People usually don’t pay too much attention to their building’s plumbing system until something goes wrong with it. Most often, the problem is serious and requires more than just a do-it-yourself fix—and can even be very expensive to mend. In fact, many people don’t seem to realize that plumbing maintenance can save them a lot of money particularly in insurance premium cost.
As S. Carl Morello writes on the role of the insurance agent as advisor and risk manager:
“The older a building, the more likely it is to have serious defects, particularly in critical building systems such as electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing. Older buildings generate more claims than younger properties, especially if they have not been well-maintained or if their building systems have not been updated.
This is why an insurer will ask a policyholder about the age of the original building, the age of renovations or additions and the age and condition of critical building systems… In the case of serious plumbing defects, failure-prone polybutylene piping for example, or when a major update is needed, say, an aging water heater, the insurer may request the upgrades as a condition of coverage.”
In the city of Austin, Texas, for example, this is a timely reminder for homeowners who may have older residences. Getting property insurance may be difficult and costly unless they can inspect and upgrade their Austin plumbing system. Fortunately, companies such as Pure Plumbing Service can address all their plumbing problems and requirements.
Some of the things that have to be considered include the kind of water supply piping installed in the structure—copper, galvanized, polybutylene or other materials? Next is to determine when they were installed, their current condition, and when, if ever, they were updated. This includes problems or failures in the system, including the presence of laundry facilities or water heaters.
There are many other plumbing issues enumerated in the article, but the important consideration is an effective maintenance program. The good news is: with the help of reliable Austin plumbing contractors, property owners can “reduce risk, increase safety and save money over the long term.” Even with older homes, a plumbing system will not be a hindrance to getting insurance coverage at an affordable price with proper maintenance.
(Info from Building Updates: Aging Plumbing Systems, published by the Insurance Journal, March 25, 2013)
