Last updated at 14:08, Friday, 13 April 2012

Spring is traditionally the start of the DIY season, when homeowners address all the repairs and maintenance problems delayed by the winter. Around one in five of us plan to tackle some of these jobs at this time of year.

But there are worrying signs that many of us aren’t aware of the problems that the exterior of our houses could face. We know about problems indoors and how to remedy them but rarely or never check outside.

A report by insurers Aviva shows that homeowners could risk a potential £10,000 bill for repairs by failing to check for issues on the outside. Outdoor problems such as defective chimney stacks, missing roof tiles and blocked guttering are often missed.

Defective chimney stacks can lead to damp problems in your home and cost up to £1,000 to fix, so surveyors recommend it should be checked every month. Yet Aviva found that only 15 per cent of homeowners do this – and more than one-fifth have never checked this part of the house.

One in 10 never check the roof for slipping or missing roof tiles either, which could bring a repair bill of up to £5,000 if a problem goes untreated.

One growing problem outside is the spread of Japanese knotweed, which can cost up to £5,000 to remove if it becomes entrenched, damaging our walls, drains and paving. Only two-thirds of homeowners would recognise if they saw it and 43 per cent don’t realise it is a serious problem.

However, the survey found that most homeowners are clued up about indoor problems such as dry rot, and are careful to check the sealant around their bath and shower at least once a month.

Around two-thirds know that wood-boring beetles can attack exposed timber frames and that the problem needs to be fixed by a skilled professional rather than themselves.

Heather Smith, director of home insurance at Aviva, says: “Our research shows that we are taking a great deal of care to make sure there are no unexpected problems lurking in the nooks and crannies of bathrooms, bedrooms and lofts. That protective spirit is great to see.

“The more people keep on top of little jobs around their home the less chance there is of something more serious going wrong in the long-term.”

First published at 14:04, Friday, 13 April 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk