6 Reasons You Need To Buy Sewer Backup Insurance Coverage
Most homeowners policies do not cover sewer backup unless specific sewer backup insurance coverage is added. If your home falls victim to the damages of backups or overflows and you aren’t covered, you’ll be liable for home repairs and cleaning costs out of pocket. Discover some of the most common ways your sewer lines can be damaged, and what you can do to protect your home!
1. Blockages Due To Tree Roots
The trees in your yard may be beautiful, but their roots can cause damage to your plumbing. Tree roots can dig very deep in search of water and nutrients, things that can be found in abundance in pipelines. These roots can enter pipes through small cracks and continue to grow until extensive damage is caused. Different tree roots grow in different ways, so it’s a good idea to know about each kind located on your property!
If you’re a visual learner, here’s a video overview of sewer backup coverage.
2. The Flushing Game: Toys & Other Strange Items
Plumbers are no strangers to discovering weird objects in toilets like toys, keys and watches. However, some mystery clogs are caused by the most bizarre and unlikely items. We’ve compiled a list of some of the craziest items that have been flushed down the toilet:
- Miniature Liquor Bottles
- False Teeth
- Underwear
- Golf Balls
- Rats & Snakes (yes, live ones)
- Ammunition & Grenades
- Bones
3. Improper Disposal of Paper Products
Speaking of “flushing fails”, how many restrooms have you gone in and seen a sign that looks like this?
4. Aging Sewer Systems
According to the Civil Engineering Research Foundation, the number of backed up sewers is increasing about 3% per year. Sewer systems in the United States are on average over thirty years old, which is a huge contributing factor to the rapid increase of sewer backups, overflows and flooded basements.
5. Improper Disposal of Grease
Pouring grease down the drain can cause clogged pipes and even sewer overflows. Liquefied fat, oil and grease (FOG) that is poured down kitchen sinks will build up over time, and can cause major damage to your home. These fat and oil buildups cause about 36,000 sewer overflows each year!
To properly dispose of your cooking greases, simply place the cooled liquid into a sealed non-recyclable container and discard it with your regular garbage. If you pour grease down the sink or even into the toilet, it will cool and harden in your pipes (or in the sewer) down the line.
6. Combined Pipelines
Sometimes sewer systems combine the raw sewage pipeline with the storm water pipeline. During times of intense storms and runoff, this combined pipeline can become clogged with debris. This can result in a sewage backup situation in your basement or other low-lying drains.
The Cost Of Sewer Backup Insurance Coverage
It’s easy to see how many different ways your sewer pipelines can be compromised. But don’t wait until one of these factors causes a problem and your home is devastated by sewage and water damage. Sewer backup insurance coverage can be added to a homeowners insurance policy for as little as $50 a year!
Get A Quote On Sewer Backup Insurance Coverage
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