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We normally put a line of salt around areas they surface. That discourages them and they go back.

You can also try Boric Powder which is effective against smaller insects.

Has anyone used a countdown timer to save on power especially for a Geyser? My daughter is very careless and often leaves the water heater, lights, fans etc on the whole day. I purchased a Ao Smith water heater for her room assuming it can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times but that is not the case. Though it has a clock it cannot switch on or off at predetermined times.
I am looking at the 16A version of this Havells mcb to allow her to switch it on for 10 mins or maybe even 5 after which it will automatically cut off power.

Could not find similar device, but there are tons of "Programmable Switches"
https://www.amazon.in/s/ref=sr_st_pr...price-asc-rank

Found this in their catalog
http://www.havells.com/content/dam/h..._catalogue.pdf

Technical Specification
Operating Voltage 240 Vac
Rated Frequency 50 Hz
Width 17.5 mm
Weight 0.075 kg
Installation Type DIN Rail
Adjustment Range 0.5 - 20 Min
Type of Contact NO Contact
Type of Connection
Max. Switching Capacity at
250 Vac, cos = 1
16 A
Max. Switching Capacity at
250 Vac, cos = 0.6
10 A
Incandescent / Halogen Lamps
Switch for Permanent Light Sliding Switch
Degree of Protection IP 20
Ambient Temperature -10 ºC to + 55 ºC
Staircase Light Time Switch
Staircase Light Time Switch is a variable delay timer to control stairwell
lighting. A momentary action push button will initiate its output, which

Applications:
The Staircase Light Time Switch is specifically used in controlling
stairwell lighting in multiplexes, hotels, offices etc.

With 10A switching current you can easily use it for a 2KW Geyser

thanks for the reply. I do have similar programmable sockets but was looking for an easier solution that anyone can use when they want. Many of the programmable sockets are rated for 10A or lower. I think the water heaters may need 15a. The other issue with these programmable sockets is I am yet to see one made for Indian plugs. I have only the UK pin type and US pin type. This makes the whole think bulky with need for adapters sometimes in front and on the timer socket so that Indian plugs get in.
Basically I want to control how long these power hungry devices are left powered on, to ensure they are not consuming power when left on by mistake. The timer will take care of cutting power after a threshold of time. I would also like the timer to be available in a modular size so it can fit in the existing Roma type board, but this is excessive expectation I guess :)
I saw a few din type in industrybuying.com but think the prices are a bit on the higher side.

Havells has the range called Programmable Time Switch, check with dealers or check online brochure.

Just checked the Havels Catalog, the switch is rated at 10 nominal and 16A max, so good enough for storage geysers

Thanks, since it is contact less, it will not spark as well when cutting off power? I vaguely recall that higher rated appliances should have contact less switching for spark less operation.

Contactless refers to using a Triac instead of the 'normal' relay. Triacs unless rated with adequate margin tend to fail while relays rarely fail in such applications.

Remember the fan regulators ? Many households have this fan regulators which fail within a year or too. Unless you use this in 'inflammable' surroundings, sparks from a relay cause no issue. Triacs - unless they are mated with zero-cross over switching circuitry will inject noise into the mains. These electrical 'noise' affect things like remote bells and rarely some blue tooth connectivity.

I showed the bathroom to the plumber yesterday and he suggested that instead of fixing a tap from within the wash basin he could get a tap directly from the pipe line in the wall. It'll be concealed, much better looking and I can turn it off and on using another mixer that he'll install separately.

Now the wash basin wouldn't have anything except the drain pipe, would save a lot of space. It makes perfect sense and I can put a cabinet below the table top wash basin and with just the drain pipe it'd mean a lot of space.

What do you think?

. As long as you can switch the water supply off within the bathroom it is fine. I still prefer one master tap at the point of entry to switch the water supply off.
. I have faced a lot of problems with concealed taps. After ten years or so when it is time to replace or repair them, there is no other method but to break the tiles to get to it. That is why except the main bath mixer which lasts for ages, all my taps are not the concealed types, but outside the wall.
. I am not in favour of having any cabinet in the bathroom, as the high humidity permeates and sits in cabinets, soon there is a strong musty smell, which you can rarely get rid off.

At this stage I would also advise you to have as big a window(s) as possible. That will not only make the bathroom brighter, but will ventilate and dehumidify the bathroom in long term - a point which is often ignored while designing, but regretting later on.

First bathroom renovation in progress. Pipes have been changed to 1" outside and 0.75" inch for each point.

They are breaking the floor now and I'll be getting it waterproofed but wanted to check if there's a need to waterproof any wall also.

I mean they've replastered the walls, the pipes are changed to CPVC already so is there any logic to getting them waterproof?

I'm deliberately avoiding any waterproof treatment on ceiling because if I get it done then the water may come to adjoining rooms. Not that there is a seepage problem now but whenever it occurs. At least this way the problem will remain in bathroom ceiling and I can identify and get it treated accordingly.

In my kitchen, I have a US Made Microwave Owen connected through a Step Down Transformer. I have been using this in India for a really long time. Recently, I noticed that when I turn on or off the Transformer, the other lights in my kitchen flicker momentarily. I moved to this place 2 years back. I am pretty sure, I didn't have this issue in my earlier home. In this home, I am not so sure whether I had this issue earlier or if it's there only for the last few months.

What is the reason for this & how can it be fixed?

It all depends on the type of step-down transformer feeding your American Microwave Oven. If it is a 'normal' microwave alone oven, it is probably rated at 1 KVA. If it has conventional grill as well, the rating will go up significantly. Now coming to your issue of lights flickering momentarily, it could just be the normal surge current ( can be as high as 10 A transient current).
Or as it ages, it may have a partial short in its windings. The only clue is check the temperature on the transformer casing using an Infra red thermometer after using your oven for some time. If the temperature is higher than 10 degree C above the ambient temperature, you may have a partial short or your microwave oven is drawing excess current.

Disconnect the oven and run the transformer with some dummy load - incandescent bulbs. Check the temperature again to find the culprit.
I am sorry if this sounds technical. It is. :)

It's a regular microwave but 1.5 KVA, I think.

When the microwave is run for 3 minutes at a time - the transformer isn't hot to touch.

It is just that the Oven + Transformer are drawing Surge Current while switching on/off (Normal behaviour for transformers). The flickering is due to inadequate size of power cables feeding the oven. To check see if the lights flicker in the rest of the house.
. If not then then the cable to the oven needs changing.
. If yes, then the problem is with the main cable entering the flat/floor.

Most of us do not realise that many US appliances draw a lot of power compared to those of European or Eastern design. I remember a friend brought an electric cooking range from US - 4 hobs and an oven. After installation it blew the house fuse twice before an electrician checked the power consumption. It was 10KW without oven and 16KW with oven on ! ! !