The Sensible Post
Straight answers on cars, tools, and keeping a house running.
We publish plain, tested guidance on the things that break around a house and a garage - cars, tools, home repair, and appliances. Every guide says what to check first, what the numbers should be, and when a job should go to a professional instead.
Latest
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Tools & EquipmentHot Glue Gun: What It Actually Holds, and What It Will Not
Hot glue is excellent on porous materials and useless on load, heat and oily plastics. Here is where it belongs and which gun to buy.
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Cars & MaintenanceRC Car Won't Move: The Checks That Fix Most of Them
The car and the controller have separate power, which catches most people. Here is the order to check things in, from free to fiddly.
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Tools & EquipmentSpanner Set Sizes: The Ones You Actually Reach For
Most metric jobs live between 8 and 19 mm. Here is which sizes earn their place, why the ring end matters, and where spanners beat a socket set.
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Home RepairCaulk vs Sealant: Which to Use in Bathrooms and Outdoors
Acrylic, siliconised acrylic, silicone, and polyurethane each fail in different places. Here is which to use where, and why paintability decides most of it.
- Cars & Maintenance
Oil Change Intervals: What the 3,000-Mile Rule Gets Wrong
Modern engines on full synthetic go 7,500 to 15,000 miles. Here is how to find your actual interval and the driving conditions that shorten it.
- Home Repair
Attic Insulation R-Value: How Much You Need and What It Saves
Most older houses have half the insulation they need. Here is the R-value target for your climate, and the air sealing that matters even more.
Cars & Maintenance
Diagnosing what a car is telling you, and the maintenance intervals that actually apply to yours.
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RC Car Won't Move: The Checks That Fix Most of Them
The car and the controller have separate power, which catches most people. Here is the order to check things in, from free to fiddly.
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Oil Change Intervals: What the 3,000-Mile Rule Gets Wrong
Modern engines on full synthetic go 7,500 to 15,000 miles. Here is how to find your actual interval and the driving conditions that shorten it.
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Why Tyre Pressure Drops in Cold Weather (and What to Set It To)
Pressure falls about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F. Here is the physics, why the door sticker beats the tyre sidewall, and how to set it correctly in winter.
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Finding a Coolant Leak: Where to Look and What the Colour Tells You
Losing coolant with no puddle usually means one of four things. Work through the pressure test, the cold inspection, and the head gasket check in order.
Tools & Equipment
What to buy, what the specs mean, and how to use it without damaging the tool or yourself.
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Hot Glue Gun: What It Actually Holds, and What It Will Not
Hot glue is excellent on porous materials and useless on load, heat and oily plastics. Here is where it belongs and which gun to buy.
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Spanner Set Sizes: The Ones You Actually Reach For
Most metric jobs live between 8 and 19 mm. Here is which sizes earn their place, why the ring end matters, and where spanners beat a socket set.
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Jack Stands: Rating, Placement, and the Mistakes That Kill People
A trolley jack is a lifting device, never a support. Here is how to rate stands correctly, where to place them, and the redundancy that makes it survivable.
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Buying a Socket Set: Drive Sizes, 6 vs 12 Point, and What to Skip
One 3/8-inch set covers most work. Here is how drive sizes divide up, why 6-point sockets matter on rusted fasteners, and which 200-piece kits waste your money.
Home Repair
Plumbing, electrics, insulation and finishing - where the fault usually is, and where to stop.
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Caulk vs Sealant: Which to Use in Bathrooms and Outdoors
Acrylic, siliconised acrylic, silicone, and polyurethane each fail in different places. Here is which to use where, and why paintability decides most of it.
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Attic Insulation R-Value: How Much You Need and What It Saves
Most older houses have half the insulation they need. Here is the R-value target for your climate, and the air sealing that matters even more.
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Drywall Anchors: Which Type Holds What Weight
Plastic expansion anchors hold about 10 pounds. Toggle bolts hold 50 or more. Here is what each type actually carries and when to find a stud instead.
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Toilet Running Constantly: Flapper, Fill Valve, or Float
A running toilet wastes up to 200 gallons a day and is usually a $6 part. Here is the dye test that identifies which one in five minutes.
Appliances
Working out whether an appliance is broken, blocked, or simply due for cleaning.
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Garbage Disposal Humming but Not Turning: Clear the Jam Safely
A hum means the motor has power but the plate cannot turn. Here is the hex wrench fix, the reset button, and what never to put down one.
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Oven Runs Hot or Cold: Testing and Calibrating the Temperature
Most ovens drift 25 to 50 degrees from their set point. Here is how to measure yours properly and recalibrate it, and when the sensor is the problem.
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Dryer Takes Two Cycles to Dry: It Is Almost Always Airflow
A dryer that heats but takes forever has a restriction, not a heating fault. Here is how to find it, and why lint in the duct is a fire risk.
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Refrigerator Not Cooling: Coils, Fan, or Defrost System
A fridge that runs but stays warm usually has blocked coils, a failed fan, or a frozen evaporator. Here is how to tell which, in order of likelihood.