This household eyesore is devaluing homes by £5000!

last updated 16 June 2022

Luckily there are lots of different options when it comes to covering up an exposed boiler.

New research has revealed more than half of UK homebuyers would look to knock £5000 from the purchase price of a property if it had an exposed boiler. Yet, when it comes to sorting out our own exposed boiler, almost three quarters of us (70%) would only invest up to £500 to aesthetically improve its look.

According to a study by npower, 68% of Brits said an unconcealed boiler would put them off buying a property entirely, with more than one in ten declaring them to be the biggest household eyesore. When it comes to buying property, boilers were considered to be more of a turn off than outdated kitchen appliances (11.6%) and clunky radiators (7%).

'Boilers are hardly the most obvious of starting points when it comes to adding style to your home but we all know what an essential role they play in helping to keep us cosy and warm. Luckily there are lots of different options when it comes to covering them up. With a little creativity it’s even possible to come up with a solution that will add an extra feature to your home,' says Helen Powell, interior stylist and design blogger of Design Hunter.

How to hide your boiler

1. Build a cupboard to hide your boiler - it’s relatively easy to build a simple wooden frame around it, and then clad it with your preferred panelling.

2. Cover the cupboard with a blackboard, pinboard or magnetic board - this will provide somewhere to attach photos, notes, scribbles and sketches to give your home a personal touch.

3. Integrate your boiler into the design of your kitchen – by boxing in your boiler you can add extra storage and you could extend this to create additional work space in your kitchen.

Before enclosing your boiler, npower recommends to check manufacturer safety guidelines and instructions in regard to flueing and ventilation.

Do you have an exposed boiler? Maybe it is time to cleverly hide it!

Jennifer is the Deputy Editor (Digital) for Homes & Gardens online. Prior to her current position, she completed various short courses a KLC Design School, and wrote across sister brands Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes, Country Homes & Interiors, and Style at Home.