Whether you own your home or live in rented accommodation, you’ll no doubt be aware that unexpected house issues can seriously drain your bank account. That’s why it’s important to keep on top of house maintenance. Tap Warehouse has revealed you could avoid spending up to £32,000 by keeping up with house maintenance and changing some small home habits that could be taxing your wallet.
With that in mind, we have uncovered 10 seemingly small flaws and habits that are in fact costing you a fortune, from the most expensive to the least, calculated from the experts at Tap Warehouse.
1.Broken Gutters Leak £12,500 Worth of Repairs
Do your gutters outside your home leak? The leaking gutters may seem like a minor issue. But, if left untouched it could cause serious damage to the property. Once the water backs up in the gutters this can cause it to leak through the roof. This then leads to structural damage in the walls, chimney and even the foundation. This can be a very expensive job to fix, with it costing a whopping £12,500 on average.
Not only that, but heavy rain and snow increase the risk of ice dams on the roof, especially when your gutters aren’t working – which can lead to a roof repair costing £3,000 to fix.
2. Cracked Sealant Can Lead to £2,000 Worth of Damage
Any type of sealant and grout doesn’t last forever, and this can be particularly damaging in the bathroom if left untreated. Sealant around the shower/tub area and tile grout need regular maintenance. Otherwise, cracks can develop, allowing moisture to seep through to the ceiling below.
Unfortunately, a bathroom leak caused by worn sealant will likely not be covered by your home insurance. So, what seems like a tiny issue of cracked sealant/grout might end up costing you a lot more in the long run. Even a simple leak from a bathroom to the ceiling below can cost £2,000 to repair.
If you want to avoid any nasty surprises, make sure to reseal the shower and bath area every one to two years and seal grout on high-traffic areas at least once a year.
3. Blocked Air Bricks Costs a Homeowner £16,000 - £400 in Repairs
Air bricks are specially designed with holes to allow air to flow underneath buildings with suspended timber floors. However, over time these air bricks can become blocked with soil, leaves and debris. If plants or grass have been left to overgrow, this can block the air bricks, too.
Once the bricks are blocked or even partially blocked, moisture and gasses from the ground won’t be able to escape. Thus causing condensation and then eventually leading to rising damp, which can cost hundreds to fix. Even rising damp treated relatively quickly can cost an astounding £400. But, if left untreated you’re looking at £16,000 in repair fees.
4. Dirty Fridge Coils Cost Brits a Whopping £441
You likely already wipe down the inside of your fridge, but when was the last time you cleaned the outside – particularly the condenser coils? These coils are located at the back of the fridge and can become clogged with dust, dirt and pet hair. Once they become enmeshed your fridge has to work harder to keep your food cool, meaning you could be paying an extra £56 a year in electricity.
What's more, dirty fridge coils actually shorten the life of your fridge. They overload the compressor which can result in a hefty £385 to repair.
The good news is that these coils are easily cleaned. Simply turn off the fridge and vacuum the coils to remove the dust. These should be cleaned once a year, or more if you have a lot of dust or pet hair in the kitchen.
5. Leaked: A Dripping Tap Costs Homeowners £300
Whilst it may seem like a tiny issue, even a slowly dripping tap can waste thousands of litres of water a year, not to mention the £s wasted. Shockingly, taps that constantly trickle can use over 450 litres a day, or a huge 175,000 litres of water in a year. That costs the average homeowner a painful £300 extra on their water bill.
And, if it’s a hot water tap dripping you also have hundreds of pounds added onto your gas bill - all going straight down the drain.
Thankfully, a leaky tap is an easy and cheap fix. More often than not a simple tap washer change is all that is required, however, you can check our dripping tap guide to find the root of the problem.
6. Running Toilets Add Up to £300 Wasted a Year
Even if your toilet is leaking a lot or a little; it is still costing you unnecessary pounds. A toilet that constantly leaks from the cistern into the pan can accumulate to 400 litres a day - enough to fill 5 baths. If left unfixed for a year this can add up to a massive £300 extra on your water bill.
And that’s not even the worst of it. Some toilets can leak a vast 8,000 litres a day, or 100 baths. Costing over £6,000 a year if not fixed.
It’s sometimes hard to notice when your toilet is leaking which means they often go untreated. However, it’s simple to check when you know how.
One key sign is if you can hear or see a flow of water at the back of the toilet pan when the toilet hasn’t been flushed. Another good trick is by putting a few drops of food colouring in the cistern - wait 10 minutes to see if it spreads to the bowl. If it does: you have a leak! Make sure to flush after 10 minutes to ensure you don’t stain the loo.
7. Suds Law: An Inefficient Showerhead Costs Nearly £100 Annually
You may think you’re saving money and water by taking a shower rather than a bath. But, if your showerhead is inefficient you could be using more water in under five minutes than a bath.
If you have a shower that takes hot water directly from a boiler or water tank (instead of an electric shower) you could be wasting a pretty penny on gas and water bills. By switching to an efficient showerhead, a family of four could save £40 off their gas bills and around £55 off their water bills – that’s a total of £95 saved.
8. Water Bad Idea: Not Installing a Water Meter Adds Up to an Extra £71
Although you can’t switch water providers, there are still ways to save money on your water bill. One way is completely free of charge to install and could save hundreds a year, such as installing a water meter. The amount of money you can save is completely dependent on how much water you use.
But those living alone or in a small household often will benefit from the most savings. This is because without a water meter your bill will be based on your home’s ‘rateable value’ and is completely irrelevant to water usage. The average unmetered property costs an additional £71 annually in water bills.
What’s more, if you find the water meter doesn’t save you money, or you change your mind, you may be able to switch back within 12 months, though many companies offer up to 24 months.
9. Dishing the Dirt: A Running Tap Whilst Washing the Dishes Costs £25 a Year
Did you know that 10 minutes of rinsing dishes can waste enough water to fill a bath (100 litres)? When the water is hot it’s not only costing you in water but gas, too. Dirty dishes are already a painful sight, but it doesn’t need to be more so. Fortunately, using a washing up bowl only uses 10 litres, thanks to being smaller than the sink. Hence, Brits can save a nice £25 a year by just simply switching to a bowl!
10. Storing Cold Water in the Fridge Can Save You £17
When you grab a glass of water do you run the tap first, so the water is cold? That’s about 1 litre of water wasted for every drink, totalling 8 litres of water per day, so just think how much is wasted over a year. For an average household, this accumulates to 16 hot tubs worth of water (11,680 litres) costing £17 a year.
But, you can easily save that £17 by filling a water jug and keeping it in the fridge – for instant cold water.
As you can see you can save a pretty penny in the long run by keeping on top of small house issues and changing our habits. If you enjoyed reading this, why not check out our guide on how to save water at home?
