Demand for Plumbers is High in 2023

How strong is the demand for plumbers in the U.S.? And what are the top reasons that people call a plumber? These are questions we set out to answer in a recent online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults.

The results found that professional plumbers are in high demand. In fact, more than one-third of those surveyed have called a plumber in the last two years.

Surprisingly, our survey found that the severity of the plumbing issue has little impact on the decision to call a plumber. Whether the issue is large or small, American homeowners are turning to plumbers to handle plumbing tasks rather than taking a DIY approach.

A variety of factors were reported that can help explain the reasons for these survey results.

What Our Survey Says about the Demand for Plumbers in 2023

In late January of 2023, we commissioned a survey of 2,008 U.S. adults to gauge consumer sentiment about a variety of plumbing issues.

The survey results uncovered some fascinating insights related to homeowners’ confidence with plumbing tasks, including:

• Americans are more likely to call a plumber to assist with their repair needs than ask a partner, friend, or neighbor.
• Approximately seven out of 10 respondents (69%) reported being unsuccessful in trying to fix a plumbing issue independently.

Taken together, these results highlight a trend of homeowners becoming less confident in their ability to perform specialized tasks that impact the overall function of their home. Similar trends exist in electrical work and other home improvement tasks.

In short, people now have a greater understanding of how complex a plumbing system is, and are less willing to tackle the job of fixing a plumbing issue on their own. This has led to more people turning to professional plumbers rather than attempting to do it themselves or relying on a handy neighbor.

DIY Confidence for Different Plumbing Tasks

Overall, the average level of reliance on professionals to handle plumbing tasks is strong. But people’s confidence in trying a DIY approach varied depending on the job. Here’s a quick breakdown of how confident homeowners feel about attempting certain plumbing jobs:

• Leaky pipes: Nearly half (49%) of survey respondents said that they would first call a plumber if they are experiencing a leaking pipe.
• Low water pressure: Almost a third (31%) reported they would first call a plumber if they are experiencing low water pressure.
• Running toilet: 22% of respondents would first call a plumber if they are experiencing a running toilet.

These results indicate that homeowners are more likely to call a plumber for pressing issues like a leaking pipe. But just because homeowners don’t call as much for issues like low water pressure or a running toilet doesn’t necessarily mean they try to fix these issues themselves. Many homeowners will just put up with a problem that doesn’t seem to affect their daily life beyond a minor inconvenience.

Top Reasons for Calling a Plumber

Our survey also looked at why people call a plumber. In addition to the previously mentioned leaky pipes, low water pressure, and running toilet issues, other reasons that homeowners turn to professional plumbers include:

• Clogged drains: Whether at home or at the office, a clogged drain can cause some serious problems. Light clogs are still handled on a DIY basis, but a particularly stubborn clog is a common reason for calling a plumber.
• Frozen pipes: Pipe damage from cold weather also prompts many plumbing service calls. In fact, 20% of the people surveyed said they had experienced flooding due to frozen pipes.
• High water pressure: Not only is high water pressure dangerous for your pipes, but it also adds to daily annoyances. Common issues that stem from high water pressure include leaky faucets, excessive spraying, noisy faucets, and malfunctioning appliances.

What the Results Show about Plumbing Demand

The survey also probed people’s attitudes toward plumbing in general. Since people often turn to a plumber rather than relying on their own abilities or their neighbor’s, we wanted to find out why.

According to our survey, the top reasons respondents were uncomfortable performing regular plumbing tasks were:

• “I’m afraid of making the problem worse if I attempt to repair it myself.” (41%)
• “I lack the skills/knowledge.” (38%)

Based on these responses, it’s clear that many homeowners don’t feel as though they have the ability to fix plumbing issues on their own. Further, they lack the confidence to learn those skills and don’t want to risk further damaging their home or plumbing system. This is true even as helpful DIY plumbing resources make learning about plumbing issues easier than ever.

Because of these responses, we can expect that plumbing services will remain in high demand for the foreseeable future.

Need Plumbing Services for Your Home or Business? Call Mr. Rooter Plumbing

Whether you need assistance with home plumbing repair or commercial plumbing repair, Mr. Rooter has experienced professionals who can help.

We are a full-service plumbing and drain cleaning franchise with more than 240 franchises worldwide. Since we’re part of the Neighborly® family, all of our services are covered by our Done Right Promise™. So, if the job isn’t up to your standards, we’ll come back and fix it.

Whether you need help fixing a leaky pipe, low water pressure, a running toilet, clogged drains, or something else, you can rely on Mr. Rooter for all of your plumbing needs. Request a job estimate today or call us for help with your plumbing problems.