Common Christmas Household Disasters Revealed

ALMOST 90% of contractors have been called out to fix leaking roofs during the winter holiday period, according to new research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Christmas Household Disasters

The most common Christmas disasters contractors say they have been asked to deal with are:

• Leaking roofs (86%)
• Leaks from defective lead flashings and apron to chimney stack (74%)
• Blocked gutters causing damage (51%)
• Leaking windows (47%)
• Burst pipes (44%)
• Leaking doors (37%)
• Broken boilers (33%)
• Falling branches causing damage (29%)
• Faulty electrical wiring (24%)

Brian Berry, FMB CEO

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said, “The festive period is a busy time for builders. To prevent issues from occurring homeowners should carry out a simple programme of maintenance.

“Don’t forget to get the roof checked for any loose tiles or slates or blocked gutters to avoid a leaking roof. Boilers should be serviced and checked in advance of the Christmas holidays to avoid any breakdowns.

“Finally, if you’re going away over Christmas it’s a good idea to leave the heating on low to prevent pipes from bursting in cold weather. These preventative measures should limit the number of homeowners who have unnecessary headaches over the festive period.”

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