Latest Articles - avtechnical.co.uk

Person using screwdriver to fix screw into a white wall in a room with wooden flooring and furniture.

The three-euro trick to repair a screw spinning freely in a wall

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

In many French homes, a stripped screw can leave an unsightly hole in the wall. One DIY enthusiast has revealed...

Person stacking split firewood logs neatly inside a sunlit room with notepad and walkie-talkie nearby.

Storing Firewood in the Garage: The Hidden Damp Risk

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

On the first evening, it can feel almost luxurious: no more pulling on boots, crossing the garden in a downpour...

Man spraying lubricant onto bicycle chain outdoors with tools and gardening equipment nearby

10 Surprising WD-40 Uses Around the Home, Garage and Garden

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

The blue-and-yellow can often ends up at the back of a cupboard, beside an odd screwdriver and a pile of...

Person stepping onto a wet wooden bath mat next to a beige towel and cleaning spray in a bright bathroom.

Bathroom mats: humidity, mould and bamboo alternatives

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

In French bathrooms, humidity can sometimes turn an everyday item into a breeding ground for microbes and mould. Published on...

Person placing a decorative soap bar into an open wooden drawer on a sunlit wooden desk.

How Dry Soap Frees a Stuck Wooden Drawer

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

A stuck drawer can be enough to spoil a rushed morning. You pull it, try harder, lean down to see...

Construction worker in a yellow helmet inspecting and measuring wooden beams inside a building under renovation.

Free materials: how reuse can become a costly risk

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

The skip lorry was still parked outside the neighbouring house when Marc noticed pallets of paving slabs, roof battens and...

Woman smiling as she cleans a bathroom mirror with a blue cloth and lemon-scented spray cleaner

How to Clean Mirrors and Windows Without Streaks

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

Sometimes, all it takes is a late-afternoon shaft of sunlight to reveal what you would rather overlook: circular marks on...

Person filling a metal bucket with water from a garden tap outside a brick house in autumn.

Prevent Frozen Pipes and Avoid a £500 Plumber's Bill This Winter

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

On the first frosty morning, the same scene plays out in countless homes: an outdoor tap produces no water, a...

Person sprinkling baking soda into a white kitchen bin with citrus peels nearby on a marble countertop.

How to Stop Kitchen Bin Odours Before They Take Over

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

One evening, after preparing fish and clearing away a few peelings, you close the kitchen bin with that automatic little...

Person applying varnish with a brush to the top of an ornate wooden chest of drawers in a workshop.

Sander or Paint Stripper: How to Restore Old Furniture

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

The old sideboard has been waiting in a corner of the garage, beneath yellowed varnish and a few wax marks...

Person using aluminium foil to cover a wall stain, holding a notebook in a sunlit room with plants and folded towels.

Aluminium Foil Test: Identify Damp Walls in 24 Hours

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

One morning, as you open the shutters in the guest bedroom, you notice a brown stain that appears to have...

Young man cleaning a stack of books on a wooden coffee table in a sunlit living room.

The Japanese 15-Minute Routine That Makes Saturday a Day of Rest

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

It is 8.12 am, the coffee is cooling on the worktop and a lone sock is still waiting beside the...

Person holding a wrench under a kitchen tap with water dripping into their hand over the sink.

Dripping Tap: How a Small Leak Raises Your Water Bill

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

It is nearly midnight, the house is quiet, and that faint “plop” from the bathroom starts to fill the silence....

Man examining a large vertical crack on a white wall inside a living room with sunlight streaming in.

Exterior wall crack: a homeowner repairs it at the worst time of year

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

A homeowner believed they had dealt with a minor defect in an exterior wall. A few months later, the crack...

Woman adjusting wall light above wooden sideboard in a minimalist, mid-century modern living room.

How Two Simple Changes Transformed an Inherited Sideboard in the Living Room

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

In this home, an old sideboard considered too dated has reclaimed a central place in the living room after an...

Hand wiping kitchen wall with cloth near cleaning spray bottle and bowl of soapy water on wooden countertop.

How to remove grease stains from kitchen walls without damaging paint

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

Sometimes, all it takes is a slightly lively dinner to notice it: near the hob, level with the saucepan handles,...

Young couple using tablet to control smart home temperature and insulation in a bright living room.

Energy-efficiency renovation: why insulation and ventilation must stay balanced

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

The heating was barely running, the radiators were only lukewarm, yet the house remained comfortable-almost excessively warm on certain winter...

Woman picking up colourful wooden toys from the floor at the bottom of a bright wooden staircase in a modern home.

The simple habit that stops clutter taking hold at home

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

It is 7.12 pm, dinner is simmering, a jumper is draped over the back of a chair and two glasses...

Person kneeling on wooden floor fixing a wooden door with a screwdriver and woodworking tools nearby.

Why Your Door Rubs the Floor in Autumn

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

Does your door close perfectly in summer but scrape along the floor in autumn? This unusual behaviour has a very...

Clay map of France drying on wooden kitchen countertop next to sink, glass jug, bottle, and water filter.

Limescale in France: which areas have the hardest water?

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

Each morning, the kettle boils, the coffee drips, and then a small white residue appears at the bottom of the...

Man using a spirit level to mark a white wall for drilling with drill and screws nearby on cabinet.

How to Secure Wall-Mounted Shelves Safely

Oliver Hartwell • October 3, 2026

On Saturday morning, everything appears to be going perfectly: the shelf has just been fitted, the books are neatly arranged...