If you own your home, regular maintenance, inspections and cleaning help to avoid preventable damage to your home. You can find out more about our factoring services and common repairs in this section of the website.

You will find tips to help you take care of your home on this page. Remember - it is always advisable to seek professional advice from a qualified tradesman when carrying out any type of repair or maintenance work in your home.

Kitchens

• Vibration from a washing machine can cause plumbing to become loose. Check the water hose regularly to spot loose connections before they can cause a leak.
• Check the seals (mastic beads) around your kitchen worktop and around your sink. Water can penetrate through weak or damaged points in the mastic and has the potential to damage cupboards and flooring. Areas you use frequently - such as taps, draining boards or where you keep your kettle - are the most likely spot for damage to occur. 
• The central plumbing 'hub' can usually be found under the sink - this is where you can often find connections for your washing machine and/or your dishwasher, isolation valves and the drainage pipe from your sink. Regularly check this area for visible leaks.

Radiators

• Check your radiators, valves and exposed pipework for leaks and any signs of corrosion and rust. If you do spot a leak, this should be repaired by a professional tradesman as soon as possible. The damage to flooring, carpets and floorboards could be a lot more serious and expensive than you might think.
• Arrange for your boiler to be serviced regularly. Although it is not a legal requirement for homeowners (owner occupiers), a routine of regular maintenance will help identify possible faults or leaks and help prevent issues going unnoticed. 

Water Supply 

Being able to turn off the water supply easily, if water is leaking, could save thousands of pounds of damage. 

• Know where the stopcock valve is located. Speedy access can reduce water damage. Make sure family members know where the stopcock valve is located too.
• Check the stopcock valve turns easily. If it is hard to move or rusted, use preventative maintenance such as WD40 (or similar) to ensure water can be turned off quickly if needed. Don't forget to check about any values which control outdoors taps should your home have these.

Bathrooms and Toilets 

• Check the seals (mastic beads) around your bath and shower. If the mastic seal has imperfections or is damaged, water will always find a way to run down the back of your bath or shower and could lead to damage to any ceilings/walls below. 
• Check the grout on tiled surfaces especially around wet areas. Gaps in grout - or cracks in the tiles - can run the risk of water leaking through and causing damage to floors, walls and more. 

Wiping down tiled surfaces after a shower/bath is an easy way to check both the seals and any grouting on a regular basis.

• Listen out for irregular sounds during the flush cycle of your toilet. If it takes longer than normal to refill, or you notice a humming sound, the valve may need replacing or adjusting via the inlet washer. 
• Don't ignore dripping taps. A drip could be caused by a faulty valve which is best repaired as soon as possible. 

Further Resources

Looking for further advice on a repair? Not sure what the best way to resolve a problem is? Under One Roof is a website with impartial advice on repairs and maintenance and more.