Homeowners' decision-making in a premise plumbing failure-prone area

Two formal preference-elicitation methodologies—conjoint analysis and the analytical hierarchical process—were applied to examine the actions taken by homeowners living in a premise plumbing failure-prone area and the decision-making they used to minimize their risk resulting from corrosion, cost, and other issues related to home plumbing. Most households preferred simply to stay with their current plumbing materials rather than install an upgrade to reduce the risk of corrosion or purchase insurance against corrosion damage. Health, taste, and odor were dominant considerations for consumers. It was interesting that some survey respondents answered one way when stating preferences but behaved differently when making real-life choices. This information will be helpful for policy experts and utility companies seeking new ways to deal with premise plumbing issues.