A SupplyHouse survey of 1,001 U.S. homeowners found 93% delay HVAC and plumbing repairs, often because costs feel avoidable. But waiting can double repair bills, leaving many paying with credit or loans—and risking worse damage after DIY attempts.
A clogged drain or a leaky faucet can start as something you mean to deal with “later.” Then the weeks stack up—until the problem stops being minor and starts showing up on a bill.
A new survey from SupplyHouse. a nationwide online supplier of plumbing. heating. cooling and electrical supplies. found that 93% of homeowners delay HVAC and plumbing repairs. To understand how and why, the company surveyed 1,001 U.S. homeowners about their repair habits and what happens when repairs don’t happen quickly.
Homeowners aren’t just procrastinating. The survey points to cost pressure as a major reason to wait—and it also shows what the bill looks like when waiting turns into escalation.
Homeowners wait longer than they think—and often for the wrong reasons
On average, homeowners wait one month to fix minor plumbing issues, according to the study.
The survey also breaks down who calls for help quickly. If you’re in the third of Americans who pick up the phone the second a home system goes awry, the study describes you as among the more proactive. The rest tend to push off the problem—or ignore it—until it becomes much bigger.
Of the 40% who wait, 40% of those homeowners will only call for help if the problem escalates. Nearly 20% say they only call for repairs once the system stops working entirely.
DIY plays a large role in the delay. The survey reports that 71% of homeowners decide a DIY attempt is worth it before bringing in a professional.
But the DIY strategy doesn’t consistently pay off. Of the 64% of homeowners who assumed HVAC or plumbing problems were nonissues. more than half of those problems became significantly worse and needed significant repairs. For the DIY attempts themselves, half of those attempts were either useless or made the problem even worse.
Income and age shape the repair decision
Cost concerns aren’t the only driver. The survey finds income and age also influence how quickly homeowners respond.
DIY attempts were more common among younger homeowners. The survey says 76% of both millennial and Gen Z groups attempted DIY before doing anything else.
Income levels also correlate with behavior. If annual household income was between $75,000 and $99,999, homeowners were more likely to fix the problem themselves. When household income rose to $150,000 or more, nearly half of those homeowners called for help right away.
Waiting costs more than double—then adds more bills on top
The survey makes the financial tradeoff stark: when repairs are delayed, the bill gets bigger.
SupplyHouse reports that if homeowners acted within a week of noticing an HVAC or plumbing problem. their average repair cost was $380. When repairs were pushed off for six months or more. the average bill more than doubled to $868—an increase of almost $500 compared with what homeowners may have paid if they addressed the issue right away.
That $868 figure may still understate the full cost. The survey says it doesn’t account for DIY attempts, increased water bills from leaky plumbing, or other associated costs—meaning the true financial impact could be higher than the initial repair estimate.
For many households, paying for repairs isn’t simple
For some homeowners, the issue isn’t only whether they can afford the repair—it’s whether they can pay immediately.
The survey found 44% of all homeowners surveyed used credit cards, loans, payment plans, or borrowed from family or friends to pay for a home repair. That percentage rose closer to half when the repair was delayed a month or more.
A home warranty can shift the risk—but with limits
The survey frames home warranties as one way to avoid the “wait-and-hope” cycle driven by cost concerns. With a home warranty, homeowners can have a technician sent out for the cost of the service fee, and potentially pay nothing more out of pocket.
Most home warranties cost $40 to $60 per month. They cover the cost to repair HVAC and plumbing systems when they break down because of normal wear and tear.
Coverage limits are part of the equation. Homeowners are covered up to $2,000 to $3,000 per system, sometimes more. The survey cites American Home Shield as an example where coverage can be higher.
When a covered system or appliance breaks, homeowners contact the home warranty company and the company sends someone out. If the repair is covered. the only amount due is the service call fee. which the survey places at $75 on average. The survey emphasizes that this fee is required whether someone has a home warranty or not.
HVAC coverage details—and common exclusions
Home warranties cover major HVAC systems, including ducted central electric split and package units, geothermal units (depending on the provider), evaporative coolers, wall air conditioners, and ductless mini-splits. Coverage can also include window air conditioners (depending on the provider).
For full replacements. the survey says a home warranty will often cover all or most of the cost. though the unit will more than likely be similar to the current unit. The only upgrade homeowners can expect is energy efficiency. The survey notes that a replacement may include a new unit with a higher energy efficiency rating—SEER. EER. or HSPF—to stay compliant with regional standards: 14 SEER for northern climates and 15 SEER for southern states.
Common exclusions include preexisting issues (known or undocumented). poor maintenance or neglect. cosmetic damage. improper installation or code violations. and structural parts (like ducts in walls. but depending on the provider). The survey also lists upgrades required to meet current building codes (some providers offer this as an add-on) and Freon/refrigerant limits (some plans cap or exclude it).
Plumbing coverage details—and common exclusions
For plumbing, home warranties often cover leaks or breakages of water, gas, drain and waste lines. They can also cover valves and fixtures, but that differs by provider.
Many providers add optional coverage for sump pumps, well pumps, and water softeners.
The survey lists common exclusions including bathtubs, sinks, bidets, shower enclosures and base pans, caulking/grouting, septic tanks, water softener/filtration/purification systems, storage tanks, saunas/steam rooms, sprinkler systems, and radon systems.
Insurance and warranty don’t overlap the same way
The survey includes one final warning that can matter in real emergencies: if something is covered by home insurance, a home warranty will not cover it.
The overall message in the data is simple. Delaying HVAC and plumbing repairs can turn a manageable fix into a much larger cost—and when people finally act, they may be paying not just for repairs, but for the damage and uncertainty that built up during the wait.
HVAC repairs plumbing repairs home warranty delayed maintenance DIY plumbing SupplyHouse survey U.S. homeowners repair costs credit cards loans payment plans
93% is wild… my cousin just ignores his AC til it dies lol.
I mean yeah costs are insane now. If they can’t give a decent quote up front people just keep putting it off. Also DIY is cheaper if you don’t mess it up, right?
Wait so they’re saying waiting doubles the bills but then it’s cuz people use credit and loans? That part feels kinda backwards. Like my buddy got a leaky faucet fixed after a week and it still cost a lot, so idk.
Every time I hear “survey of homeowners” I’m like… half these people probably don’t even check their drains til it’s flooding. But also prices for HVAC/plumbing are ridiculous, so of course people delay. I did a DIY on a clogged drain once and it was fine for months, then suddenly my water pressure dropped and I’m thinking it was the pipes, not the drain. So yeah maybe the article is right but also seems like they’re blaming procrastination when it’s really money.