How to choose a pressure tank: volume, pressure and orientation
A simple way to size a pressure tank, check its working pressure and choose between a vertical and a horizontal tank for a private house.
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How to winterise the water system in a summer house
How to drain the pipes, booster set, pressure tank and water heater before winter, blow out the system with a compressor and avoid burst pipes.
How to check and top up the air in a pressure tank yourself
Step-by-step guide: how to measure the air pressure in a pressure tank, how much to pump in and how to tell that the diaphragm has failed.
Booster set for a private house: how to connect it yourself
How to connect a booster set to a well: foot valve, suction pipe, filter and first start-up. Typical mistakes and how to avoid them.
How to choose a borehole pump: depth, yield and head
We work out the head a borehole pump needs with an example, check the borehole yield and the casing diameter. A clear guide without formulas.
How to install a borehole pump yourself
How to lower a pump into a borehole yourself: safety rope, cable, check valve, well cap and checks before the first start.
How to adjust a pump pressure switch yourself
What the large and small springs of a pressure switch do, how to raise the pressure in the house without overloading the pump. Step-by-step setup with a gauge.
Pump keeps switching on and off: 6 causes and what to do
Does your pump click on every few seconds? We go through six common causes — from low air in the pressure tank to a leak — and check them in order.
Float valve: how it works, how to choose and fit one in a tank
How a float valve works, the difference between lever and diaphragm models, how to choose a float and set the water level in a tank.
A water reserve at home: a storage tank with a float valve, DIY
When you need a water reserve, how to size the tank and where to fit the float valve, overflow and pump. A layout for a weak borehole or an unreliable supply.
Water hammer in household plumbing: causes and protection
Why pipes bang when a tap closes, how water hammer damages a washing machine or water heater, and how to protect the plumbing with an arrestor.
Heating expansion vessel: sizing and connection
Why a sealed heating system needs an expansion vessel, how to size it, what pre-charge to set and where to connect it.
Under-sink reverse osmosis: DIY installation
Step-by-step reverse osmosis installation: cold water connection, drain saddle, faucet on the sink, storage tank and the first flush.
How to choose a water filter from a lab test: iron, manganese, hardness
Which values to look at in a borehole water test, which filter you need for iron, manganese and hardness, and in what order to fit the treatment stages.
How to replace a water filter cartridge yourself
When to replace the cartridge, how to undo the filter housing, what to do with the O-ring and how to restart the filter without leaks.
How to protect a borehole supply pipe from freezing
How deep to bury the pipe from a borehole, when you need insulation and a heating cable, and how to protect the house entry and the well head from frost.
Welding polypropylene pipes yourself: heating times and mistakes
How to weld PP-R pipe properly: tool temperature, heating times for 20–40 mm pipe, stripping aluminium-reinforced pipe and the mistakes that make joints leak.
How to choose the pipe size for household plumbing
How to choose pipe sizes for the supply, risers and tap connections, the difference between outer and inner diameter and why a thin pipe “eats” pressure.
How to seal a pipe thread: hemp, PTFE tape or thread seal cord
We compare hemp with paste, PTFE tape, thread sealing cord and anaerobic sealant: what to use for water and heating and how to wind it so it never leaks.
How to replace a ball valve without a plumber
How to replace a leaking or seized ball valve: tools, holding the pipe with a second wrench, sealing the thread and checking the job afterwards.