HomeServe USA

Staten Island Homeowner Saves with Rotted Sewer Line Repair

Robert K. was still settling into his new home in Staten Island, New York that he purchased just a few months prior when a large fall rainstorm hit his area. He was having some work on the home done, so when he noticed some water in his basement the next morning, he figured it was just a fluke.

But by chance, just the next week another major storm hit, and Robert watched closely this time. There was more water in his basement, but it wasn’t coming into the house through the ceiling or windows – it was his main drain line that seemed to be backing up. While Robert may have just purchased this home, he wasn’t a first-time homeowner. It turns out one of the first things he did after moving in was sign up for several repair plans through HomeServe, including the Complete Plumbing Plan that covered the interior drain and exterior sewer line.

“I’ve been a happy customer of HomeServe for years in my prior home, so it was a no-brainer for me to enroll in some repair plans immediately after moving in here,” Robert said. “I didn’t expect to need it just two months later, but that’s what home repair plans are for, right?”

Robert called up HomeServe’s Operations Center where he explained the situation to a repair specialist. PowerFlo Sewer Service, a local and reliable member of HomeServe’s contractor network, was dispatched to the home quickly. Upon snaking the line, it seemed as if everything was in working order.

“The contractor was outstanding,” Robert recounted. “They came on time, worked extremely effectively and never left a mess.”

However, just a few days later, Robert noticed the line backing up again. Powerflo came back, but with a camera this time. They were able to remove several rocks and pieces of debris before finally getting the camera far enough down to see that the elbow of the pipe had completely rotted through. The rotted area provided an entryway for rocks and was getting more severe by the day. Luckily, Powerflo was able to replace that section of the line while they were there, saving Robert more than $1,500 by the time all was said and done.
“With a new home, there’s a lot of unknowns that don’t come to light until something goes wrong,” Robert said. “I knew these plans would save me a lot of grief in situations like that – HomeServe has done right by me many times in the past.”

“I’ve been a happy customer of HomeServe for years in my prior home, so it was a no-brainer for me to enroll in some repair plans immediately after moving in”

Robert told us he first learned of HomeServe nearly a decade ago, and had made use of a variety of plans he signed up for during that time.

“When I first moved into his house, I briefly looked into one of your competitors, just to see what else is out there,” Robert admitted. “But at the end of the day, why change a sure thing? I decided to stick with you; to stick with what I know. I will be a lifelong customer.”

Published October 31, 2023