How to avoid undue strain on your home
1 in 3 Americans Have Already Needed Home Repairs While Sheltering in Place
The widespread orders to shelter in place have affected everyone in different ways. For many people, it’s meant spending an unprecedented amount of time at home—a place which is now not just a home, but also an office, a school, a gym, and more. And with all this extra activity going on, many of our homes are experiencing additional wear and tear.
We call it “Home Strain”: the extra pressure on our home’s resources and infrastructure from running at full capacity, 24/7. To find out what effect all this extra time at home is having on our dwellings, we asked more than 3,000 Americans to tell us about their experiences sheltering in place, including what kind of home maintenance issues they’re seeing. Here’s what we found.
Home needs are changing
While people are sheltering in place, our homes are shouldering more than ever before. We wanted to know how people were handling this challenge, and if they thought their homes were up to the task.
We found that satisfaction seems to depend on the type and size of the home and the number of people in it.
Maintenance needs are increasing
The more you use something, the more maintenance it needs. And because we’re all spending so much more time at home, our normal maintenance routines aren’t enough.
Tripped circuits and power surges are the most common complaint, followed by broken kitchen appliances and water leaks or backups. Here’s what else people reported:
If you notice your circuit breaker tripping, pay close attention—it’s often an early warning sign that you’re overloading your circuits, which can lead to much bigger problems down the line.
Tips for prevention
The old adage is true: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Right now, it’s more important than ever to take good care of your home. Preventative maintenance practices can save you quite a bit of money down the line:
- A broken dishwasher costs between $1-2K to replace, including labor
- A water heater costs between $1-2K to replace, including labor
- A flood or fire caused by overuse can cost tens of thousands of dollars
Fixing the problems
One increasingly popular option is telemaintenance, which includes a video consultation and potential DIY fix for your issue. According to our research, 26% of homeowners who recently needed repair work either weren’t able or didn’t have the ability to hire a professional. If your repair is deemed “non-essential” and you can’t get (or don’t want) a professional to make a house call, you can contact a Hippo Home Care Pro to help you troubleshoot issues and walk you through a repair by video, free of charge to anyone.
For smaller repairs, you may be able to tackle them yourself. In our survey, 31% of homeowners with a maintenance issue chose the DIY approach.
Now is also a good time to review your homeowner’s policy. If you’re working from home more than usual, find out your home office coverage limit and request an increase if necessary. The average policy limit is just $2,000 for home office equipment—less than the cost of a new high-end laptop. On the other hand, Hippo’s home office limit starts at $8,000 and allows homeowners to request more depending on their needs. So, check out your policy and see what your limits are now—hopefully, well before you need your policy.
Methodology
This survey was conducted using the online survey platform from Google Publishers Network. Users complete survey questions in order to access high quality content around the web. Google automatically aggregates and analyzes responses. The sample of more than 3,000 adults (18 years or older) in the United States were surveyed between April 10-17, 2020 with the minimum respondents per question being no less than 1,000.
Book your Hippo Home Care Pro Appointment Today
Save up to 25%*
Get a quote in 60 seconds.
Get a quote in 60 seconds.
Smart insurance coverage for your modern lifestyle
*Estimated premium savings based on state rate comparisons of Hippo's prices as compared to average industry prices.