Social Media Hacks Helping Homeowners Save on Costly Repairs

When appliances break, or something needs to be repaired, it’s all on homeowners to fix the issue. That's one of the major downsides of homeownership opposed to having a landlord or renting and apartment. Homeowners are finding out the hard way that a lot of these house repairs don’t come cheap, as Americans have spent an average of $2,985 on home repairs in 2023 thus far.

All Star Home 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. New data shows 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.

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

Unfortunately, these problems don’t come with cheap solutions. Americans have already spent nearly $3,000 on home repairs in 2023, possibly a reason why some are holding off on making repairs or ignoring the problem altogether. Some 1 in 3 homeowners admitted they have ignored an issue in their home, hoping over time that it would go away or solve itself.

Nearly 2 in 5—39%—haven’t gotten home repairs done in 2023 because of the cost. In fact, 41% shared that they’ve had to choose between a necessary repair and financial obligations like bills, and 1 in 4 admitted they could not afford a $1,000 emergency home repair right now.

Rather than calling a professional to fix the problem, some 70% of homeowners have turned to social media to try and fix issues around the house. More men (75%) than women (65%) have chosen this route, and for them, it paid off. Homeowners estimate that using social media such as Youtube or TikTok helped them save an average of $1,190 on home repairs. “Homeowner hacks” are now becoming a popular trend as regular housing expenses and emergency repairs remain costly.

However, that’s not the case for everyone. Unfortunately, some 22% of Americans have made a home repair worse by trying to fix it themselves. This has led many people to turn to professionals rather than attempting a repair themselves. In 2023, an estimated 72% of homeowners have called professionals to fix their unexpected home issues.

Across the U.S., the most common issue homeowners deal with is plumbing-related. People are now 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 warmer climates like Arizona, Florida, and Georgia are searching the most for HVAC-related issues.

Fortunately, 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.

There are certain repairs that 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. Some 57% try to solve plumbing problems first before involving a plumber, and roughly 49% also deal with pests on their own.

There are some repairs, though, where it helps to have a professional on speed dial. Homeowners agreed that it’s safer to have professionals take care of roof-related issues. They also hire professionals for HVAC, electrical, structural, and foundation-related issues.

More than 1 in 4—or 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 homeowners shouldn’t hire just anyone. While it may cost a little more to pay a professional rather than tackle the repair as a homeowner, All Star Home experts say it may save you money and stress in the long run.

To read the full report, including more data, charts and methodology, click here.