A huge number Brits have experienced home emergencies over the winter, the AA has found.
A survey by AA Home Membership found that over 80% of households have experienced some form of property damage over winter, with this damage frequently caused by the weather.
The most common form of property damage experienced during the winter was broken fences, with this affecting 41% of residences. This was followed by boiler breakdowns, at 40%, followed by radiator problems, at 26%.
Nearly one-quarter of respondents (23%) experienced slipped and missing roof tiles, while around one-fifth (18%) have had to deal with a blocked drain.
Repairing these problems cost a fortune, as well – fixing a damaged fence cost an average of £196.93, cleaning up after a flood cost £1072.56, and repairing a broken boiler cost a massive £443.27 on average.
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Winter home emergencies
Statistics found that the number of call-outs made by members of the AA Home Membership service for problems relating to drainage, electrics, plumbing and central heating problems rose by a massive 27% last week (October 13th to 19th) compared with the week from 29th September to October 5th.
The number of call-outs relating to central heating breakdowns increased particularly markedly, rising by 39% over this timeframe.
Head of AA Home Membership Helen Brooker said that over the winter, weather can be a “menace to our homes”.
Alongside the damage strong winds can cause, the leaves that block drains, and the havoc heavy rain and snow can lead to, winter can also make life “really uncomfortable” when things do wrong inside the home, she added.
Ms Brooker advised people to repair any problems in their home now, as the wind could “whip away” a broken piece of guttering or some loose fence panels, and to put outdoor furniture, children’s trampolines and other loose equipment safely in the garden shed.
To keep households safe over the coming months, AA offered the following advice:
- Get a boiler service, as the engineer who services the boiler will be able to spot any problems with the appliance and ensure it functions efficiently
- If a pipe is frozen, use a hot water bottle or a hairdryer to gently thaw it
- To prevent the pipes from freezing, consider leaving the central heating on a low temperature (however, it is more energy efficient to turn heating off when it is not required)
- If you are going to be out of the house for a few days, open the loft hatch, as this allows warm air to circulate into the loft and can prevent frozen pipes, and turn off the stopcock so a leaking pipe will not cause a vast amount of property damage
Want to save money? No problem.
If you’re having trouble with any aspect of your boiler, home appliances or if you’re suffering from a home emergency such as an electrical breakdown, plumbing problem or security issue then be sure to get in touch with us.
You can face a hefty bill if something goes wrong at home so eliminate the possibility and speak to us today.
Call us on 0345 3192 247 and one of our friendly technical team will go through some simple diagnostics to see if your problem can be resolved over the phone. If not, we’ll send an engineer to be with you as soon as possible to ensure you’re back up and running in no time.
