Maintenance
Beware of lead paint when renovating
Everyone knows about asbestos, but it’s surprising how few people realise how much of a risk lead paint can be – and just how common it is in older Australian homes.
How to fix a leaking tap
Most of the time, if a tap in your home is leaky, dripping or hard to close it's the result of a broken washer. While it's possible that your leaking tap's a 'washerless' tap (i.e. one with a ball, cartridge or ceramic disc mechanism - see the 'Types of taps' article linked below), it's a lot less likely that these taps will be leaking like this. You can usually tell if you have a ceramic disc type tap because it'll only need a quarter or half turn to fully open the tap.
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Which hot water systems are most efficient?
The wrong hot water system can easily account for the lion's share of your electricity consumption. In fact, electric tank systems are being phased out. Find out how different systems compare in terms of efficiency.
Bifold windows
- Two or more panels folding onto themselves - concertina style
- Retractable roll down flyscreens can be added to the initial design
Ballasts
While not technically light bulbs, ballasts are a necessary hardware for fluorescent globes and affect the way they operate.