Q: How would I know when hangging a curtain rail if there were water pipes burried under the plaster. If there were and I was silly enough to drill through them what is the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to repair the damage. Is there such a thing as a plumbers plug or bung I could buy before I started drilling, or would the best thing be to turn of the stop cock just in case? - JJ

A: Generally water pipes don't run in the areas you'll be putting your screws in, but if you really are worried about hitting something, you can buy a cheap pipe/wire detector at your local DIY store. This will detect metal behind the plasterwork and warn you if you might be hitting anything dangerous. Turning off the water might not be much help - it might not be obvious you've drilled through a pipe until you turn the water back on!