New research from British Gas reveals that almost six in ten householders (59%) admit they only think about their boiler when something goes wrong – and, if it did pack in, one third (33%) wouldn’t know how to restart it. Nearly half (47%) wouldn’t feel confident tackling a leaking pipe either.
The boiler confusion is part of a much bigger picture. The same poll of 2,000 adults also suggests that most Brits are baffled by their own homes and struggle with some basic tasks. Almost one in five (19%) say they wouldn’t know how to bleed a radiator, while 15% couldn’t confidently point out where their gas or electricity meter is. A further 10% don’t know where their water tank is located.
And when something breaks, it doesn’t always get fixed straight away. In fact, 82% admit they don’t tackle problems immediately, with almost one in ten (9%) waiting until the situation gets much worse.
Trial and error is the nation’s default setting, with 73% attempting a fix before calling for help. But that DIY spirit doesn’t always go to plan – one in four (25%) admit they’ve accidentally made the issue worse.
In a bid to avoid admitting defeat and calling in the professionals, 15% turn to mum and dad – proving you’re never too old for a parental rescue mission. A quarter (25%) are willing to bring in a professional, while 13% admit they’re not even sure which jobs genuinely require expert skills in the first place.
THINGS BRITS STRUGGLE TO DO/UNDERSTAND ABOUT THEIR HOMES
- Find or fix a leak – 47 %
- Re-pressurise the boiler – 33 %
- Change a light bulb – 24 %
- Restart the boiler – 33 %
- Put up a shelf – 22 %
- Wire a plug – 22 %
- Replace the light in your fridge – 22 %
- Find the stopcock – 20 %
- Bleed a radiator – 19 %
- Find the water mains – 17 %
- Been in the loft – 15 %
- Unblock a drain – 15 %
- Find the gas or electricity meter – 15 %
- Hang a picture – 10 %
- Unclog/clean a shower head – 10 %
- Replace a smoke alarm – 10 %
- Find the water tank – 10 %
- Reset the fuse box trip switch – 10 %
- Turn the mains electricity off – 7 %
British Gas now offers expert-led advice videos on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, designed to help householders to manage essential home tasks with confidence. Further information also available from britishgas.co.uk.
