Survey finds social media hacks are helping people save $1,000+ on costly repairs
Owning a home comes with all sorts of benefits including having space to call your own and no more landlords. But when appliances break, a pipe starts leaking, or siding needs to be repaired, it’s on the homeowners to fix the problem. People are finding out the hard way that a lot of these house repairs don’t come cheap.
We conducted a survey of 1,000 homeowners to learn more about home repair costs and what people are doing when things stop working or break entirely. Nearly 1 in 4 homeowners can’t cover a $1,000 home repair emergency in 2023, so many are turning to social media to try and take care of issues themselves.
Home Repairs and Finances
Already in 2023, more than 1 in 3 (34%) homeowners have dealt with unexpected house repairs. The most common problems people have faced are:
- Plumbing Issues
- Appliance Issues
- HVAC issues
These problems don’t come with cheap solutions. Americans have spent an average of $2,985 on home repairs in 2023. Maybe that’s why some are holding off on making repairs or pretending problems don’t even exist. 1 in 3 homeowners admitted they have ignored an issue in their home, hoping it would go away.
Nearly 2 in 5 (39%) haven’t gotten home repairs done in 2023 because of the cost. In fact, 41% shared they’ve had to choose between a necessary repair and financial obligations (ie. a bill), and 1 in 4 admitted they could not afford a $1,000 emergency home repair right now.
Rather than calling a professional, 70% have turned to social media to try and fix issues around the house. More men (75%) than women (65%) have gone this route, but it’s definitely paid off. Homeowners estimate using social media such as Youtube or TikTok helped them save an average of $1,190. No wonder “homeowner hacks” are popular!
That’s not the case for everyone. Unfortunately, nearly 1 in 4 (22%) have made a home repair worse by trying to fix it themselves. It’s led many people to turn to professionals instead. In 2023, 72% have called professionals to fix their unexpected home issues.
Each State’s Most Common House Repair
Across the United States, the most common issue homeowners deal with is plumbing-related. People are turning to Google, searching the most for answers about leaky faucets, clogged sinks, and broken pipes. Plumbing repairs are the top issue in 21 states including California, New York, Colorado, and Texas.
The other main issues states are dealing with are appliance and HVAC system repairs. People living in Arizona, Florida, and Georgia are searching the most about HVAC-related issues, maybe because no one wants to be without air conditioning in those warm climates!
Some of the least common house repairs have to do with electrical and roofing issues. South Dakota is the only state searching the most about electrical repairs, with people searching how to fix faulty wiring. In Oregon, people are looking for answers about roof repairs. These types of repairs may have a lower search volume because it’s out of the homeowner’s expertise, so they aren’t even attempting to fix the issue before bringing in professional help.
When Homeowners Call for Professional Help
There are certain repairs Americans try to handle themselves before calling a professional. The most common repairs homeowners take care of on their own are painting and drywall fixes. More than half (57%) try to solve plumbing problems first before looping in a plumber, and nearly half (49%) also deal with pests on their own.
But there are some repairs where it helps to have a professional on speed dial. Homeowners agreed: it’s safer to have professionals take care of roof-related issues. They also hire professionals for HVAC, electrical, structural, and foundation-related issues.
You shouldn’t hire just anyone. More than 1 in 4 (28%) Americans shared they hired a service provider based on the lowest quote and ended up not being happy with the work that they did. So, make sure you hire a professional with a good reputation. While it may cost a little more initially, it’ll save you money and stress in the long run!
Methodology
In May 2023, we surveyed 1,044 homeowners about their homes and upkeep. 88% live in houses, 3% in condos, 4% in mobile homes, 3% in townhomes, and 2% in other types of homes. 57% live in suburban settings, 25% in rural settings, and 18% in urban settings. Respondents were 49% male, 50% female, and 1% non-binary. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 85 with an average age of 47 years old.
To determine the most common home repairs by state, we analyzed Google search volume of 1,637 terms related to home repairs such as “clogged sink,” “blown fuse,” and “roof leak” over the period of April 2020 to April 2023.
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