To all you homeowners out there...
- moonie
- Posts: 479
- Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:36 pm
- Location: Monroe, NY
To all you homeowners out there...
Word to the wise, make sure you have insurance for 'sewage backup'. Our line actually broke (due to settling of our house) and we didnt know it until my Moonlet took a shower and the water started dripping out of our basement ceiling (and filling the bathroom floor above). The carpets and walls are damaged, as well as my favorite reclining chair (big )
We thought it may have been the toilet leaking (on the floor), or the shower line somehow. Instead, we tore the sheetrock from the ceiling and found a sewage backup in our main pipe out of the house.
After digging a bit in the front of the house, we found the pipe actually broken. Its gonna be a nightmare. We cannot use water. The girls cannot pee in the house. (They can pee OUTSIDE the house, like I did, but they have much more class than I do).
And the real kicker... the insurance guy says they'll only pay a total of $5G after the deductible is met, and NOT the plumbing expenses.
He's coming back tomorrow to do a more detailed inspection. I'd advise you all check your homeowner's policies and get the $20 sewage clause in there. Otherwise, its a pretty shitty situation.
We thought it may have been the toilet leaking (on the floor), or the shower line somehow. Instead, we tore the sheetrock from the ceiling and found a sewage backup in our main pipe out of the house.
After digging a bit in the front of the house, we found the pipe actually broken. Its gonna be a nightmare. We cannot use water. The girls cannot pee in the house. (They can pee OUTSIDE the house, like I did, but they have much more class than I do).
And the real kicker... the insurance guy says they'll only pay a total of $5G after the deductible is met, and NOT the plumbing expenses.
He's coming back tomorrow to do a more detailed inspection. I'd advise you all check your homeowner's policies and get the $20 sewage clause in there. Otherwise, its a pretty shitty situation.
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to Lurk i go!
- PlacentiaSoccerMom
- Posts: 8134
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- Location: Placentia, CA
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- kayrharris
- Miss Congeniality
- Posts: 11968
- Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:48 am
- Location: Auburn, AL
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Backup of sewers and drains is normally an optional coverage with a separate deductible from the main policy. It usually runs about $10 a year. We automatically add it on to all our policies. If someone questions us about it , we explain what it does. If they don't want to pay the extra $10 a year, we'll be happy to remove it. Otherwise, it's gonna be on any homeowner's policy we sell out of our office.
I would advise anyone to look at their policies and endorsements. Most people don't have a clue what their policies cover.
I would advise anyone to look at their policies and endorsements. Most people don't have a clue what their policies cover.
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. "
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
- a1mamacat
- Posts: 6948
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:02 pm
- Location: Great White North
Re: To all you homeowners out there...
totally accidental with this part, eh Moonie?moonie wrote:Word to the wise, make sure you have insurance for 'sewage backup'. Our line actually broke (due to settling of our house) and we didnt know it until my Moonlet took a shower and the water started dripping out of our basement ceiling (and filling the bathroom floor above). The carpets and walls are damaged, as well as my favorite reclining chair (big )
We thought it may have been the toilet leaking (on the floor), or the shower line somehow. Instead, we tore the sheetrock from the ceiling and found a sewage backup in our main pipe out of the house.
After digging a bit in the front of the house, we found the pipe actually broken. Its gonna be a nightmare. We cannot use water. The girls cannot pee in the house. (They can pee OUTSIDE the house, like I did, but they have much more class than I do).
And the real kicker... the insurance guy says they'll only pay a total of $5G after the deductible is met, and NOT the plumbing expenses.
He's coming back tomorrow to do a more detailed inspection. I'd advise you all check your homeowner's policies and get the $20 sewage clause in there. Otherwise, its a pretty shitty situation.
Sorry for the mess. Can you find a portapotty somewhere to rent for a couple of days till the plumbing gets fixed?
Lover of Soft Animals and Fine Art
1st annual international BBBL Champeeeeen!
1st annual international BBBL Champeeeeen!
- marrymeflyfree
- Posts: 600
- Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:58 pm
- Location: the couch
Re: To all you homeowners out there...
*rimshot*moonie wrote: Otherwise, its a pretty shitty situation.
How nice are your neighbors?
- peacock2121
- Posts: 18451
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:58 am
- moonie
- Posts: 479
- Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:36 pm
- Location: Monroe, NY
Update
By virtue of our wonderful friend/home improvement guy and his buddies, we were able to reconnect the pipe from the house to the one outside. We had a cleaning company disinfect and clean the carpet and floor rug downstairs. He thinks it is salvagable, although we told the insurance guy we may want a new rug!
In order to get to the outside pipe to reconnect a new one, they had to uproot one my arbor vitae bushes next to the front porch...the deer are gonna be pissed! Actually, there is prevailing thought that the roots of the tree were pressing down on the pipe. Either that, or the house did settle. Nevertheless, when building a house, make sure that the pipe has gravel or stone underneath it, so the pipe will not break under these conditions (WE DID NOT HAVE STONE UNDERNEATH our pipe :/)
The insurance guy says this think does happen more often than you would think. It is an 'endorsement' as Kay mentioned.
We did stay home last night. Our friend hooked up a temporary tube/pipe out the garage so that some water could be used... NO PAPER THOUGH!
Hope this never happens to anyone else!
By virtue of our wonderful friend/home improvement guy and his buddies, we were able to reconnect the pipe from the house to the one outside. We had a cleaning company disinfect and clean the carpet and floor rug downstairs. He thinks it is salvagable, although we told the insurance guy we may want a new rug!
In order to get to the outside pipe to reconnect a new one, they had to uproot one my arbor vitae bushes next to the front porch...the deer are gonna be pissed! Actually, there is prevailing thought that the roots of the tree were pressing down on the pipe. Either that, or the house did settle. Nevertheless, when building a house, make sure that the pipe has gravel or stone underneath it, so the pipe will not break under these conditions (WE DID NOT HAVE STONE UNDERNEATH our pipe :/)
The insurance guy says this think does happen more often than you would think. It is an 'endorsement' as Kay mentioned.
We did stay home last night. Our friend hooked up a temporary tube/pipe out the garage so that some water could be used... NO PAPER THOUGH!
Hope this never happens to anyone else!
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to Lurk i go!