Jesus Sanchez Garcia is a senior writer for USA TODAY Homefront. His expertise focuses on home warranties, with over 50 hours spent reviewing provider sample contracts to understand their benefits. He also regularly performs consumer research, such as surveys and customer interviews with an eye on incorporating data into his writing. Jesus has a bachelor’s in business administration from California State University, Stanislaus, and is still located within California’s vibrant Central Valley. When he is not researching or writing, he enjoys supporting his favorite sports teams, spending time with loved ones and chasing new adventures outdoors.
Your home’s major appliances and systems require routine maintenance to ensure they last. However, these items can still break down even with regular upkeep. Consider a home warranty to help reduce the financial shock of repairing or replacing a malfunctioning system or appliance. The USA TODAY Homefront team analyzed and reviewed the best home warranty…
TruGreen and Weed Man are two full-service lawn care companies that, at a glance, offer similar services. Both provide standard lawn care services such as fertilization and lawn treatments and offer competitive pricing. However, we found that TruGreen provides a higher variety of comprehensive lawn care plans, while Weed Man offers more robust additional services.…
Sunday Lawn Care is a subscription-based lawn care company that delivers tailored lawn care product combinations to your door. The company analyzes your property via satellite imaging, asks questions about your lawn and sends tailored items that best suit your needs. During my research, a Sunday rep offered me the ability to test its Grow…
The weather in New Jersey can be temperamental — summers tend to be hot and humid and winter temperatures can fall below freezing. These conditions highlight how important HVAC home warranty protection is, as your air conditioner and heating system keep your home comfortable during these seasons. A home warranty helps provide peace of mind…
Weed Man is a franchise full-service lawn care company that provides an extensive list of lawn care and pest control services. It’s one of the few national lawn care companies we’ve reviewed that offers landscape bed and xeriscape weed control services. In addition, Weed Man has an online customer portal where you can pay for…
Home warranties are service contracts that companies offer homeowners to cover repairs or replacements for home appliances and systems. However, customers’ general consensus on home warranties isn’t favorable — many customers rate home warranty companies poorly on third-party review sites such as the Better Business Bureau. We found that one of the most common complaints…
Pest infestations can be tricky to resolve. According to our February 2024 survey of 1,000 homeowners who experienced a pest problem within the last two years, respondents who resolved their pest issue themselves spent an average of 38 days applying treatments. Although every infestation is different, pest control companies have the knowledge and expertise to…
TruGreen is a full-service lawn care company with decades of experience turning patchy grass plots into lush, green lawns. It offers a range of lawn plans designed to revitalize and maintain a healthy lawn. In our February 2024 survey of 1,000 homeowners who’ve purchased lawn care services, 22% of respondents said they most recently purchased…
When spring is around the corner, your lawn will likely hit its yearly growth spurt. Two types of lawn care service options are available to keep your lawn looking its best: full-service and subscription. Full-service companies handle nearly every aspect of lawn care, ranging from aeration to weed control. Subscription companies send curated lawn care…
Terminix is a leading pest control company that specializes in treating termites. The company stands out due to its generous list of treatments for common household pests and its tenure in the industry. In addition, Terminix charges affordable rates if you sign up for a pest control program. Our team researched and rated Terminix using…
Few pest control companies feature pest and termite control as comprehensive as Orkin’s. The company is one of the longest-serving pest control providers and has built a reputation as an industry leader. It offers standard pest control services, such as bed bug and cockroach removal, alongside specialized services, including attic insulation. However, you’ll pay a…
You’ll likely experience an inconvenient pest infestation at some point during homeownership. One option you have besides applying homemade pest treatments is hiring a full-service pest control company. These companies specialize in eliminating a wide variety of pests safely and promptly. Our team researched, reviewed and rated national pest control companies to determine which brands…
You can choose from two types of lawn care services in the market: full-service and subscription. As the name suggests, full-service companies perform most of the lawn care for your home. Subscription lawn care companies send lawn care products that you apply to your lawn at established intervals. Full-service lawn care companies take the guesswork…
Texas is the second largest state in the United States. It’s home to multiple topographies, such as prairies, the hilly countryside and a section of the Rocky Mountains — all of which experience varied climates throughout the year. These weather conditions can affect your home’s major appliances and systems, leading to unpredictable breakdowns. Consider a…
California is the third largest state in the U.S., meaning the weather conditions can change drastically from area to area — dry, hot summers in San Diego to cool, rainy winters in San Francisco. Choosing the best home warranty in California can depend on where you live as much as on your home systems and…
Our research shows that, on average, home warranties cost $93.75 per month and $1,032.75 per year. We obtained our averages via our November 2023 survey of 1,000 homeowners. We also requested quotes from many of the home warranty companies we’ve reviewed to calculate national averages, although this yielded different results — $58.55 per month and…
Elite Home Warranty has a variety of features that make it unique. For example, Elite allows you to choose your preferred service technician to fix your major appliance or system breakdown. Elite also offers up to 30 optional add-ons, allowing you to fully customize your home protection plan. Elite opened its doors in 2020 and…
ARW Home (formerly known as American Residential Warranty) is a home warranty company that provides solid protection plans, covering common household items such as air conditioning systems and refrigerators. It’s one of the few home warranty companies that provides coverage in all 50 states. Our team analyzed ARW Home’s coverage plans, costs, customer service and…
Select Home Warranty (SHW) is a company geared toward homeowners on a tight budget, providing cost-effective protection plans and a low service call fee. SHW charges well below our national average monthly premium calculation of $55.70 for its entry-level plans. In addition, SHW provides coverage in all states except Nevada, Washington and Wisconsin. However, SHW’s…
Cinch Home Services is a home warranty industry veteran, offering homeowners service contracts since 1979. We found it one of the few home warranty providers with comprehensive coverage and distinctive features to match. Alongside its home systems and appliance plans, Cinch offers several perks other companies don’t, such as a homeowners insurance deductible reimbursement. Additionally,…