Brace yourselves! Homeowners need to start winterproofing their homes

The colder months are already creeping up on the nation which means that doing some patchwork around the house could make a difference in fighting the frost.

Property maintenance solution provider, Help me Fix, has taken the liberty to do some research on how UK homeowners can winterproof their homes.

Five maintenance tasks were highlighted which homeowners are urged to consider before winter arrives, as well as how waiting times, indicating that they’re best to get their house in order sooner rather than later.

Ettan Bazil, chief executive officer and founder of Help me Fix said: “Although the recent heat wave seems a fairly distant memory, we still have a few weeks left before autumn well and truly arrives and our homes start to face the seasonal onslaught of wetter, colder weather.”

“So, for many homeowners, winter-proofing our homes probably isn’t top of our to-do list, particularly with the cost-of-living crisis putting a strain on our household finances. However, there remains a high demand for many skilled tradespeople at present and so, in many cases, the waiting time to book a job can be rather substantial. This means that even those booking now may find they're cutting it fine when it comes to having work completed before the weather turns for the worst.”

“It’s certainly set to be a tough winter for many, but a proactive approach to protecting our homes is always going to pay dividends compared to the higher cost of waiting for the worst to happen. Not only will you find the cost of the work will be higher, but you will also be subject to a far longer wait without hot water or heating.”

For those looking to avoid unnecessary maintenance costs in what has already been a tough few months for our household finances, winter can put additional strain on our homes and so, preparing ahead for colder, wetter months is a smart move to make.

However, high demand for professional tradespeople can also mean weeks on end waiting to get work done, should the worst happen, so planning ahead can help your household avoid a winter without hot water or a leaking roof.

Boiler check – 1-week wait

A common household issue during the winter months is a problematic boiler. It can cost anywhere between £60 to £120 for a service check, up to £200 for a boiler repair, and as much as £400 for a power flush.

Currently, waiting times can be as long as a week, so it’s best to be proactive ahead of winter to avoid a prolonged period without heating and hot water.

Brickwork – 4 weeks wait

An area which is often overlooked ahead of winter is our brickwork after months of more favourable weather conditions. However, inadequate brickwork pointing can be a major issue and over time it allows water ingress, along with increased chances of frost damage and dampness – two issues that are far more prevalent during winter.

It costs between £50 to £60 on average per square metre to repoint your brickwork, yet at present, it could take up to four weeks before you can bring in a bricky to carry out the work, so acting swiftly to tackle this problem would be best practice.

Roofing – 4 weeks wait

Much like our brickwork, issues with our roofing materialise when the cold and rain start to batter our homes on a regular basis. Cracked or missing tiles happen particularly frequently and can lead to further issues within the home.

While a roof inspection will set you back around £250, repairs that don’t require scaffolding can generally be done for around £170 for roughly five tiles – which is far more cost-effective in the long run. But again, it could take as long as four weeks before a tradesperson is available, so a proactive approach would be much more beneficial compared to taking the risk of fixing things when winter has already arrived.

Water pipes – 1 week wait

Blocked, burst or frozen pipes can be a nightmare and one that often becomes a reality, especially during the winter season. Insulting your pipes or fitting pipe jackets can be done for as little as £50 and up which is a satisfying saving compared to the damage done from a burst pipe.

While the current wait is estimated to be around a week, seven days is a long time to go without water, so sorting your water pipes now is the way to go.

Doors and windows – 2 weeks wait

Heat loss or rainwater entering your home can be considerable with even the most minor misalignment of a door or window. While the latter will cause damage from dampness, the ability to heat our homes efficiently has also never been more pressing due to the rising cost of energy bills.

A general inspection will cost around £150 while replacing a double-glazed window can cost between £70 to £150. While this is a rather substantial upfront cost, it could pay for itself when it comes to the savings pocketed on heating your home this winter.

There is a two-week wait window, so now is the time to get to work before the temperature starts to drop.