Do you have sewer backup rider on your homeowners policy?

[isisdave]

There are four other approaches to the washer hose problem:

1. Shut the valves off before you go.

2. Replace the hoses every 5 years, even if they look fine. My last one "broke" right at the faucet ferrule. Basically, the hose comes off the faucet horizontally, and its own weight tugs it downward, so the split will be at the top of the hose, right where the brass coupling ends.

3. Buy the expensive armored hose set, and trust they'll last the 20 or so years they're supposed to.

4. Install a whole-house shutoff valve where your water enters the house, and put it on your "leaving for vacation" checklist. Get this kind, which operates instantly by turning 90 degrees --- not a gate valve you have to twirl for 30 seconds. If you're leaving for more than a week, also turn off your water heater as it will probably run dry with the house water shut off.

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My homeowner's insurance is through the Auto Club of S. Cal and it specifically does not cover this hazard, and there is no rider for it. So I'm shopping.

Regarding check valves: the idea is they permit flow only one way, but there are a couple of problems. First, they do restrict the flow in the normal direction, so it is possible that you might get a blockage if something substantially smaller than the pipe goes down the drain. Also, if you have trees along the sewer line, roots can get in and infiltrate the line, and if they go through the valve they will essentially prevent it from closing and doing its job. So keep those things in mind, and install the valve somewhere you can get at it to clean it ... not under your new driveway.

 

[pjrose]

I called the insurance company today about coverage for our water damage in the finished basement (post 8 above). We don't have flood insurance, and it wasn't available because we don't live in a flood plain (we're up on a hill....well they call it a mountain here, but I used to live in Colorado, so to me it's a hill LOL).

We're just going to have to go with the shop vac and dehumidifier route suggested above by NWL, and fortunately we have a really good handyman who will do it for us.

I asked about the sewer rider for our policy and was told it isn't available for our current (25 year old) policy - it could be added to a new more expensive one. The rider is about $150 for $10K coverage on top of however-much-more the new policy would be.

I like the idea of the check valve / backflow protector.

 

[Kagehitokiri2]

If you are subjected to a sewage flood, the time that you are kept away from home is measured in weeks and months rather than days.

i was only saying i personally am going to explore upgrading/replacing entire insurance portfolio. (each component, and adding umbrella etc.) i have no idea what the incremental cost is like.

from article i linked >

The renovation had run to several millions of dollars...The family spent months at the Hotel Bel-Air and then in a nearby luxury apartment while their condemned home was rebuilt. Howard’s customized homeowner’s insurance policy, which covered the costs of repairing his home and his temporary living expenses

this is part of why i personally see it as semi-related to OP >

I just spoke with State Farm. It's not that great a deal, but it's still worth getting. $70/year. $10k max benefit, $1k deductible. Covers structural damage only, not contents. No option to raise the limit.

Now, just as an aside, I find this curious and I'm going to ask further. The guy who did our estimate said that State Farm was really good to deal with, and that they usually put in claims of $15-20k including replacing contents. Our contact at the agency might have been underinformed.

 

[Elan]

There are four other approaches to the washer hose problem:

1. Shut the valves off before you go.

2. Replace the hoses every 5 years, even if they look fine. My last one "broke" right at the faucet ferrule. Basically, the hose comes off the faucet horizontally, and its own weight tugs it downward, so the split will be at the top of the hose, right where the brass coupling ends.

3. Buy the expensive armored hose set, and trust they'll last the 20 or so years they're supposed to.

4. Install a whole-house shutoff valve where your water enters the house, and put it on your "leaving for vacation" checklist. Get this kind, which operates instantly by turning 90 degrees --- not a gate valve you have to twirl for 30 seconds. If you're leaving for more than a week, also turn off your water heater as it will probably run dry with the house water shut off.

I have the braided steel washer hoses, but after reading how many folks had their ice maker connection spring a leak while on vacation, I've now opted to shut off the water at the main when I leave. I had my main shut-off valve placed right at the
opening of a crawl space access in out MBR closet. Takes about 15 seconds to lift the cover, turn off the water, and replace the cover.