Sewer Line Warranty

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21st Century Television Discusses Service Line Warranty

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Service Line Warranties of America’s parent company, Utility Service Partners, Inc. (USP), was delighted to be featured August 17 on Bloomberg Television (as paid programming) when USP Chief Executive Officer Philip E. Riley, Jr. discussed the National League of Cities (NLC) Service Line Warranty Program with special guest host Donald Trump, Jr.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to discuss the importance of protecting homeowner infrastructure and providing an affordable solution for protection,” said Riley. “Every day water and sewer lines are failing and we can help.”

Water and sewer lines are part of an aging infrastructure issue that is being addressed in many cities. Private lines, subjected to the same elements that cause public lines to fail, are the responsibility of homeowners. While cities and utilities are repairing and replacing the water and sewer lines that comprise the public infrastructure, costs for maintenance of the lines on a homeowner’s property come out of the homeowner’s pocket. USP works with cities to provide the NLC Service Line Warranty Program, which offers homeowners affordable utility line repair protection that covers the high cost of line repair and replacement while also protecting the environment.Homeowners will recognize the program under the brand name, Service Line Warranties of America, USP’s consumer division.

As 21st Century Television Vice President of Programming J.L. Haber expresses, “For cities, critical utility systems can end up being a major expense. When we heard about how Utility Service Partners works to provide low cost warranties to cover repairs to these utility lines when something goes wrong, we had to get them on the show to spread the information.”

Those interested in learning more about how Utility Service Partners helps cities and homeowners can watch the entire interview online.

About 21st Century Television – 21st Century Television is an award-winning business and health program that is independently produced by MMP (USA), Inc. The show provides its viewers an in-depth opportunity to find solutions to industry problems from some of the top business leaders from across the world. With more than 5,000 companies participating on more than 500 shows, 21st Century Television continues to be the premier and targeted outlet for the latest business and health stories. 21st Century Television airs on cable networks available to more than 100 million television households.

About Utility Service Partners – Founded in 2003, Utility Service Partners, Inc. strives to be the leading provider of solutions to North American municipal and utility clients by delivering quality programs that bring value to both the client and their residents. Operating under the consumer brand Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA), USP and SLWA are committed to addressing aging infrastructure across the nation through public-private partnerships.

 

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Can I trust a warranty company?

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When you receive a warranty protection offer, you might wonder if it’s right for you. Can you trust a warranty company since many have a bad reputation for high denials and limited coverage options?

The answer lies in research – with a little bit of know-how, you can evaluate any program offer and determine if it’s the right fit for you.

Review the company

  • How long has the company been in business and have they had multiple changes to their brand name?
  • Are they partnered with any notable companies or industry organizations?
  • Read customer reviews.
  • Review their Better Business Bureau profile for accreditation and complaints.
  • Have complaints been resolved in a timely manner and to the customer’s satisfaction?
  • Have they been recognized by the BBB or industry associations for their customer service or contributions to the industry?

Review the Terms and Conditions for each offer and note the following:

  • What are the warranty coverage inclusions and exclusions?
  • Are there hidden service fees or deductibles?
  • Are there coverage caps on the amount paid per repair or per year?
  • Are there coverage restrictions?

What are people saying online?
Google the company name with the word “Complaints” and see what appears. Also note the kind and number of complaints a company has had with the Better Business Bureau or the State Attorney General.

Contact Customer Service
Call the company’s customer service number with questions. Were your questions answered to your satisfaction? Did you have a long wait time before you spoke with a representative? Does their company website have a “frequently asked questions” section that addressed some of your questions? How well the customer service team responded to your questions is usually indicative as to the level of service provided to customers.

Are they accredited with the Better Business Bureau?
All companies are rated with the Better Business Bureau, but some companies choose to be accredited, meaning they abide by a code of ethics set forth by the Better Business Bureau and communicate with the organization regularly by responding to all inquiries and complaints in a timely fashion.

Once you’ve completed an evaluation of the company, only you as a homeowner can determine which warranty is most beneficial for you.

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Do I need a water or sewer line warranty?

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It’s not uncommon to have homeowners tell us they don’t need a water or sewer line warranty because their lines haven’t broken and will never break. While we’ve uncovered this is far from the truth – many homeowners are unsure if they need a water or sewer line warranty. When evaluating whether or not to purchase a water or sewer line warranty, homeowners must first understand the coverage details. Warranties are not the same as insurance. While insurance typically covers damage to personal property as a result of service line failures, disasters and extreme circumstances (such as fire, flood, etc.), warranties focus on normal wear and tear – such as aging, ground shifting and tree root intrusion. Problems due to normal wear and tear with the sewer and water lines located outside the home are usually not covered under traditional homeowner’s insurance policies and could be very costly to replace or repair.

When considering whether or not to invest in a water or sewer line warranty, consider the following:

Age of the home
It’s common knowledge as products age, the failure rate increases. While newer homes with PVC pipes may be at lower risk than a 50-year-old home with clay pipes, the age of your home can help determine your need. As homes age, so does the infrastructure supplying water to and removing waste from them.

Types of pipes and length of lines
Do you know of what materials the water and sewer lines inside and outside of your home are made? Some materials are more prone to problems and have shorter life expectancies than others. Knowing what the lines are made of can help determine the level of risk. In addition, the longer the line, the greater the risk of failure and the higher the cost to replace them.

Weather
Weather conditions can affect a pipe’s life expectancy and conditions as they swell with changes in temperature and ground shifting. If the area in which you live is prone to heavy rainfall, droughts or extreme temperature changes – your infrastructure could be at risk.

Plants
The closer your water and sewer lines are to the ground’s surface and  plants and trees, the greater the chance of roots permeating the pipes. It only takes a small pinhole for a root to begin to infiltrate the line, which may result in a leak, clog or break.

 Cost
What is the cost-benefit ratio? Should you pay a small monthly fee for the warranty or do you have enough in your emergency fund to pay for a repair that could cost from $1,300 to $3,500 or more?

Fine Print
Check out the Terms and Conditions of the warranty. Do they adequately cover your particular situation?

Company
Before buying any product, do your homework; research financial stability, outstanding consumer complaints, etc.

Time
One of the many benefits of participating in a maintenance or warranty program is the ability to make one call to solve the problem. If your service line breaks, consider the time invested in locating a qualified, local plumber and scheduling the visit, which may require taking time off from work and is disruptive to your daily routine.

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Sewer problem warnings

Repair water pipeSewer backups are a nasty business, from the mess they leave behind to the expense of having the repairs completed and potentially ruining family treasures. It’s important as a homeowner to educate yourself about the warning signs of a sewer problem, long before a backup occurs.

Look for:

  • Soggy ground when it hasn’t rained.
  • Irregular bumps or low spots the yard.
  • Foul odor or sewer gas smells, such as rotten eggs.
  • Gurgling sounds.
  • Slow drains.

If you suspect you have a sewer problem, contact your warranty provider first to send a technician out for repairs. If you do not have a warranty provider, contact a local, certified plumber who can inspect your sewer line with a camera and locate any problems in the joints.

Protecting your home from sewer problems starts with learning what not to put down the drain. Learn more about what to keep out of the sewer here.

Early detection is the key to preventing larger problems for your home.

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Who’s that contractor?

iStock_000001754147MediumAt Service Line Warranties of America, we only partner with the best – so when a plumber shows up at your door, have faith that we have thoroughly vetted each and every company before welcoming them to our network.

Plumbers are thoroughly screened through an intensive process that ensures they have all the necessary licenses and insurances required to do business in your local community. Their company leaders are also interviewed by our diligent Contractor Services team to be sure they are capable of completing any type of job efficiently and correctly with the necessary tools – the first time!

Service Line Warranties of America also partners with PlusOne Solutions to perform background checks on all contractors prior to acceptance into the network. Once accepted, their performance is thoroughly tracked and frequently reviewed. If a customer has a complaint about a contractor, our service team will follow up quickly to ensure we address the situation or remove the contractor from our network.

At Service Line Warranties of America, we stand behind our brand and our plumbers are the face of that brand. We only partner with the best to give you peace of mind and faith that the contractor knocking on your door will give you the first-class customer service you deserve every time.