This is a collaborative post: Although every home is subject to some sort of problem or another, it seems like small houses have more than their fair share of issues that can quickly lead to major disasters if not dealt with quickly. While there is usually some way to fix a problem, there are times when few solutions are available. Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to prevent a disaster might be to move into a larger home but that isn’t always feasible. Let’s look at some of the issues facing small houses to see if you are experiencing any of them and maybe there is a way to solve the problems you are having.
Plumbing Issues Are the Worst
Ask any homeowner who has a small house, and they will tell you quite readily that plumbing is the worst. Consider for a moment a home with a few people living in it but only room for one bathroom. Can you imagine how difficult it might be to take baths or showers in the morning before work or school? Even if you space out evening baths before going to bed, that can be a lengthy wait for the tub or shower.
Then there’s hot water to deal with. There just isn’t room for a large hot water heater whether free standing in the bathroom or in a closet somewhere. Some small homes have hot water heaters under a cabinet in the kitchen, and you can see how that wouldn’t leave enough hot water for two baths and the dinner dishes. Overuse can quickly cause even the top-rated hot water heaters to burn out before their expected lifespan.
When you check for plumbers in London and the surrounding areas, you will see that some of the top services they provide are replacement of hot water heaters. Could this be the reason why? Perhaps one solution would be to add onto your structure so that you could add another half-bath in an area that is being moved to the new room being added on.
Plumbing – The Best Fix of All
There is one other thing you can do when it comes to issues with insufficient hot water. Have you heard of tankless hot water heating systems? These are unlike hot water heaters because they require no tank. It’s just a small box that is installed on a wall. As hot water is needed, water passes through a system of coils that heat as much or little water as needed. It’s an on-demand system. In fact, if you are looking for plumbers London based who can talk to you about these innovative systems, you can learn more here.
Not only does it prevent issues with hot water heaters that can’t be repaired because they are old models and parts aren’t manufactured anymore, but it saves electricity as well. More importantly, you will have that space to use for something else because the now defunct hot water heater can be removed. This solves three problems at the very same time while avoiding a major disaster. You save money on electricity, have as much hot water as you need when you need it, and it is the best space-saving solution of all.
Insufficient Bedrooms to Accommodate a Family
It is undoubtedly the lower cost of small homes that is the major attraction, but few people actually think about the future as a first-time homebuyer. Quite often small homes only have two bedrooms, and this leads to sharing among siblings. There probably isn’t ample space for more than one chest of drawers and if there is a walk-in closet at all, it is probably in the mini-sized master bedroom.
One solution would be to have a bunk bed so that there is more floor space for adding other bits of furniture. But what would happen if there were three kids at some point in the future? Would there be room for more than that one twin bunk bed? Putting too many kids in the same room is a disaster waiting to happen.
Too Much Draw on Electricity
Although it is cheaper to heat and cool a small house, there are other electrical devices going at the same time. When the house was built it was probably rated for two or three people but when you have four or more running computers, televisions, hair dryers, space heaters and a million other electrical devices, you are likely to overload the sockets and circuitry.
It may not lead to a fire, but that is known to result from over drawing current as well. Usually, a circuit breaker will break, and someone will need to unplug a few devices before switching it back on. To do anything but can quickly lead to an electrical short and a devastating home fire. More than one home fire that devastated an entire home started from shorts caused by insufficient electricity to power the number of devices and appliances plugged in simultaneously.
Small Kitchens Are Dangerous
There is no way to cook in a small kitchen if more than one person is in that room. There isn’t ample space to get out of the way if the cook suddenly turns with a pot of boiling water or hot grease. A good many injuries have resulted from crowding too many people in a tiny kitchen.
Then where will they all sit? Once seated, there is no room to get up to take something off the stove or out of the refrigerator. Here again, someone is likely to get burned or scalded if the cook gets up to take something from the oven, if it can even be opened at all.
One solution would be to get planning permission to add a closed-in patio right off the kitchen. This would make room for a larger table with more elbow room. Sometimes this extra room can be a multipurpose room where the family can go to one side to sit comfortably on a patio sofa to read a bit or watch a Netflix series on a portable device like a laptop.
One More Look at Plumbing and Electrical Issues
Although mum and dad feel like sibling rivalry is a major disaster, there is nothing quite as disastrous as plumbing and electrical issues. With plumbing that is insufficient to handle the needs of more than two people, everything can experience advanced wear and tear. Hot water tanks are too small to handle the needs of a family and the constant heating can wear out the elements quite quickly. This can lead to a flood which is even more disastrous. The clean-up alone is a major endeavour. If you’ve ever had an element burn out, you will understand. That tankless hot water heater is sounding better all the time!
Problems with electricity in a home can be even more devastating. Altogether too many homes have burnt to the ground when too much current is being drawn from a breaker or fuse that can’t handle the load. If you ever feel wires getting terribly hot or smell something like plastic burning, the best thing to do is turn off the main breaker switch to the home to prevent a fire. While extra circuits can be run, it does take the services of a professional electrician but it’s well worth the expense to ensure your family’s safety.
So, you have a small home, but you can run it efficiently with just a few much-needed repairs and renovations. It sure is a lot cheaper than upgrading to a larger home!