UK homeowners’ most Googled DIY questions in 2020

The UK has always been a nation of do-it-yourself, and this year more than ever - with two national lockdowns and limited access for professional tradespeople - people have had to carry out quick fixes around the home independently.

Thankfully, basic home improvement skills can be taught and learnt by simply typing the issue into Google. So to see where homeowners have struggled the most with DIY this year, JustBoilers.com have looked at Google search data to uncover the UKs most searched for DIY questions.

Radiator maintenance proved to be the thing that people struggled with the most, with ‘How to bleed a radiator’ reaching 21.8k monthly searches. Luckily - after a quick Google - this is a fairly straight-forward technique to master.

Smart meter confusion meant ‘how to read a smart meter’ has a monthly search volume of 21.5k. As households become more environmentally aware, smart meters have grown in popularity. However, each meter varies depending on the model and if it’s an electricity or gas meter, which can be a cause for confusion - it may also explain the particularly high search volume. 

A great pair of curtains can transform a space, however, with so many different design and sizing options on offer, it meant that ‘how to measure curtains’ has 19.7k monthly look-ups. it’s important to take a few key measurements and narrow down your options as even just a few inches can spoil their appearance. 

Here are the 10  most searched for questions by homeowners in 2020 (average monthly searches):

1. How to bleed a radiator: 21,810 searches
2. How to read a smart meter: 21,520 searches
3. How to measure curtains: 19,740 searches
4. How to fit/lay laminate flooring: 14,720 searches
5. How to change lightbulb: 13,790 searches
6. How to hang a door: 10,650 searches
7. How to remove radiator: 9,610 searches
8. How to reset boiler: 9,290 searches
9. how to read a gas meter: 8,800 searches
10. How to unblock a sink: 7,390 searches

Co-founder of JustBoilers.com Chris Burls said: “It’s interesting to see what homeowners have Googled the most when it comes to DIY. Moving towards the winter months, we expect to see an increase in boiler and heating queries and questions.

“It’s amazing that we have Google to rely on when it comes to home improvements but safety has to be the main priority, so if there are any issues that can’t be solved by a quick type into a search engine - for example with a boiler - it’s important to get a professional to help.”   

When looking at searches by renters ‘how to read a smart meter’ has the highest amount of searches, reaching 21.5k. ‘How to read an electric meter’ was second (9.2k), followed by ‘how to read a gas meter’ (8.8k).