SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego residents will soon be getting letters in the mail about a program that city officials say could save them thousands of dollars in pipe repair costs.<\/p>\n
While the city is responsible for maintaining water and sewage systems in neighborhoods, the actual service lines that run to individual homes are the homeowner\u2019s responsibility \u2014 a fact many residents only realize when problems arise.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you have reduced pressure in your line or if you notice that you’re getting a high bill from the water department because there’s a leak between the meter and your house or there’s pooling of water in the front yard \u2026 you know you’ve got a problem,\u201d said Miles Meehan, a spokesperson for Service Line Warranties of America.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the sewer side, if you have a backup inside the home or something like that, there’s the telltale sign that there might be a problem in your sewer line,\u201d Meehan added.<\/p>\n
Meehan said the independent home repair company has partnered with the city to offer optional protection plans for homeowners. He said repairs can be costly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you’re just going to make a simple repair, it might be $1,000 and for sewer lines to unblock it could be $300 to $500 \u2026 and to replace a section could be well over $1,500 and to do the whole line itself could be $3,000 to $4,000. It’s a significant amount of money that people just generally don’t have sitting around waiting for that rainy day,\u201d Meehan said.<\/p>\n
Plans start at $6.33 a month for exterior water service line coverage and $8.58 a month for exterior sewer or septic line coverage. There is no deductible.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat covers up to $8,500 per incident, and it’s unlimited incidents throughout the year,\u201d Meehan said.<\/p>\n
Homeowners call the 24\/7 hotline to request service.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ll take your information and dispatch that to one of our contractors that are in the area, and they will contact you and set up a time for the visit. Typically, that happens on the same day of the very next day that visit comes so the repair work can get started,\u201d Meehan said.<\/p>\n
He added that standard homeowners insurance typically does not cover this type of wear-and-tear repair.<\/p>\n
\u201cTypically, on your standard homeowners insurance policy, this type of wear and tear type repair which is what it’s called is not covered. now you could purchase a rider on your homeowner’s insurance and pay for that \u2026 but you still have to go find a contractor,\u201d said Meehan.<\/p>\n
The program already has more than 10,000 participants, who Meehan said have saved nearly $4 million in out-of-pocket repair expenses since it began.<\/p>\n