To wonder if there’s a need for basic home maintenance training

[butterybiscuitbasic]

Ok this is inspired by another thread, but there seems to be a basic lack of knowledge when it comes to basic home maintenance. Things like bleeding radiators, draining washing machines, preventing damp and the like.

I know when I moved into my first home it was my dad who showed me this type of stuff, so perhaps as we become more a nation of knowledge type workers these skills are being lost, or we are just more likely to assume problems and call someone in.

However I think it would be useful if these “skills” were perhaps covered in school, or even if letting agents/mortgage providers offered some sort of basic online training or manuals.

I think it's important to know how to do home maintenance for certain things. My Dad taught me a lot of what I know. He pretty much did everything around the house, refitted the kitchen and bathroom multiple times, designed and installed the central heating and ultimately drew the plans and built a sodding great extension on the house. He wasn't a builder, but served an apprenticeship in the docks as an engineer before spending the majority of his career in building control. He is practical to the extreme.

Whilst I can't do what he did, I can do a fair bit and up to a couple of years ago, always did (illness now stops me sadly). All decorating and basic home maintenance was never an issue.

The basics, such as already mentioned, bleeding radiators, washing machines, no problem. I will replace plug sockets, light fittings and switches quite happily as well. I won't touch anything to do with plumbing.

I don't think it's down to schools to teach this, it's down to the home owners themselves to learn how to do this.

It was all covered in Home Ec at school for me. But then we also covered etiquette so...

Seriously though there isn’t the budget in state schools for any more responsibilities.

I was never taught any of these things.

I taught myself and when I didn't/don't know something I research/ed it.

adults should be responsible for their own lives and part of that is to learn as new experiences result in them encountering things they don't know about.

My point is it's not always others responsibility to teach everything another human needs to know to do well "at life" we all have to take responsibility for our own knowledge.

@ThatMuppetShow I don’t necessarily think people don’t care - they just have no clue. (See the post above yours).

Well it would be more useful than algebra. I learnt from hindering helping my dad when I was younger and now YouTube.

I do think Schools would be better if they catered to the more practical side for the less academic kids.

Ok so not schools (I wasn’t really thinking there!) However I guess the equivalent is that, when you learn to drive - some basics of how to maintain a car are included in the theory test. Am thinking there could be an equivalent for those moving into a home.

This isn’t about diy- it’s about maintenance- so for landlord for example, it would be beneficial if their tenants knew about certain preventions. For homeowners again to some degree, in theory it would be beneficial for the lender (protecting the investment).

I do think cooking should be taught in School. The number of people who have no idea now is staggering. Some practical life lessons would not go amiss.

Why should schools teach this rather than academic subjects? It's the job of parents and if they don't do it there is always the internet or people can employ someone to do odd jobs.

I might see if MN can edit my original post. I’ve said about ten times that this isn’t about schools 🤦‍♀️

ThatMuppetShow what's the problem with heated airers? I was thinking of getting one (live in a flat with no balcony) as things take ages to dry on my normal one.

State schools are cutting so many things already, I wouldn't want time that could be taken up by something 'specialist' like music or chemistry to be used for teaching something the average parent can probably teach themselves or young adult can youtube/google.

@camomila - think about it... heating clothes = release of moisture into the air. Moisture into the air in enclosed space ...

Part of the issue may be that younger people are more likely to rent than before. I’m currently renting as on short term contract at work. I wouldn’t be allowed to do some of the jobs for example put up a set of shelves on the wall. I have a beside table previous renter stuck together With tape - wouldn’t do that in my own place but prepared to live with it short term.

Necessity has always been the driving force behind our DIY. Plus perfectionism. I’m not going to pay a fortune to wait for someone to come and do something I can find out how to do on YouTube. I’m not talking about jobs for master craftsmen, but using YouTube, a tape measure or ruler, and a spirit level are really not rocket science.

I noticed when we had our first place and were calling out tradesmen, how bloody thick and obnoxious many of them were. Often turning up late, needing to come back to resolve silly mistakes etc etc etc. I just thought you know what, surely I can just google how to do this stuff myself. My husband is very handy and will give anything a go. We’ve hardly called in tradesmen since, despite moving into ‘doer uppers’ multiple times since.

Things I’d pay for if needed - plastering, gas, roofing. That’s about it. Painting and decorating, wood/skirting/architrave/doors, tiling and plumbing, laying floors, all very much doable.

@Difficultcustomer all of the items mentioned in my op would be a tenants responsibility (well not too sure on radiator bleeding).

OP I agree. Mould is a great example of prevention being better than repair. I think other posters arent understanding the prevention element of your post, and it makes complete sense!

Landlords, letting agents & mortgage companies should provide this as they all clealry have a vested interest in doing so!

I'm a Londoner and as an example, immigration, affects peoples approach to thier houses and what they're used to.

It's not always a case of lack of common sense and as the OP says, YouTube is only going to help post problem!

Camomila
just think, what's the difference between a radiator or a heated airer? Absolutely none.

If you got no choice, you do have to dry your laundry somewhere, so they have their use, it's quick, but it means leaving windows opened, even having a dehumidifier... and not moan because the house get damp and mouldy.

Prevention won't work with so many tenants - people get outraged if they are being advised to open windows and even more outraged (and they ignore) when told not to put their laundry on radiators.

The ones who don't care won't care whatever you say !

Oh ok, that's the problem I was guessing ThatMuppetShow meant. I always put the airer under the window and open it so I'm hoping it should be fine.
But now I'm thinking will that be wasting energy with the heat escaping?

I think the solution is to be annoying and constantly pop round to my DMs and use her tumble drier or garden

@Home2018 thank you! You get it! Even some of the replies in the thread show that people are unaware of things they can do to prevent these issues.

@ThatMuppetShow. But this thread has shown that there’s a number of people who just aren’t aware rather than wilfully neglectful.

I am not interested in maintaining my house. It is not a home so I don't want to lavish it with care and attention. There are jobs that need doing but I can't get tradespeople in without breaking the rule about having people in the house so I have to suck it up. I've got tools but I am not allowed to do anything so I have no choice but to let it fall into disrepair.

DDIJ what kind of a place do you live in? Won't the owner, (you? LL? Parents?) be pissed off if it becomes completely dilapidated?

In spite of growing up in a fairly misogynistic household, my dad taught me to be fairly confident with DIY. Tbh, it was only in my late 30s that it dawned on me that most people get tradespeople in to do house stuff, so I did .

I like to keep my hand in though, the last thing I did was paint the kitchen after a re-fit and put the blinds up. I still get a bit feared up when drilling into a wall.