May 24
Our new project on LED lighting explains what LED’s are, how they work, the different types available and how they can save energy – and save you money!
It explains the colour difference you can choose from with your bulbs, whether you want warm white or cool white in a room, and the options available for indoor and outdoor use. You can also choose whether you want dimmable LED’s or not.
LED’s last much longer than halogens and are 100% recyclable so far better for the environment. The project page gives examples of LED replacements for the type of incadescent bulbs many of us still have in our homes, so you know what you are looking for if you just want to swap the type you are using. It also gives advice on fitting ceiling lights and strip lights, so you can make you house more nergy efficient with all your lighting!
The project is presented by LED Hut who can supply all your LED solutions and are happy to give advice on what is best for you and your home.
May 23
With the UK’s Government proposing to launch the new ‘Green Deal’ in October, we would like to find out what you understand about the deal and what your views are on it.
If you can spare five mintues we would really appreciate it if you could fill in a short survey so we can gain a better understanding of the public’s views.
Please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/diydoctorgreendeal
Thank you!
May 22
Following on from last week’s blog post explaining about smart meters, energy supplier E.ON has come up with some interesting research.
The research was carried out in April and shows that in the UK many adults do not know about or understand about smart meters. Of those who took part, 60% said they knew what a smart meter was, but only 45% could explain it. It was the older people who were more likely to know and be able to define what a smart meter is, with 55% of over 55 year olds answering.
Interestingly six out of ten people would ‘reduce energy usage if they could visualise their consumption’, so maybe if we can all get our heads around the idea of smart meters and what they can do, we will see the benefits.
Younger adults (18 – 24 year olds) were ‘the most enthusiastic at viewing smart meters as having a positive effect on their lives’. Men are twice as likely as women to want a smart meter, but women are more likely to reduce their energy usage if they could ‘visualise their behaviours’.
The research went on to identify that half the population already use technology for things such as online banking etc and so it would seem that with a bit more knowledge about smart meters, the UK will come to accept them and the benefits they can bring to our homes and saving energy.
May 21
Buying a new cast iron fireplace is a costly purchase but we have a new project on the website which gives help and advice if you are restoring a cast iron fireplace. If you already have an old fireplace in your home you may be thinking about trying to revive it or maybe you are planning to buy an old cast iron fireplace from a reclamation yard to ‘do up’.
The project gives advice on stripping and cleaning your fireplace and what to use to get rid of old paint and rust. Depending on the finish you want for your fireplace, you can then decide what sort of product to use on the clened surface – it maybe that you just want to polish it or you may choose to paint it. Whichever you choose, it will be time well spent restoring your cast iron fireplace as they are great features in a house and a good investment!
May 18
A new addition to the projects on diydoctor is ‘how to wallpaper a stairwell’ - a tricky job, and not one many people feel confident tackling, so we have created a project to help.
Most people’s main concern is the height and angle you can be working at when you are papering (or painting for that matter) the stairs, so it is vital that you have a safe area to work. We suggest you construct a platform - you can either use a special ladder for using on stairs or construct your own platform using boards – just make sure sure it is safe and secure.
We already have projects to help with choosing wallpaper and using the right wallpaper adhesive, but this page gives you advice and tips on pasting, hanging and trimming your paper so you get a professional finish.
You can also refer to our hanging wallpaper and wallpapering a ceiling projects. Good luck with your wallpapering!
