Boiler and heating specialist Hometree has reported a 12% increase in year-on-year boiler breakdowns over the winter.
The most common complaints were a lack of heating, low boiler pressure and leaks, it said. During colder snaps frozen condensate pipe issues peaked.
More than 50% of boiler breakdowns occur in the winter, it noted, which usually equates to just over 2.5 million UK households suffering a heating failure. But if the Hometree increase was representative across the UK that would account for almost 3 million households this past winter, the company said.
A spike in working from home, coupled with the number of people on furlough and lockdown increasing overall time spent indoors, had led to the nation’s boilers being put to the test “like never before”.
Kemley Sellars from Hometree added: “With the boiler being a crucial component in ensuring that homes are kept comfortable during the coldest months, the additional usage whilst working from home has meant increased wear and tear. It really highlights the importance of having your boiler serviced in the coming months, ensuring that it’s working for next winter where many may have transitioned post-Covid to working from home more often.”