Cold showers and a lack of heating are just some of the things many people can look forward to in 2017 as millions endure the cold weather unprepared for winter.
Nearly 40 per cent of people in the UK (23 million) have had cold showers over the past five years and more than half have gone without heating for more than a day.
That’s according to research by British Gas, which revealed that a third (33 per cent) of people do not check their central heating is working before they need to turn it on. Almost half (47 per cent) do not get their boiler serviced ahead of winter.
Frozen pipes can lead to boiler damage and flooding, but three-quarters of people do not insulate their pipes for the cold season – and a third do not know how to prevent their pipes from freezing.
And while blocking draughts is a simple way to stop heat escaping, less than four in ten people take simple steps to keep their home warm, such as fitting draught excluders.
One in five people also admitted they do not know how to bleed a radiator – removing air from the system to get them working efficiently.
