New research from E.ON has found that 1/3 of people aren’t confident tackling their home maintenance tasks (15% can’t change a lightbulb!) and even into our 50’s people are still going to their parents for help!
With the majority of people not yet using tech, like youtube tutorials or apps like taskrabbit, to help with home maintenance and DIY, our friends over at E.ON partnered with author and podcaster Emma Gannon for her top tips to overcome your home demons.
1. Rise of the video tutorial
If you need to learn how to put up a curtain rail, change a light bulb or read your gas meter, YouTube almost always has an answer. According to E.ON, 15% of Brits can’t change a light bulb without help – well now, thanks to the internet, we can teach ourselves new things with a click of a button and never get confused by an instruction manual again. Other online video hubs such as SkillShare and Masterclass are all on the rise, encouraging people to teach themselves new skills.
2. App-lying technology
There are multiple apps out there to make dealing with home maintenance less of a chore but let’s face it, there are some things you just don’t want to do. Thanks to apps like TaskRabbit, getting an expert in to help with home maintenance has never been easier and it gives your parents a break. On the app, simply describe the task you need doing (upholstering, electrics, painting) and get matched to a fully vetted ‘Tasker’. Choose them by their hourly rate, pay via the app and voila, you have yourself a shelf.
3. Go smart
Research from E.ON also found that energy-related tasks like reading your meter are where people feel least confident. But if you get yourself a self-reading smart meter, they automatically send readings to your supplier for you and give you an easy-to-use display to see how much energy you’re using in pounds and pence in near-real time.
4. Stop the thermostat wars
Programming the timer on your heating can be tough – with 41% of people saying this is something they struggle with. Keep your house at the right temperature with a smart thermostat like tado° from E.ON. With its simple, easy to understand interface you can control heating from the touch of your phone, wherever you are.
5. #AskTwitter
Over the last five years, more and more of us are hitting up forums and our social media feeds to crowdsource information. Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are still great ways to get close-to-home recommendations from people we know (or sometimes don’t know) for anything related to DIY or our home. Why not ask someone who has experienced the same problems you have?
6. Say the word
When doing tasks and DIY, it can be frustrating having to down tools to check the instructions. However, with home assistants like Google Home, Siri and Alexa, you can play YouTube tutorials, tick tasks off your to-do list or call mum or dad for help all by just saying the word. Now you can re-pressurise the boiler or put up that bookcase without having to take a break.
