MARSHALLTOWN, IA (April XX, 2021) – Ten years ago, the city of Marshalltown, Iowa began a partnership with Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) that allowed residents to sign up for optional, affordable protection plans for the sewer lines that connect their homes to the city’s system. Since the launch in 2011, 1,900 homeowners in Marshalltown have signed up for one or more optional SLWA service plans. During this time, HomeServe-approved local plumbing contractors have completed 1,485 jobs for homeowners and saved Marshalltown homeowners over $1 million in expenses for needed repairs.
Many homeowners do not know that repairs to the service lines on their property are their responsibility until they are faced with a problem and, when they do, they are likely to call the city first. That leaves city staff with the unpleasant task of explaining those lines – and the cost to repair them – are a homeowner’s responsibility. These repairs can be costly, and the unexpected expense of repairing a service line can be a blow to a homeowner’s budget.
“While pipe materials are durable, they don’t last forever,” said Troy McGahuey, Marshalltown Sewer Superintendent. “A homeowner is solely responsible for footing the bill for repairs, and a lot of people don’t have that kind of money sitting in the bank, but they have to bite the bullet. If they don’t get it repaired, the city has to hire a company to repair it and then we have to levy assessments to the bill.”
To address the common challenge of aging infrastructure and homes, Marshalltown officials wanted to give residents the option of a sewer line warranty that shields against the inconvenience and unexpected financial shock of a repair. As part of the partnership, the voluntary program provides customers with access to a 24/7/365, U.S.-based repair hotline to dispatch local vetted, licensed and insured contractors to make the repairs. There are no deductibles and the program directly pays the contractor for the covered repairs up to the benefit amount.
“When a homeowner’s water line breaks or sewer line becomes blocked, it can be an overwhelming situation. Suddenly you’re looking at hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a problem you probably didn’t even know existed the day before,” explains Tom Rusin, CEO of SLWA parent HomeServe NA. “Our programs not only offer financial security and peace of mind, but also access to an excellent network of contractors who will do the best possible job. We’re proud to have supported our customers in Marshalltown for a decade now, and we look forward to many more years to come.”
Recently, Marshalltown resident Linda C. had a problem with the sewer line connecting her home to the city’s system and had one of the service plans available through the Marshalltown program. One of SLWA’s licensed and approved contractors came to Linda’s aid, who commented on her overall experience, “Excellent. Great people to work with during a stressful time. Strongly recommending this company. I never thought I would need them but was glad I had them when I did need them.”
Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) is part of HomeServe USA Corp (HomeServe), a leading provider of home repair solutions serving over 4.5 million customers across the US and Canada. Founded in 2003, SLWA is the trusted source of utility line protection programs endorsed by the National League of Cities. Together with HomeServe, SLWA is dedicated to supplying best-in-class repair plans and delivering superior customer service to consumers through over 1,000 leading city, municipal and utility partners. Homeowners with questions or who wish to receive more information about SLWA or the plans available to Marshalltown residents can call 866-922-9006 or visit www.slwofa.com.
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SLWA MEDIA CONTACT:
Myles Meehan Claire Deneen
HomeServe USA Hill+Knowlton Strategies for HomeServe USA
Phone: 203-356-4259 Phone: 312-255-3134
Email: Myles.Meehan@homeserveusa.com Email: homeserve@hkstrategies.com
Any inquiries to the validity of this program or general questions may be directed to the Marshalltown Sewer Division at (641) 754-5749.