

I had the same problem here, but since I repointed the stack and resealed the lead flashing in the brickwork it's been fine.

Well, I had a look this morning and whilst there's always been an issue here since I bought the house (small damp patches) I wonder if that cold snap has escalated the issue. Quite a few of the timbers in that corner are now damp which has in turn leeched in to the adjoining lath & plaster ceiling. Its a bit of a dilemma, should I pay a roofer to take a look now and see if there's anything obviously amiss that can be fixed or temporarily fixed, or should I wait until spring and get some scaffolding erected for a full on assault. I'd rather not have any repointing done now in Winter and I know a roofer would just 'cement' it anyway, or any new flashing that may be required. I also know the flue on this side has a hole at the top so a pot or pots will be required with some proper flaunching. Question is how long do I leave those timbers to be damp, unless it was a freak occurrence due to windy conditions and rain.

And if it doesn't rain it pours, look at what I saw this afternoon on my ceiling whilst working in my bathroom on the other side of the house. I swear to God this must have occurred either over night or after I opened the bathroom window when I arrived this morning. This room was gypsum skimmed over the old lime (except external wall) last January and this is the first time Ive seen this. I'll take a closer look tomorrow but a quick check suggest its all dry up there. The patch is pretty well centred and certainly damp (ish). A joist runs precisely along here from left to right. Its interesting to note a chimney was originally here that I removed, and this joist would have run across the face of the brick work. You can almost make out where I patched the hole left behind with plasterboard and scrim tape. It took ages for the plaster to dry as it was a cold January. Am I mad to think its historic salts perhaps? I'm pretty sure this must have occurred after I opened the window. This doesn't bode well for a hot steamy bathroom . I may have to wall paper that ceiling or find some inhibiting paint!

 

[Zebra]

I hate sanding.

 

[Feltwell]

I hate sanding.

Don't we all. An Abranet kit makes hand sanding more bearable, well less dusty at least, but noisier. A decent random orbit sander makes machine sanding much better.

 

[Cubist]

I hate sanding.

Sometimes. Sanding a new piece of timber to get the finish I'm looking for is quite therapeutic and its rather satisfying If I'm 'feathering in' to get a flush finch I can't feel with a finger-tip. However, I positively despise having to sand anything overhead.

 

[88v8]

I've been narrowing some very old cupbd doors... perhaps C17... thought they were oak. Had to take them apart and shorten the rails and take a strip out of the centre panel... quite a lot of sanding.

As I was working them I realised they aren't oak, very dark dense wood, photosensitive... and allergenic.
My hands, wrists where I've been wearing knitted fingerless mitts, now have a red and very itchy rash.

And, gentlemen will appreciate that the process of getting the tackle out involves handling ahh, sensitive, parts where fine sanding dust might transfer... and the itch along with it.

Had this with iroko 30 years ago.
One door done, another to do. Think I shall do the sanding outdoors, no mitts.
Hmmph.

Ivor

 

[Feltwell]

My hands, wrists where I've been wearing knitted fingerless mitts, now have a red and very itchy rash.

Try hydrocortisone cream Ivor, available over the counter at the chemist. Stops allergic skin reactions very rapidly for me.

PPUK branches out into new fields of advice