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I have done exactly that. I have a 3 liter geyser that connects to the output of the solar heater. This is the most efficient as it heats up dynamically and only a small amount of water gets wasted versus heating up the entire solar tank.

Since the solar heater will already be warm even in winters, the 3KW instant heater can easily support even if 2 bathrooms are being used at the same time.

Coming to hot water.

In India we rarely have water recirculating as in the colder regions of the world. Recirculation reduces a lot of water wastage. The major downside is that you need to design piping for it and of course a pump that will keep water in motion.

I think that it is high time that we think about this and incorporate recirculation of hot water in at least new construction.

At what stage of house construction Pest control and termite treatment should be employed? Are there any agencies who undertake such works?

1. At the time of foundation digging before laying PCC for footings on the floor and walls of pit.

2. Again after filling back the foundation with earth and before lying PCC for ground floor flooring.

3. Mix in kerosene and apply on door frames before fixing and coat plywood /wood before cutting

Pest control agencies are going to be very costly for this and also they do not tell what specific chemical they are using so hard to trust them.

You can buy either Bifenthrin
or Imildachloroprid 35% SC chemicals and a 5 liter hand pump garden sprayer.
Mix Imildachloroprid 2.1 ml per liter of water and engage a daily wage laborer to spray in pits.


Don't go for Chloropyriphos or other older generation Insecticides sold on hardware shops as newer generation chemicals have less toxicity to mammels.

Instead buy either
Bifenthrin or Imildachloroprid chemicals from shops selling agricultural supplies and pesticides and mix in required quantities.

Hi. Can someone suggest a possible way to remove these near permanent stains due to hard water on bathroom fittings?

Alternatively, is there an option of reapplying chrome on it ? If not, is replacement and giving it in scrap the only option ?

Thanks

Usually a mixture of baking soda along with vinegar and lime juice can do the trick. Rubbing the part with a sponge in the prepared mixture can restore it's former shine up to an extent. In the picture however, I can see rust elements, which I am not sure can be removed.

Re-chroming is likely to be an expensive affair and not worth it. Better to go for a new tap set in such a scenario. If you have hard water in the area, why not invest in a main line hard water filter of some kind. In the end this hard water will affect not just all the taps and piping's, but also on whatever and whomever the water is used.

Just check out these two clips too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQKh6q7EyiU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCnXrC4Y108

I have finally booked with the Sakhara Nagar branch. The branches closer didn't seem as professional and experienced. I have booked both for the kitchen and the wardrobes.

The clincher perhaps was the fact that it could be uninstalled and installed in a different house. That gives me a lot of room if I move out of Bangalore. Another thing that played on my mind was the fact that our quite expensive woodwork was ultimately chewed up by termites (and constant struggle with them in Gurgaon).


There is a simpler solution to this with Cif bathroom cleaner. It'll clear up hard water marks pretty easily and will return the shine. I usually use it once a month on the taps and they look as good as new.

It'll not fix the rusting.

Hi - Please can you share a ballpark of the rate structure for wardrobes and kitchen, since I am about to commence a contract for my house too in NCR?

It depends on the kind of fittings/cabinets one chooses. Their system will generate a quote based on everything.

I have gone for a small kitchen setup (7X9) without lofts and two wardrobes of 4.5X7 and 6X9. Everything in steel and soft closing. My cost will come to appx 3.25 Lacs. For wooden pullouts/doors with steel frames/carcass, the cost goes up by 20%. That would perhaps be the best of both worlds.

For kitchens, you can haggle for discounts, typically 15-20%. For wardrobes, it was 7-8% for me. I am not a hard bargainer. If there is some offer from Godrej itself, then it'll become a sweet deal. Currently, there wasn't one.

p.s. - Some showrooms might quote substantially less than this. They will change the tandem boxes, sliding channels, etc from Hettich to some local brand. It happened to me as one other showroom was quoting much less than this. That isn't worth it and it's better to stick to an established player who doesn't tinker with original specifications and provides the original Godrej Interio kitchen.

Hi ,

For our house in my hometown, I am planning to change the colour of all internal walls.
Currently, the colours are light pink in 2 bedrooms and light blue in another 2.

I am thinking of one colour for all the internal walls and that is white.

Can you please suggest any colour codes from Asian paints , emulsion and long lasting ones.

I am trying to identify using their websites but there are just too many shades. I was wondering if anyone who has done it recently and knows about the best shade and product in white could suggest something. We want to keep it simple yet classy and not just "too bright" or "too white" everywhere inside the house.

Thanks for the help.

My favourite is just using the base white color that they use to get the other shades. You can also look at

Almost Ivory L156
Natural Linen L132

From Asian

What are the waterproofing options for terrace/RCC roof that can be done on a house after a few years of construction, like 15 years old? Something that can last at least 5 years or more before redoing it again. Would the same option work for a relatively new construction like 2 years old? Also a rough price/sq ft would help.

We have two sources of water for the home with two switches on two ends of the home separately. I wish to combine them into a single board. I hope that shouldn't be a challenge except for the running length of the wires. Experts, please confirm If I am missing any technical complexity.

My next need is to install an automatic water level controller. I searched a lot on the internet and I could see many assembled/non branded ones except GIC and Videon branded offerings. Any advice if Videon or GIC are good ones to go with?

Are these auto systems reliable for the long terms? Are they susceptible to voltage variations/go kaput easily?

Videon one seems a copy of an erstwhile offering from V Guard. I am told V Guard exited this product line due to reliability issues.

I recommend you replace your switches or augment them with wireless wifi switches rather than trying to consolidate them. You will get better control and can also run them on timer etc.
For the water level controller i use a product from Mivan Technologies. I purchased from their website though it is available on Amazon too. From their site you can buy better quality steel sensors which i didnt find on amazon. Cost be under 800rs with extra water sensors. The device got spoilt for me once but was replaced for me once i sent in the non working one to their address. Been using it now for close to three years and happy with it.

There are various methods, but all of them require stripping the surface to the concrete slab.

1. Strip the layers from the terrace surface till the concrete slab.
2. Thoroughly clean the surface and let it dry.
3. Cover the surface with overlapping sheets impregnated with tar.
4. Use heat gun to melt and seal the overlapping areas.
5. While the surface is hot, press/roll from centre to ends to properly bond the material to he concrete and expel any air trapped.
6. When the surface has cooled, cover the whole area with tiles/bricks.
7. Spray sealant to seal the gaps.
8. The areas where most leaks occur is at the edges, so it is wise to have cement layers at the edges.

Most water proofing contractors will do the job, just ensure that each step is done properly.

A more expensive option is to use concrete with waterproofing compound mixed in it to covet the roof slab. Now a days ready mix "Foam Concrete" incorporating water proofing is also available at select cities; worth exploring' as it is light, water proof and offers insulation against heat.