# You carry insurance for this don't you?



## bartnc37 (Feb 24, 2009)

Rodded out a 4" C.I. mainline last monday, 90' or so, roots for the last 10' before the city main. Pulled back two ice cream pails worth the roots with my speedrooter 90, ran the 4by6" spreader head down and back smooth as could be and she was flowing like a champ. Fast forward to friday, the boss left for vacation till next wed and the lady calls that she has water flooding her basement. The lady was older so i assumed she meant a little mess by the F.D. or something to that effect. I really couldn't believe it was plugged again but what the hell. Get there and there is 6" of ***t water covering the back half of her basement(white carpet), and its bubbling out of the basement toilet, wtf? Go check the manhole and sure as **** its plugged. there is a giant maple on the edge of her yard that was apparently plugging not only her line but come to find out the city sewer as well. Call the city, they come out and jet the 8" main and down everything goes. She comes up and says, "your tree roots caused this problem, you better have insurance to cover this!!" She's screaming at this point and i calmly point out that actually they are her tree roots. The city guy tells me this has been a problem with this house and tree before and they have told her repeatedly that the tree needs to be removed. 
She continues about how neither I nor the city are going to take the blame for the mess, trying to lay a guilt trip on me. She calls the city and they tell her we should have called after rodding her line so the could jet the main, wth are they gonna do, jet it all the way back to the sewer plant!! The plug was actually below the manhole serving her house. Needless to say my day was pretty much capped off by that little adventure. Do you guys get the main jetted every time you rod a drain?


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

The city won't jet a line here just because I have a stoppage on the HO side. They are exempt from damages caused by main stoppages. It will happen once in a while that we unstop one and then the main backs up. My roots hang on thier roots. But we don't have basements. The city should not have made any comment.


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## Regulator (Aug 20, 2009)

slickrick said:


> The city won't jet a line here just because I have a stoppage on the HO side. They are exempt from damages caused by main stoppages. It will happen once in a while that we unstop one and then the main backs up. My roots hang on thier roots. But we don't have basements. *The city should not have made any comment.*


Agreed.


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## Pipedoc (Jun 14, 2009)

I agree with Rick. The city should have not made that comment. Anyhow, you have nothing to worry about insurance wise. I wouldn't sweat it. I can't think of a single reason to call the city for in this instance.


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## bartnc37 (Feb 24, 2009)

i talked to the boss this morning, he said he told her she needed to install a backwater valve the last two times this happened but she didn't want the expense, wonder what its gonna cost to rip out all that carpet?


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

I have had several cases where homes have been flooded by the municipal sewer. Bottom line is, if you have fixtures below the next upstream manhole you need a properly functioning backwater valve.

Mark


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Not your fault or problem,

That's why SHE has homeowners insurance.


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## ROTOR KING (Oct 7, 2008)

Many companies have the fine print written on the bottom of the bill,no gaurrantee for blockages,nor responsible for damaged pipe.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

ToUtahNow said:


> I have had several cases where homes have been flooded by the municipal sewer. Bottom line is, if you have fixtures below the next upstream manhole you need a properly functioning backwater valve.
> 
> Mark


 A relief valve works good too for added protection. I've done a few and always put a relief valve on the sewer side of the backwater valve. . very good post you made Utah:thumbsup:


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## Bollinger plumber (Apr 3, 2009)

A little preventive maintenance by the ho and the city would also solve this problem. I don't know how many times I have been to the city sewer division and seen there jetter and rodding trucks just sitting there idle. Get them off thier butts and have them do little preventive work on problem areas in thier sewer system. after all we do pay taxes to have them work not sit on thier butts playing cards waiting for a problem to come up. I myself offer ho's and businesses a preventive maint program at a discount rate.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

So typical, no one wants to take responsibility. HO decided to take the gamble and she lost. That's the way it goes sometimes. If she has insurance, we all pay for her stupidity.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Bollinger plumber said:


> A little preventive maintenance by the ho and the city would also solve this problem. I don't know how many times I have been to the city sewer division and seen there jetter and rodding trucks just sitting there idle. Get them off thier butts and have them do little preventive work on problem areas in thier sewer system. after all we do pay taxes to have them work not sit on thier butts playing cards waiting for a problem to come up. I myself offer ho's and businesses a preventive maint program at a discount rate.


 When i refer to the "city" I'm refering to the public sewer and water system...it is a private owned company here just like the power company....no tax dollars are used. here the backflow problem was just resolved...heres how it went down. The water/sewer provider notified everyone that if your house is located below the manhole it is your responsibility to protect your property...if you are unsure then have a plumber check for you. they basically washed their hands of it. In the past the first time your home flooded with sewage as a result of your home being ower they would pay for it....after that 1st time your responsibility to protect against it. Now they wil not pay even the 1st time.


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## bchplumbing (Oct 24, 2009)

Been there and done that. Went to the city maintnence to have them clean there end. Walk in to find six guys watching tv. Three days later they are on site jetting there end. Then I guess back to the shop to watch more Andy Griffith


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## Bollinger plumber (Apr 3, 2009)

Went to a job in the bootheel of missouri a couple years ago. It was for a stoppage on a residential home. After rodding and running a camera down the line we noticed the citry main was full of roots. We went to the city sewer dept to get them to come and clear the line. He refused to do it because he was afraid to get his new tennis shoes dirty. He asked us if we could do it and I told him I would have to call the shop and see if the jetter truck was available. It was so we had them come down and jet the main. It cost them over 3000 dollars to have that line cleaned just because the Sewer dept didn't want to get his tennis shoes dirty. Same city a few weeks later. They call us to come cut roots out of the city main so we get the jetter truck ready and drive it all the way down there about 100 miles. they take us to the manhole and pull the lid. It looks like a damn jungle in there. The sewer debt guy walks over to his pick up truck and hands a a set of pruning shears.lol The manhole was only about 4 ft deep. another 3000 dollars and the only tool we used was pruning shears. lol


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## Turd Burglar (Sep 26, 2009)

bartnc37 said:


> i talked to the boss this morning, he said *he told her she needed to install a backwater valve the last two times this happened but she didn't want the expense*, wonder what its gonna cost to rip out all that carpet?


What a moron she is. I see it all time, nobody wants to spend any money on their plumbing system...until its too late, then the cry and complain and try to get someone else to cover it for them _(insurance, government, sue the contractor, etc.)_:no:


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## retired rooter (Dec 31, 2008)

I had a little ole lady call me with a flooded house .She had been out of town and when she opened the front door, it hit her in the knees.After service pro cleaned her home I cleaned her sewer and installed a check valve or backflow preventer with a pop off cleanout in front of the valve.It happened several more times, but it all went out in her yard .Before county fixed the main behind her house. .She sued the city for 30 grand (city controlled sewers in those days now our county has them and a 3.6 billion dollar dept) any way she won, and could have repaired all damages for approx 20 grand .City refused so off to higher court, won again(jury trial) but city got it kicked out some obscure law.Her lawyer was a good one and took the case to Atlanta Ga and she was awarded over a million bucks(1.5 -I think) for her time and worries .This was only time I ever heard of this. Quite a few times city or county would clean and replace carpet(in othe peoples homes) but they should have given her the 30 grand at first, it had to have been 3 or 4 feet deep in her house, it cost her appprox 20 grand to move back in and after she got the big check(5 or 6 yrs later) she moved away I wonder if the lawer got a third ? just guessing


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