Homeowners issued Knotweed warning ahead of winter months as they risk losing thousands on the value of their home

With Autumn fast approaching, HaMuch, the place to find the country's best tradespeople at a great price, has highlighted which tasks homeowners need to tackle before the weather takes a turn, as failing to do so could cost thousands to rectify.

Especially in the case of Japanese Knotweed, which can die down to ground level during winter, leaving homeowners oblivious to the danger that could reduce the value of their home by £43,000.

 

Boiler and radiator health check

Before the first cold snap of winter arrives, now is the ideal time to check on the health of your boiler and radiators.

First, go through the house and bleed all radiators to ensure they're functioning properly and efficiently distributing heat throughout the house.

Then it's time to book your boiler in for a health check. A check up should cost you around £100 and, if an issue is found, repairs can cost a further £100-£800 depending on the severity.

The idea of spending £800 is enough to put most people off getting their boiler checked, but it's nothing compared to the costs you'll endure if unchecked issues are allowed to worsen. The average cost of a replacement boiler is £2,750, not to mention the inconvenience of having no heating or hot water during the winter months.

What's more,  a faulty boiler is thought to reduce a home's value by an average of -1.9% which, based on the current average UK house price of £287,924, is equivalent to losses of -£5,471. So if you're currently thinking about selling, a health check is well worth the money.

 

Insulation, windows, and doors

To compliment your boiler check, it's also time to cast a careful eye over your home's insulation. Loft and cavity wall insulation, combined with secure windows and doors, vastly improves your property's energy efficiency and, therefore, household bills.

For the windows, it's all about checking for cracks or general wear and tear in the frames, especially if they're wooden. Trickle vents should also be checked for proper function with newer windows.

And don't forget to check your water pipe and boiler insulation as well to ensure valuable heat isn;t being lost at the source.

You might need to spend £200-£300 to get all of these things professionally checked and repaired, but this is a fraction of what you'll pay if your home isn't energy efficient over the winter period.

 

Damp and mould

Damp and mould are serious issues in the home. Not only do they pose potential structural problems if left unattended, but they're also terrible for your health.

The longer damp and mould are left, the worse they get and the more problematic they are to resolve - it can be difficult to even find the source of damp when it's been allowed to fester for too long.

To repair minor damp and mould problems, you're looking at a cost around £175 for damp treatment, and £300 per room for mould repair.  If you fail to address these issues, damp and mould are known to reduce the price a buyer is willing to pay for a home by an average of -7.5%.  Based on the average house price, this is a cash loss of -£21,594.

 

Brickwork & Gutters

Before the winter rain comes, it's important to check the pointing on your home's external brickwork. If it's inadequate or incomplete, it can let water into the structure and become a serious problem, especially if temperatures drop below freezing.  It's well worth paying for a professional repointing, which should cost £55 per square metre.

And while you're outside, take a moment to check that your gutters and drains are all clear of leaves and other debris that might cause a clog, replacing any cracked pipes along the way.

 

The Roof

Nobody looks forward to checking their roof because it's a notoriously expensive part of the home to repair when required. But cracked or missing tiles can cause big issues for a home, from water ingress, to heating loss, and even unsafe structural issues. An inspection should cost you about £250, but it's money incredibly well spent.

 

Japanese Knotweed

Knotweed is one of the UK's most invasive and destructive plants. That's why it is the stuff of nightmares for all homeowners, especially if they're hoping to sell the property.

Acting fast to remove Japanese Knotweed is key as the longer it's left, the more destructive and expensive it becomes.

You might end up having to pay £1,000-£2,000 to remove it but this is far better than leaving it be, as it's estimated to reduce the value of a home by -15% - the equivalent of £43,189 based on the current UK average house price.

During the winter months, Japanese Knotweed goes dormant, with the plant itself dying back to ground level and turning brown. But don't be fooled into thinking it's gone, the underground rhizomes remain active and continue to spread, meaning it's a vital task to remove it before winter, rather than waiting until next spring or summer.

 

Founder and CEO of HaMuch.com, Tarquin Purdie, commented:

"It can be easy to neglect our homes during the warmer summer months, but September is certainly the time to act whilst the days remain fairly long and the temperature is yet to drop.

Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to maintaining a property and money aside, the last thing you want is for your boiler to pack up mid-winter.

One task in particular could save you thousands of pounds and that's checking for Japanese Knotweed. During the winter months it tends to die off like most plant life, which can make it hard to detect and give the impression that you're knotweed free.

This simply isn't the case as it continues to spread below the surface and so neglecting it until the following spring could devalue your home substantially."