Home maintenance ‘mares: Over half of people from Gloucester fail to prepare their homes properly for winter

WITH the days getting shorter and the temperatures dropping, new research from E.ON among UK homeowners reveals that the changing seasons can take their toll on more than just our mood.

The research highlights that over half of people from Gloucester (58%) fail to prepare their homes for the winter months, neglecting some of the essential tasks that will help to keep our homes warm and comfortable for colder weather. This is despite almost three quarters of local people (70%) having experienced a seasonal problem in their home previously.

Home maintenance ‘mares

When it comes to home maintenance and preparing for the colder months, the most common issues people in Gloucester face tend to be draughty windows and doors (36%), followed by the radiators failing to heat up because they need bleeding (34%), boiler breaking down (24%) and the boiler losing pressure (20%).

Can we fix it?

The research highlights a lack of confidence and know-how when it comes to certain tasks around the home. Almost half (49%) of local people knew how to fix the problems themselves – with just three per cent saying a lack of know-how meant they simply never got around to doing anything about the task that needed doing.

The tasks that people felt the least confident about varied from keeping homes warm to maintaining guttering. Many said they wouldn’t feel confident enough to attempt to re-pressurise their boiler (44%), clear the guttering (40%) or put up curtain poles (32%) to help better insulate windows.

It’s cheaper than we think

But we are also overestimating the cost of measures that help to improve the energy efficiency of our homes. For some of the most common problems, the savings can often outweigh these initial costs.

DIY expert Craig Phillips says: “When it comes to DIY, it’s common to feel wary of undertaking some tasks yourself – but a little know-how can often go a very long way and make a real difference.

“For some home maintenance, it’s important to consult expert help; especially when it comes to replacing a boiler. But for other tasks, especially when it comes to keeping our homes warm and ensuring the heat stays inside, there are simple things we can do ourselves quickly and cheaply that really pay off.

“Whether that’s taping up the windows, insulating your loft or even changing the curtains or blinds around your home – often it is the small things which can make a big difference. Understanding what to do and when can play a key role in saving money in the longer term.”

Mike Feely, Energy Efficiency Expert at E.ON, says: “We’ve created a list of handy hacks designed to help make home maintenance a little easier for everyone. Putting off home improvements over the winter months can be costly and at a time when we’d all rather be looking forward to Christmas festivities, it’s important to take the necessary steps to prepare.

“Our research indicates that many people feel less prepared than they’d like to when it comes to undertaking some of these tasks. We want to highlight the simple things that people can do to make their homes more efficient now; whether that’s insulating against draughts, or ensuring your boiler is as energy-efficient as possible.

“Currently we’re offering homeowners £4004 off the cost of a new, installed energy-efficient boiler, meaning people getting ready for winter can benefit from a warmer home and possibly save up to £3505 a year on their energy bill. With real savings to be made, we want to show people the value that they can add simply and easily now, before the cold really sets in.”

For more information about how to save energy in the home, and to find out how your energy use stacks up compared to similar homes, please visit eonenergy.com/savingenergy.