Press Release
Fix It or Risk It? Erie Insurance survey finds 60 percent of homeowners financially unprepared for both routine and unexpected home maintenance costs
Replacing or repairing a roof, for example, is one of the biggest expenses a homeowner may have and often comes without warning. Nationally, the average homeowner spends about
Even scarier, nearly one in four homeowners1 (23 percent) admits they never inspect their roof or have it inspected unless there is a problem. Nearly a third (27 percent) of those who own a house either mistakenly believe their insurance will pay for damage that occurs to their roof over time, such as through normal wear and tear, or they have no idea how their insurance works when it comes to this type of roof damage.
"Our survey really highlights the need to educate consumers about the importance of regularly inspecting and maintaining their roofs," says
Despite the lack of attention to some maintenance tasks, when asked to grade themselves on a scale of A (Excellent) to F (Failure) in terms of their own home maintenance habits, a majority (62 percent) graded themselves an A or a
Homeowners also admitted to suffering some serious consequences from not maintaining their homes, with much of the damage related to water. When asked if their home was damaged due to lack of maintenance, answers included:
"Yes, damage to walls and roof due to leakage from a roof that should have been replaced long before"
"Yes, did not fix a dripping leak in the upstairs bathroom, ended up leaking into first floor"
"Walls in bathroom dampened and falling apart because of leaky roof"
"Dripping water in crawl space caused mold problem"
"Mold in a wall due to unknown outside leak"
"Water damage from improper plumbing repair"
"Flooding in the basement due to sump pump malfunction"
The survey also included questions about other common home maintenance tasks that, if ignored, could end up causing big headaches and costing big bucks.
Tweetable Highlights
- Fix it or risk it? 60% of homeowners unprepared to pay routine and unexpected home maintenance costs says new @erie_insurance survey Share
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Question |
Maintenance Should Be Performed... |
Interesting Findings |
Risks |
How often do you care for your gutters and downspouts? |
Variable depending on region |
Nearly one out of four homeowners (24 percent) says they never care for their gutters and downspouts. |
Water Damage:
Clogged gutters can cause water to flow down the sides of the home and pool around its foundation, often leading to some major issues like uneven floors, cracks in walls and interior water damage. This type of claim, also known as seepage, is a maintenance issue and often is not covered under your home insurance policy. Home Advisor says homeowners can expect to pay around |
How often do you clean your clothes dryer exhaust duct? |
Annually |
One in five (21 percent) admit they never clean their clothes dryer ducts, unless they have a problem. |
House Fires:
Laundry is part of life's weekly grind. But did you know that dryers cause roughly 15,500 home structure fires, 29 deaths, 400 injuries and |
How often is your furnace inspected and serviced by a professional? |
Annually |
Thirty-six percent of homeowners have their furnaces inspected and serviced at least once a year. But, according to survey data, young women (aged 18-34) are least likely to do this (9 percent) compared to their male counterparts who are three-and-a-half times more likely to do it (36 percent). |
House Fires:
From 2009-2013, |
How often do you clean (sweep) your fireplace chimney? |
Annually |
Nearly half (46 percent) of people who own a home with a fireplace never have their chimney cleaned (swept), unless they have a problem. |
House Fires & Carbon Monoxide:
Unclean chimneys are a leading cause of structure fires, according to the |
How often do you clean your sump pump and pit? |
Annually |
44 percent of those who own a sump pump admit to never cleaning it or the pit, unless they have a problem. |
Water Damage:
Sump pumps are used to remove excess water from homes that would otherwise cause property damage. One survey respondent experienced flooding in his basement due to a sump pump malfunction, specifically. Water damage due to sewage and drain backups generally requires additional insurance coverage beyond a standard policy. Without that coverage, it could end up costing you, on average, |
Lessons Learned?
Some homeowners said the survey got them thinking about ways to improve their home maintenance habits. When asked to complete the sentence: "The one thing about my home that I know I should do a better job of maintaining but don't is…" sample answers included: "A lot, apparently" and "All this survey just mentioned."
Methodology
This survey was conducted online within
About The Harris Poll
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