It is pretty common to encounter some problems with your house. Fortunately, if detected early, you can save a significant sum by taking care of prompt repairs. However, if you fail to see these problems early enough, they take away from the home’s value. The Independent UK reports that about 1 million people live in sub-standard houses, making this a cause for concern. Below is a discussion on some of the most house problems you may encounter.
Water leaks caused by poor plumbing or hard water
A 2019 report on UK homes indicated that about 43% of residences experience water leaks. Unfortunately, many of these homes do not notice the leaks until significant damage has occurred. The intricate network of pipes and water lines in homes are usually laid with the hope of lasting for years before requiring any repairs. However, this is not always the case in many homes across the UK. According to propertyreporter.co.uk, potential water damage seems to lurk in the background for several UK homes.
So, what causes these leaks? Apart from the apparent culprit, which is a poorly-laid network of pipelines, one significant factor people fail to acknowledge is the impact of hard water. The high concentration of calcium and magnesium in this water causes the development of limescale on pipes. Over time, the corrosive nature of limescale causes tiny holes in these metals. These gradually expand and result in severe water leaks. Therefore, whenever you have water leaks in your house, it may be a good idea to test for these mineral concentrations.
Damp
As of September 2021, available data showed that people in the UK paid an average monthly bill of £95 for electricity. For many years, high energy consumption has been a topical issue for UK households. As a result, people became over-zealous to conserve energy in every way possible. It is a likely reason for the intense desire to build more energy-efficient homes. Unfortunately, overly-insulated homes can take a toll on proper home ventilation. This can be a major problem, particularly for homes with fibreglass insulation. Fibreglass causes intense interior moisture. It explains why homes with this type of insulation usually end up with more damp and mould than structures that opt for foam insulation.
Problematic heating systems
Statistics show that three in five UK homes have already experienced faulty heating systems this year. And it is either due to a malfunctioning thermostat, a problem with heat exhaust disposal, or another. Indeed, it is no secret that UK homes fall under domestic residences that are increasingly expensive to heat. The Guardian associates this with the lack of property maintenance among many homeowners in the country. In other words, the more challenging it is to heat the home, the higher the chances of a heating system working overtime to compensate for the shortfall. Logically, it will break down at some point and require costly repairs.
Bad electrical wiring
According to news reports, most home fires resulted from faulty electrical wiring, detected too late. Out of 29,312 electrical fires, 81% were due to faulty wiring. With these stats, it is almost impossible to ignore the severity of the issue. Thankfully, some giveaway signs indicate that the home may be dealing with improper wiring. For example, charred edges of switches and outlets that emit shock are things you should never take lightly.
Although these house problems are pretty common, it doesn’t in any way mean they are normal. You are better off attending to them immediately instead of waiting for later.
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