Loose floorboards cannot only be a potential trip hazard in your home, but they can also be quite noisy, squeaking and rubbing together as you step on them.

Repairing loose floorboards is actually a relatively easy home improvement job, and all you will need is a few simple tools.

Rubbing Boards
If the boards are well fixed down but squeak when pressure is put on them all you need to do is pull back the carpet and dust some chalk or talcum powder between the two boards.  This will prevent the friction when they rub against each other and get rid of any irritating noises.

Loose Floorboards
Many floorboards are nailed down, but these nails can become loose.  You can tighten loose boards by using basic 50mm screws, which will fix the boards down very securely, and begin by lifting up the boards to check if there are any pipes, cables or obstructions underneath.  If it is all clear then pre-drill the holes to stop the wood from splitting, and use four screws, one at each corner of the board to screw it securely in place.

Rising damp occurs when water is drawn up through the exterior brickwork of a building and is absorbed through to the interior walls, causing unsightly damp patches to appear up to a metre high. Rising damp can occur for a number of reasons such as:

· Cracked, leaking downpipes – downpipes running along the exterior walls of your home can be vulnerable to leaking, and this will cause water to run down the exterior brickwork, causing rising damp.

· Blocked, broken gutters – blocked or broken gutters can also cause water to run down the exterior walls of your home encouraging damp interior conditions.

· Dense, thick foliage – a dense concentration of plants and trees growing too close to you home can trap moisture and cause dampness to linger, and climbing plants can also damage brickwork and encourage interior dampness.

Once you have identified a rising damp problem you need to get this sorted out as soon as possible, as continual exposure to dampness can damage the plaster work and surface décor.

Open vented systems

Central heating systems may need to be drained in order for radiators and boilers to be repaired or replaced, and some people do like to drain the system completely once a year, as part of the overall central heating maintenance.

1. Switch off the boiler and disconnect it from the power supply, or make sure the fire is out if it is a solid fuel boiler.

2. Turn off the water supply to the expansion tank (if you cannot find the valve simply tie up the ball cock with string).

3. Connect a hose to the drain cock and secure in place over a drain or gulley, and open using a pair of pliers to start the water draining.

4. Allow air to replace the draining water by opening the air bleed valves on the upstairs radiators, and then once the water level has dropped repeat with the lower radiators.

5. Once water has stopped coming out of the hose attached to the drain cock, the system should be empty.