North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

There are five steps to fitting a wet underfloor heating system. Firstly you need to fit the manifold, which is supplied pre-assembled, to the wall.

Step two is insulating the floor surface and securing fixing rails to the floor. There are various options when it comes to insulation, but make sure that you get a good brand that is waterproof. The supplier that you buy your underfloor heating system from should be able to recommend a suitable product and this can be fixed to the floor with normal tile adhesive.

Once this is dry you need to consider the fixing rails, which need to be laid out in parallel lines along the floor to give the brackets that sit over the pipe work a fixing point. Remember, the pipe work will snake around the floor and rest against these fixing rails, so you must ensure they are suitable for the amount of pipe work you are going to use. There are various online sites that will give you pointers on how to set out your fixing rails, but you do need to make sure they are well fitted and that the ends are secured to the walls. They should also be fixed to the insulation with adhesive.

Make sure that the adhesive fixing all these elements dries out completely before you move onto the next stage or you could have unwanted movement, which could be detrimental to the efficiency of the completed system.

It goes without saying that the lavatory is one of the most regularly used appliances in our homes. As such, when deciding on updating your loo, you should ensure that it is both functional and pleasant.

Fortunately, there are many different types of lavatory to choose from. So whether you want to create a contemporary or traditional look to your bathroom a good look around to see what is on offer is vital.

A Close-Coupled loo has the water cistern (often referred to as the tank or closet) sitting directly over the top of the toilet pan. The pan is fixed to the floor and the cistern to the wall. Depending on the style you choose, the cistern may be tall or short, narrow or wide, and operated by a lever placed on the front or side of the cistern. Some cisterns also favour a push button located on the top of the unit.

A Back-to-the-Wall Pan is secured to a furniture unit or false wall. The cistern is concealed within the unit or boxed into a wall. It is connected to the pan by means of a flush-pipe, which, like the cistern, is likely to be made of plastic as none of the mechanism is visible. Most furniture units are fitted with a removable lid to allow ease of access to the cistern.

A High-Level toilet describes where the cistern is fixed to the wall above the pan and operated by a pull chain and handle, which gives it a powerful flush. The flush-pipe is often complemented with decorative support brackets under the cistern and is available in various finishes.

Installing an independent shower enclosure as a DIY activity with its own supply and waste systems requires some prior experience of plumbing. But, if you use an existing bath as your shower tray, then fitting a shower unit can involve little more than replacing the taps.

If you do wish to install a proper shower enclosure it is easier to install a factory-assembled cabinet, complete with a shower tray and mixer, together with well sealed doors or a curtain to contain the spray from the sprayhead. Once you have run the supply pipes and drainage, the installation of your shower enclosure, complete with your choice of shower unit is easily finished. However, factory built shower enclosures can be expensive, yet there is an alternative – for the home improvement specialists amongst you with a taste for DIY, you can construct a purpose-made shower enclosure made to fit the allocated space.

When deciding upon the location of your shower enclosure, consider whether you can use the existing walls – or do you need new partitions that act as a shower enclosure for your shower enclosure?

Another consideration when it comes to installing a shower enclosure is hiding the plumbing. One solution for concealing the pipework that feeds your shower is to install a proprietary shower enclosure with a plastic pillar in the corner that is designed to hide the plumbing and also house the mixer as well as the adjustable sprayhead.

If your shower enclosure is freestanding with a shower tray, you can finish the inside with ceramic tiles, then seal the shower tray joints with silicone sealant.

If you have decided to update your bathroom, the chances are you will have trawled through DIY catalogues, visited home improvement centres and taken advice from family and friends. You will probably have been advised about shower curtains, fixtures and fittings, bathroom cabinets, various vanity accessories and towels and bathmats.

Chances are though, you will not have heard of the bathroom’s best-kept secret, skirting board renovation.

Skirting boards are extremely easy to fit, so you do not need to be a handyman or have a whole range of specialised equipment in order to achieve fantastic results.

Although there are various types of skirting board available on the market, a flat panel skirting board is the preferred choice of most interior designers and DIY enthusiasts. Following a few easy steps should result in a real and inexpensive improvement to your bathroom.

Most skirting board panelling is sold in white. You can of course paint it a different colour, but keeping it white allows you to contrast it with whatever colour you decide to paint the rest of the bathroom.

After removing the existing skirting board and measuring the amount of skirting you require, allow the new board a day or so to adjust to the temperature of your home. For this reason it is advisable to buy slightly more than the amount you had previously measured.

Whether or not you use nails or glue is a matter of preference, just make sure that you fix one panel at a time. This may seem obvious, but if a friend is helping you there is a temptation to begin at opposite ends of the room.

If you have decided to install your own water underfloor heating system you will need to follow the five main steps to achieve a professional result. Some of these steps you will be able to carry out yourself, while for others you may need to employ a local professional to assist you.

Step one is to fit the manifold to the wall. If you buy this from a specialist DIY underfloor heating company it will come pre-assembled, which is going to be a great time saver for you and reduce the level of knowledge you need to install it. This piece of equipment is the controller, which draws the required volume of water for the underfloor heating into the system from your main boiler and links to the thermostat sensor. This determines how much heating the water needs in order to match the system’s settings. The water passes through the heating pipes and the temperature is adjusted as necessary. From here the water enters the pipes under the floor and creates the warmth that passes up from the floor and warms the room. The temperature is set to a maximum of 65°C and cannot be increased beyond this.

The unit is fairly straightforward to fit, you simply need a drill, some rawlplugs suitable for the type of wall you are fitting it too and the correct screws to ensure that the unit is securely mounted.

Gone are the days when virtually every bathroom, in every household, featured wall-to-wall carpeting. Although warm on the feet, it very soon became a soggy, unpleasant smelling mass of spongy bacterial deposits.

Nowadays, there is a wealth of different bathroom floors to consider. Marble and flint are popular in contemporary designs, although too expensive for the majority of us. Tiles are also popular, with the proviso that the grouting might soon become stained, as is the case with cork tiles.

By far the most versatile and affordable of bathroom floors is a laminate finish.

Bathroom laminate flooring is up to four times cheaper than most hardwood floors and is suitable for just about every surface. Additionally, the majority of laminates only require gluing, a significant improvement to driving nails into masonry.

As we know, the bathroom is the second most used room in the house, after the kitchen. This means it takes a good deal of wear and tear. Laminates are extremely easy to clean; a quick wipe usually does the trick, as opposed to hardwood, which requires all manner of paraphernalia, such as oil and polish. Laminate is also pet friendly.

If you have your heart set on a marble floor, but find it is out of your budget, do not despair. Laminates now come in a huge range of simulated textures, offering ‘difficult-to-tell-the difference’ finishes, including stone and wood.

Furthermore, the addition of a good quality underlay will drastically reduce the noise caused by people walking across the floor. More good news is that it could well increase the resale value of your property.

A laminated floor is the perfect way to refit your bathroom. It is durable, stylish, easy to clean and comes in a huge variety of patterns, designs and finishes.

However, a large number of householders shy away from laying laminated flooring in their bathrooms, put off by the thought of making an irreversible mistake and deterred by the cost of hiring a specialist fitter.

Neither scenario need be the case. A few easy steps should remove any concerns you may have in laying your bathroom floor efficiently and inexpensively.

Preparation is the key to laying a successful floor. Rip up the existing bathroom flooring and make certain that all detritus is thoroughly cleared away. This point cannot be stressed strongly enough. If any rubbish remains, your new floor will not lie flat.

Next, measure the floor area. A good rule is to buy 10% more material than you actually require. It is a precautionary measure just in case anything does go wrong.

Now for the easy bit, simply unroll the underlay and secure the joins with a strong roll of masking tape or similar material. If you had to take up some of the floor planks now is the time to reassemble them. This really is not much of a problem; just make sure they fit together evenly.

Now for the adhesive and simply unroll the laminated flooring over the underlay. Press down securely, leave for a day or so and there you have it, a brand new bathroom floor.

Themes are always a good place to start when thinking about redesigning your bathroom. Whether your interest is in Art Deco, modernist painting or rustic idylls, deciding on a subject that interests you helps define exactly how you would like your new bathroom to look.

It also makes choosing such bathroom accessories as shower curtains, bathmats and knick-knacks so much easier.

Remember, choosing wall designs for your bathroom is just as important as choosing a bath or new shower unit. For example, if your passion is for Art Deco, then bathroom tiles in alternating black and white would seem to be the obvious solution.

For those enamoured with period design, wallpaper is the accessory of choice. Depending on your budget, wallpaper can be bought hand-blocked or mass manufactured. It comes in an astonishing range of patterns and prints, is easy to hang and even easier to keep clean.

Choose wallpaper that is specifically designed for the bathroom, as this will avoid problems with wrinkling. Most DIY shops stock a good selection. Create contrasting wall designs by hanging one section in deep gold and combine it with an opposing wall in dark green. Almost immediately the room will resemble a Regency or early Victorian bathroom.

Team the wallpaper design up with crimson towels and bathmats and perhaps a striped shower curtain. Add appropriate taps and a deep, ceramic sink. If possible, add a freestanding bath and you will have the perfect period bathroom.

Given that there are so many finishes that can be used in a bathroom, kitchen, and patio, or for wall cladding or floor tiling, many ask why the use of travertine in buildings is so popular. Travertine has been used for centuries and some of the most famous buildings in the world have been constructed or clad with travertine including the Colesseum in Rome and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris. A natural stone product from the limestone family and is formed with calcium carbonate and is usually found in the form of deposits near warm or hot springs, travertine is ideal for use both inside and outside of buildings.

Travertine comes in many forms of finish because it is a stone that is soft and delicate to look at. The classic aged look of Travertine tumbled stone will warm your home. A polished or honed travertine becomes a bit more formal, yet it’s still inviting. Because of its earthly hues travertine is regarded as being in tune with nature, not surprising when you consider how it was formed. Many prefer to leave the surface in its natural state with the small holes and pits unfilled, giving it a warmer aged look which will acquire a beautiful patina over time. However leaving the stone unfilled will affect the durability and it can attract dirt much easier than a filled travertine making it harder to keep clean.

Travertine is a natural stone material from the limestone family and is formed with calcium carbonate and is usually found in the form of deposits near warm or hot springs a beautiful natural product that is ideal for domestic and commercial use, such as travertine tiles, for example.

Underfloor heating is an excellent way to keep your home warm and when installed correctly is one of the lowest maintenance and safest systems around. However, a word of warning, this system is electrical, which means that DIY enthusiasts need to exercise caution, as electricity really isn’t something to be messed with. Sadly, horror stories can be heard of lives lost through mistakes when working on electrical installations and one slip really can leave the house ‘live’ and lethal.

Unless you are a qualified electrician you need to seriously consider spending the money getting a professional in to fit your underfloor heating, as he will know exactly what he is doing. Take recommendations from friends and family and choose an electrician who can prove he has all the legal qualifications, so that you can be assured you are working with someone who really knows what they are doing. In addition, by having a professional in to do the work you will also get a guarantee for the work. Should there be any minor issues later on, the installer will come back and resolve them for you.

There are sections of the installation process that can be done by a DIY enthusiast, which will save some time and money, but certainly not when it comes to dealing with electricity, as this really is a massive issue. The product you choose, whether it is a water underfloor heating system or an all-electric system, will need proper electrical installation to be completely safe.