There's a new warranty program in Windsor to help homeowners cover the cost of expensive repairs to their service lines.
Service Line Warranties is offering Windsor residents a plan to cover the costs of repairs to the water and sewer lines that run under their property — lines that most people don't think twice about.
Homeowners are responsible to pay for repairs to the services lines, up to their property boundary.
Service Line Warranties General Manager Jeff Olson says the cost of repairs can run as high as $10,000 if there is a tree root in a pipe or a pipe collapse. The warranty can also cover frozen water lines.
It costs the homeowner five to ten dollars a month and there is no contract.
Olson says this would apply to certain homeowners.
"If you have an older home, obviously those older homes those are original pipes that you have in there, if you have large trees all over your property, if you just want to mitigate risk and you may be on a fixed income or are a senior."
Olson says there are no strings attached to the warranty and it is completely voluntary.
It has been operating in Ontario since 2014 and has processed over 6,000 claims with a less than 2% denial rate, mostly due to non-payment.
A postcard and letter will be going out to Windsor residents informing them of the warranty program within the next 30 days.