New research from LV= General Insurance (LV= GI) has found that a staggering 62% of Londoners have little knowledge about the functioning of their home, such as the heating system/boiler, radiators, electrics and water pipes, with 40% admitting they don’t know where their water stopcock is and 36% have no idea how to use it.

According to the study, 35% are clueless when it comes to finding their gas meter, 28% are unsure of where their fuse box is, and a shocking quarter (26%) don’t even know where the boiler resides.

In fact, 31% of those polled said they would have no idea what to do even if they did find their fuse box and needed to reset the trip switch, whilst 30% have never checked the pressure of their boiler – even if they did know where it is.

Don’t leak it happen

According to LV= claims data, the average claim for escape of water from a burst pipe costs a whopping £4,000, however 45% claimed they’re clueless about how to fix a leaking pipe, leaving themselves exposed to more damage if a leak isn’t stopped quickly. Furthermore, in the summer months leaks do still occur, and the research showed that 45% also had no idea what a leak detector is, a devise which can help alert you to escape of water in your home as soon as it’s identified.

The data also revealed that for many it’s mum and dad to the rescue, as over a quarter of Londoners (26%) say their parents are the first people they call in a DIY crisis.

Almost four in ten (35%) of those polled admit they didn’t know how to bleed a radiator, 31% can’t descale a shower head, 27% don’t know how to unblock a drain, with 22% having arguments with their partner because of home maintenance issues. As a result of this home-knowledge gap, 69% of Londoners have had to live without hot water for a weekend because their boiler stopped working and according to LV=’s home emergency claims data, 27%1 of call outs were due to not getting the boiler serviced within the recommended timescales.

Martin Milliner, Claims Director at LV= General Insurance commented: “Our research has shown just how little we know about how our homes work, from bleeding a radiator to knowing what to do if there is burst pipe.”

“We know how much damage something like a leak can cause to our homes and the sooner you get to it, the less damage will be caused. The good news is knowing where simple things like your stopcock, fuse box and boiler are situated could help save you time and money.

“With our weather becoming more extreme throughout the year, issues such as boiler faults and escape of water could become more frequent, and we’ve got handy hints and tips on how to better understand your home on our website. In the event of trying to fix something yourself, it’s also crucial you act safely. If in doubt, it’s always best to call in the professionals, which according to the research many already do.”

D-I-WHY?

When it comes to basic home DIY 20% admit they’re useless when it comes to practical tasks, with 34% saying they couldn’t wire the plug on an electrical device, and 27% have never even changed a lightbulb.

When asked why they don’t know about the “inner workings” of their house, over half of those polled (53%) said they only worry about something when it goes wrong, while one in 10 admit they prefer to stick their head in the sand when it comes to all things practical. Over a quarter (27%) insist they just ‘aren’t practically minded’, while a further 19% insist they have more pressing things to worry about than how their house does and doesn’t function.

And it’s not just unexpected disasters Londoners are struggling to deal with. 37% said they’d created a DIY disaster when they were trying to fix something themselves. Despite this, nearly half (44%) of those polled admitted they don’t have accidental cover included on their home insurance.

Even though 15% admitted that when they’ve tried to fix a home disaster, they made the problem worse with 28 per cent flooding their kitchen or bathroom, 23 per cent putting a hole in the wall, 20 per cent even cracking wall tiles, 20 per cent smashing a window and 7 per cent putting a nail through a water pipe. According to the data, the average Londoner forks out £323 a year on getting a professional to sort out their DIY bodge jobs.

Perhaps, unsurprisingly 44% of the respondents polled wished they were more practical when it came to fixing problems in their house. However, 28% of those polled complained that TV home improvement shows make DIY look easy, lulling you into a false sense of security.