Many of the most expensive home repairs start as small issues that could have been prevented with routine maintenance. The English Housing Survey notes that the average cost of bringing a home up to standard stands at over £11,000, though a full mid-range kitchen refit can cost tens of thousands of pounds. Britain has the largest share of old housing stock in Europe, with about 38% of UK properties having been built before 1946, compared to an EU average of 18%. As such, regular inspections and preventive maintenance are particularly important to minimise deterioration. Detecting and solving problems early will help you save money, while also improving your home’s safety, preserving its value, and boosting energy efficiency. The latter is particularly important at a time when Britain’s goal is to achieve a net-zero housing stock by 2050.
Ensuring Heating and Electrical Systems Are Safe
Heating and electrical maintenance are vital for safety. Measures to take include annual boiler servicing, checking boiler pressure, inspecting loft insulation, and replacing worn draught seals around doors and windows. It is also vital to release trapped air from central heating radiators, since over time, air tends to accumulate inside systems, preventing hot water from circulating properly. One proactive measure that can help spot problems early is an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). The typical cost of an EICR test ranges from £100 for a small flat to £300 or more for very large properties. Although this test is legally required every five years for most rental properties, those who buy an older home should consider having one every ten years. An EICR goes deep into electrical systems, potentially identifying problems like ageing wiring, overloaded circuits, and other faults that can become expensive or dangerous if left unattended.
Protecting Your Roofs, Gutters, and Brickwork
A home’s roof, gutters, and brickwork can be considered its ‘envelope’. These features are the first point of defence against the rain, sun, and wind, and regularly maintaining them can help prevent problems like timber rot, insulation damage, damp penetration, and even internal ceiling and plaster repairs. Begin by cleaning gutters twice a year and regularly inspecting your chimney flashing and bricks, looking for cracks and other signs of deterioration. Remove moss and mould between tiles to keep them in optimal condition, and ensure that drains and downpipes are clear. Repairing or replacing a collapsed drain requiring excavation can cost thousands of pounds. To avoid this expense, remove leaves and debris from drain covers and grates, sweep the patio and driveway to prevent dirt from washing into drains, and flush drains with water from a garden hose.
Keeping Water Damage at Bay
Problems with plumbing and moisture control can rob a home of enjoyment, and they are also costly to fix. Damaged flooring, mould growth, and structural deterioration are not only unsightly, but also potentially harmful to a family’s health and safety. They can also result in higher water bills. A tap that drips once every second wastes up to 15 litres of water a day. That’s around 7,000 litres per year, which is more than 90 bathtubs full of water. Once again, regularly inspecting your home for issues like dripping taps, leaking pipes or toilets, and condensation will help nip any problems in the bud. If necessary, key actions to take include insulating exposed pipes before the winter season, resealing baths, showers, and sinks, and ensuring extractor fans are efficiently eliminating condensation.
Small but Vital Jobs that Preserve Your Property’s Value
In addition to following a maintenance schedule, it pays to be proactive and to be constantly on the lookout for issues you can mend as soon as possible. From trimming vegetation away from walls to lubricating locks and hinges or checking window and door seals, you can ensure that problems never become so significant that you need major renovation work. Inspect both the exterior and interior of your home, remembering areas that are sometimes forgotten, including driveways and paths.
Following a strict maintenance schedule can help keep your home safe, comfortable, and beautiful as the years go by. Prioritise regular cleaning and inspection of both interior and exterior structures, and consider having an EICR conducted if your home is older. Be watchful of small as well as larger issues, fixing the former speedily and relying on experienced professionals for specialised work such as plumbing and electrical fixes.
