There really is no way to avoid the dreaded knock of a Denver Wastewater Management employee bearing a hefty bill.
Taps often break for reasons beyond homeowner control. But it does seem that older homes are more susceptible to damaged sewer lines. The biggest culprit: tree roots.
“Roots are our No. 1 issue,” says Wastewater director Reza Kazemian.
Roots can often be removed from a sewer line without digging up the line, but once roots cause structural damage, the only remedy is an expensive dig that gets pricier as it gets deeper. Residential sewer lines buried 15 feet or deeper can cost tens of thousands to repair. So it’s important to know the status of your sewer line and catch problems early.
The way to do that is to run a video camera through your home’s sewer line to check for damage that could cost several thousand dollars to repair. Most sewer companies charge about $200 to scope a sewer line. When buying a home, a sewer-line inspection is not usually part of a traditional home inspection.
“Oh, I wish we’d done that,” said Alanna Kole, who in December spent $3,550 to repair sewer lines in a home she and her husband bought in August.
Traditional homeowner insurance rarely covers wear-and-tear damage beyond the property line, meaning that damage to a home’s sewer tap beneath a public street isn’t typically covered. It is possible to buy additional insurance that covers sewer lines, but a survey in the spring of 2008 by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners found that 55 percent of insured homeowners did not have coverage for sewer-line breaks.
Consumer advocates urge homeowners to get several quotes for sewer repair, as repair bids can differ. Ask around and use recommended repair companies. Also, The Denver Post has previously reported on the problem of a few thieving sewer-repair folks in the metro area who convince homeowners their sewer line is damaged using prerecorded video. So make sure the video you see is of your own sewer line.
The city’s inspectors confirm the source of a damaged tap by asking homeowners to flush dye tablets and recording the dye’s travels through the system.
— Jason Blevins
