Expert Tips to Reduce Home Care Bills with Regular Maintenance
Regular maintenance is key to reducing long-term costs by keeping appliances efficient and preventing major repairs.
For kettles, descaling is recommended using baking soda, lemon juice, or white vinegar. Waitrose’s Essential Liquid Appliance Descaler (£2.50) is one example of a product to aid this process. To prevent limescale buildup, limescale prevention gear such as limescale catchers can be used; these typically cost around £10, with kettle-specific collectors available for about £1.50, helping to protect boilers.
Tumble dryers require lint removal after every use, with a deep clean of the filter and housing every few months, potentially using a vacuum cleaner.
Dishwashers benefit from regularly topping up salt and rinse aid; for instance, Tesco sells dishwasher salt at £3.75 for 3kg and rinse aid at £4.
Regarding freezers, most models are frost-free. For non-frost-free freezers, an annual defrost is advised. AO recommends unplugging, emptying the freezer, using towels, applying hot water, and cleaning with washing-up liquid or white vinegar.
Roof and gutter maintenance are also important. Roofs should be inspected using binoculars to check for cracked tiles, moss, sagging, and debris. Early repair of tiles and flashing can prevent costly damage. Gutters should be cleaned twice a year and can be kept clear with brushes.
Insurance policies sometimes exclude coverage for gutter damage if gutters are dirty, emphasizing the homeowner's responsibility for maintenance. Financial planning suggests saving 1–2% of a property's value annually for maintenance, and for older homes 3–4%. With the UK average house price at £271,531 as of September 2025, this corresponds to an annual maintenance cost of approximately £2,715.
