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Quick Home Repairs When You Need It

You know how it is with neighbors. The guy next door to me complains non stop about my family making "too much noise." Look, our homes are connected, so what does he expect?

At least once a week, this guy knocks on our door complaining about some rattling noise he's supposedly hearing. "It's gotta be your kids playing or something. I hear it all hours of the night, and I'm sick of it. Keep it down."

I swear he's just one of those people who loves to complain. I have no idea what noise he's talking about, except for the odd creaky rattles coming from our pipes. But these are old houses — what does he expect?

I'm tired of this dude. It's gotten so bad that he's even called the cops on us. Sure, my kids like to play, but they aren't making any type of noise like he's allegedly hearing. I have great relationships with all of my other neighbors, so I know he's the problem.

Staying at home more over the last year did not help matters. You'd think he would cut us a little bit of slack, considering our house has turned into both an office and a school. But no, he's gotten even worse.

My wife has tried to talk me down, but I'm ready to hash it out with this guy once and for all. A few weeks ago, he knocked on our door complaining about the creaking noise yet again. This time, I'd had it.

I started yelling at him to get off our property, calling him crazy and saying the noises must be in his head. As we were embroiled in a screaming match on my lawn, my wife came running down the stairs yelling that one of our pipes in the attic had burst and that there was water flooding our entire second floor.

My neighbor looked at me with the smuggest look on his face, and suddenly it dawned on me — was this the noise he was referring to? I walked away and went inside to assess the damage. It was bad, and we needed help fast.

I wanted to wipe the smug look off his face, but I had to take care of this problem. I called HomeServe, our trusted water line home warranty provider. With a water line home warranty plan from HomeServe, you have access to a 24/7 repair hotline to take your call and schedule an appointment to get you the help you need. They will send a licensed technician right to your doorstep to handle your covered repair. So, they can handle my repair while I finish that screaming match with my neighbor...

Plans from HomeServe cover major home systems starting as low as $7.99 a month. They sent over a plumber right away who fixed the pipe and identified others that he thought needed repair. Having a plan from HomeServe has always given me peace of mind, but how quickly they were able to have someone on the scene was impressive. And the plumber did an awesome job.

"These things are ancient. Hasn't the noise been driving you nuts?" he said. My wife and I both looked at each other … This is what he had been talking about.

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HomeServe Is Here To Give You Peace Of Mind About Repairs Around The House

When my husband and I were looking to purchase our first home, we fell in love with one that was built in the 80s. It was in a great school district, had a room that would be my painting studio, and it was a super short drive away from Main Street with our city's bustling arts scene. I was concerned that a home of that age was going to need repairs soon after we moved in. The realtor assured us that it wouldn't be a problem. And to help calm my nerves, she suggested we get a home warranty plan. If something went wrong with our appliances, plumbing, electricity, or HVAC, having a plan would allow us to just call the home warranty company and a technician would be sent to fix the covered repair. Sounded easy, but I was skeptical. But my husband did the research and said there were legit and reputable services out there. We ended up getting a plan from TotalHome Warranty by HomeServe. Thank god we did.

I'll admit it: I have a nervous disposition and, sometimes, if something goes wrong I end up feeling nervous, really fast. So, one morning, I noticed water pooling around the downstairs toilet, I sadly told my husband, " This is it. I knew this old house was too good to be true!" Calmly, he said "We have a home warranty plan. Call HomeServe." A plumber came over after work. He said the pipes leading up to the toilette might need to be replaced, and that he wouldn't know how big the job would be until he got a look under the bathroom floor. I trembled. My biggest fear was about to come true: I was going to repeat the experience of living in Brooklyn in my early 20s when I had to deal with an unreliable superintendent because he was my landlord's "guy."

HomeServe says they use trusted technicians and contractors that will take care of a job. On their website, HomeServe even guarantees that any covered repairs will be good for one year.

But what I feared was that being "in" a network meant that bad contractors would stick around forever because they were "trusted", exactly like my landlord's guy was, and that they'd milk the repairs, stretching them out for months on end.

With trepidation, I called and scheduled the repair. I chose to work from home, so I heard everything that was going on: the bathroom floor getting pulled up, the pipes coming out… it was a lot of noise! My worries were getting the best of me, so I had to ask the repair guy, "How bad is it?" But turns out, it wasn't bad at all! It was only the pipe directly connected to the toilet. He was able to replace it. It was covered by the home warranty plan, which turned out to be a really good thing.

For months our old house kept showing its age, but with a TotalHome Warranty plan from HomeServe, we were taken care of. When the heat went out in the middle of the night, we just called the 24/7 repair hotline and it got fixed. That small monthly payment ended up saving us money and kept our old home in good shape. We still have a plan from TotalHome Warranty by HomeServe to this day, and I'm grateful that they employ reliable contractors who I love to call "our guy"!

Thanks HomeServe.

Update: Follow this link and get 50% Off your enrollment today!

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HomeServe Is Here To Give You Peace Of Mind About Repairs Around The House

When my husband and I were looking to purchase our first home, we fell in love with one that was built in the 80s. It was in a great school district, had a room that would be my painting studio, and it was a super short drive away from Main Street with our city's bustling arts scene. I was concerned that a home of that age was going to need repairs soon after we moved in. The realtor assured us that it wouldn't be a problem. And to help calm my nerves, she suggested we get a home warranty plan. If something went wrong with our appliances, plumbing, electricity, or HVAC, having a plan would allow us to just call the home warranty company and a technician would be sent to fix the covered repair. Sounded easy, but I was skeptical. But my husband did the research and said there were legit and reputable services out there. We ended up getting a plan from TotalHome Warranty by HomeServe. Thank god we did.

I'll admit it: I have a nervous disposition and, sometimes, if something goes wrong I end up feeling nervous, really fast. So, one morning, I noticed water pooling around the downstairs toilet, I sadly told my husband, " This is it. I knew this old house was too good to be true!" Calmly, he said "We have a home warranty plan. Call HomeServe." A plumber came over after work. He said the pipes leading up to the toilette might need to be replaced, and that he wouldn't know how big the job would be until he got a look under the bathroom floor. I trembled. My biggest fear was about to come true: I was going to repeat the experience of living in Brooklyn in my early 20s when I had to deal with an unreliable superintendent because he was my landlord's "guy."

HomeServe says they use trusted technicians and contractors that will take care of a job. On their website, HomeServe even guarantees that any covered repairs will be good for one year.

But what I feared was that being "in" a network meant that bad contractors would stick around forever because they were "trusted", exactly like my landlord's guy was, and that they'd milk the repairs, stretching them out for months on end.

With trepidation, I called and scheduled the repair. I chose to work from home, so I heard everything that was going on: the bathroom floor getting pulled up, the pipes coming out… it was a lot of noise! My worries were getting the best of me, so I had to ask the repair guy, "How bad is it?" But turns out, it wasn't bad at all! It was only the pipe directly connected to the toilet. He was able to replace it. It was covered by the home warranty plan, which turned out to be a really good thing.

For months our old house kept showing its age, but with a TotalHome Warranty plan from HomeServe, we were taken care of. When the heat went out in the middle of the night, we just called the 24/7 repair hotline and it got fixed. That small monthly payment ended up saving us money and kept our old home in good shape. We still have a plan from TotalHome Warranty by HomeServe to this day, and I'm grateful that they employ reliable contractors who I love to call "our guy"!

Thanks HomeServe.

Update: Follow this link or call 1-888-671-4257 to enroll in TotalHome Warranty today.

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Why Millennial Homeowners Love HomeServe

The best way to protect your home from the unexpected

I'll share one of my biggest fears. It might seem irrational, but I lay awake each night, hoping that I won't turn into my parents. (Though most people who know my parents, Jeff and Claire, love them and tell me on the daily that I'd be lucky to end up like them.)

But here's the deal. When my parents were my current age (29), they were already married, owned a home, and had a little one on the way (me.) They didn't travel, or eat meals out at nice, farm-to-table restaurants, or spend money on expensive cars and clothes (yep, guilty as charged.) They weren't living in an expensive apartment, with 2 roommates (though l am looking to move), working 60+ hours a week at a tech startup (again looking to move). And while the thought of becoming an adult, owning a home, and all the responsibility that comes with it is scary, I'll admit that with each passing year of my life, I am starting to surrender to the idea and thinking it might not be so bad.

So when my boyfriend of 6 years recently suggested we buy a small home together, I'll admit I panicked a bit. "No, I'll for sure turn into Jeff and Claire," I exclaimed. But as we started looking at these cute Cape Cod style-homes, with white picket fences and little grassy yards for my baby (aka my yellow lab Delilah) to run around in, I thought maybe becoming like Jeff and Claire wouldn't be so bad. So I started thinking seriously about taking my hard-earned cash, pooling it with my BF's money, putting down roots in a little suburban town, and purchasing the most expensive thing I'll probably ever own.

What happened next was a huge "adulting" realization. The costs of moving in, closing costs, mortgage payments, buying homeowner's insurance were all completely overwhelming. My parents were helpful. Letting me borrow money for the closing costs and helping give us advice on the reality of homeownership. The best piece of advice they gave us? That most basic homeowner's insurance doesn't cover everything that goes wrong in your home. My dad told me that you can end up spending a lot of money out of pocket to repair a system in your home if something happens just from normal wear and tear.

Like, did you know that, in most cases, homeowners are responsible for the sewer and water lines leading to the home? Well, according to my dad - it's a fact. You can look it up. If there's a problem with those lines, I, as the homeowner, am gonna have to pay for it. Yet another bill and expense! UGH!

So one night, my BF and I were watching Design on a Dime on HGTV and saw an ad talking about a company calledHomeServe. HomeServe has been around for over 15 years and offers home repair plans that help you deal with the costs associated with unexpected home repairs from normal wear and tear that aren't covered by typical basic homeowner's insurance. Which is good because I did some research: it turns out that problems that usually happen due to wear and tear around the home are not covered by my basic homeowners' insurance.

My BF and I started to Google home repair plans. We found out that HomeServe offers coverage for the repair or replacement of important home systems and can help you deal with these common home repair issues like heating and cooling system failures, burst water pipes and plumbing line issues, and some electrical equipment problems.

A plan fromHomeServeis relatively inexpensive – you can get a plan for less than your monthly Starbucks habit. And since you'll be prepared before things go wrong, you can avoid home repair headaches down the line.

And HomeServe is there to help. My dad's friend had a plan from HomeServe and told us at Jeff and Claire's annual BBQ that HomeServe is crazy committed to customer service. When you have a plan in place, and something covered on your plan goes wrong, HomeServe finds a technician for you. You simply call the HomeServe 24-hour repair hotline.

So I now have a home with a white picket fence and a plan from HomeServe. And if something on my plan should go wrong, I won't hesitate to call them to get the problem fixed.

My latest fear? I looked in the mirror the other day and saw a few first grey hairs popping up. Looks like I am really am turning into my parents.

Fear not when you're prepared with a plan from HomeServe. Learn more.

home warranty
SPONSORED

Why Millennial Homeowners Love HomeServe

The best way to protect your home from the unexpected

I'll share one of my biggest fears. It might seem irrational, but I lay awake each night, hoping that I won't turn into my parents. (Though most people who know my parents, Jeff and Claire, love them and tell me on the daily that I'd be lucky to end up like them.)

But here's the deal. When my parents were my current age (29), they were already married, owned a home, and had a little one on the way (me.) They didn't travel, or eat meals out at nice, farm-to-table restaurants, or spend money on expensive cars and clothes (yep, guilty as charged.) They weren't living in an expensive apartment, with 2 roommates (though l am looking to move), working 60+ hours a week at a tech startup (again looking to move). And while the thought of becoming an adult, owning a home, and all the responsibility that comes with it is scary, I'll admit that with each passing year of my life, I am starting to surrender to the idea and thinking it might not be so bad.

So when my boyfriend of 6 years recently suggested we buy a small home together, I'll admit I panicked a bit. "No, I'll for sure turn into Jeff and Claire," I exclaimed. But as we started looking at these cute Cape Cod style-homes, with white picket fences and little grassy yards for my baby (aka my yellow lab Delilah) to run around in, I thought maybe becoming like Jeff and Claire wouldn't be so bad. So I started thinking seriously about taking my hard-earned cash, pooling it with my BF's money, putting down roots in a little suburban town, and purchasing the most expensive thing I'll probably ever own.

What happened next was a huge "adulting" realization. The costs of moving in, closing costs, mortgage payments, buying homeowner's insurance were all completely overwhelming. My parents were helpful. Letting me borrow money for the closing costs and helping give us advice on the reality of homeownership. The best piece of advice they gave us? That most basic homeowner's insurance doesn't cover everything that goes wrong in your home. My dad told me that you can end up spending a lot of money out of pocket to repair a system in your home if something happens just from normal wear and tear.

Like, did you know that, in most cases, homeowners are responsible for the sewer and water lines leading to the home? Well, according to my dad - it's a fact. You can look it up. If there's a problem with those lines, I, as the homeowner, am gonna have to pay for it. Yet another bill and expense! UGH!

So one night, my BF and I were watching Design on a Dime on HGTV and saw an ad talking about a company calledHomeServe. HomeServe has been around for over 15 years and offers home repair plans that help you deal with the costs associated with unexpected home repairs from normal wear and tear that aren't covered by typical basic homeowner's insurance. Which is good because I did some research: it turns out that problems that usually happen due to wear and tear around the home are not covered by my basic homeowners' insurance.

My BF and I started to Google home repair plans. We found out that HomeServe offers coverage for the repair or replacement of important home systems and can help you deal with these common home repair issues like heating and cooling system failures, burst water pipes and plumbing line issues, and some electrical equipment problems.

A plan fromHomeServeis relatively inexpensive – you can get a plan for less than your monthly Starbucks habit. And since you'll be prepared before things go wrong, you can avoid home repair headaches down the line.

And HomeServe is there to help. My dad's friend had a plan from HomeServe and told us at Jeff and Claire's annual BBQ that HomeServe is crazy committed to customer service. When you have a plan in place, and something covered on your plan goes wrong, HomeServe finds a technician for you. You simply call the HomeServe 24-hour repair hotline.

So I now have a home with a white picket fence and a plan from HomeServe. And if something on my plan should go wrong, I won't hesitate to call them to get the problem fixed.

My latest fear? I looked in the mirror the other day and saw a few first grey hairs popping up. Looks like I am really am turning into my parents.

Fear not when you're prepared with a plan from HomeServe. Learn more.

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Don't Rely On Luck, Rely On HomeServe

No one likes dealing with the hassles and messes of homeownership. Especially issues with your plumbing system.

Overflowing toilets. Sink clogs. These aren't issues most homeowners like to talk about, let alone deal with. But when something goes awry with the plumbing system in your home, you need to spring into action as soon as possible. So let me tell you a little story. One about how my indoor plumbing breakdowns surfaced and were addressed - and how having a home warranty plan in place from HomeServe was worth it as it helped me manage the costs.

Signs of the problem

As pointed out by The Spruce, the emergence of brownish or blackish wastewater from one or more drains - or the toilet - represents a pretty clear sign of problems with the pipes that connect your home to the local municipal sewer lines. Multiple plumbing fixtures backing up all at once is an even bigger red flag.

If the sight of disgusting brown/black water doesn't immediately alarm you, the odors that often accompanying the dark water definitely will. That's what happened with me - I first noticed it in the kitchen sink, while rinsing off some dishes. What should've been a routine chore quickly turned nasty and gross.

I followed the advice of SFGate Home Guides and set out looking for additional signs of clogs in the plumbing. Unfortunately, this isn't quite as easy with pipes that are connected to a city or town sewer system, as opposed to a septic tank, where you can check the inlet and outlet baffles yourself. So I operated on the assumption that tree roots problem were to blame, as they frequently are in sewer clogs, and carefully deployed some organic drain cleaner - metam sodium herbicide, in this case. I figured that the problem was solved, but was wrong.

When the toilet stopped working altogether, I had a local plumber come look at it, and while the cleaner I'd used wasn't responsible, some portions of the pipe network were breaking down and needed to be replaced.

HomeServe to the rescue

My first instinct was to be frustrated at the situation, but I quickly had to turn my attention to the prospect of affording this plumbing work out of pocket. Yikes.

As always, it was my wife to the rescue. Five years ago when we first bought the house, she'd discovered HomeServe home repair plans. And just last winter (prior to the beginning of this nightmare,) we had purchased a TotalHome Warranty Systems Plan. Flash-forward to the septic troubles and me bemoaning the forthcoming repair bill. She said, "Wow, you totally forgot we bought that HomeServe plan, huh?" Indeed I had.

The Interior Plumbing portion of the Systems Plan includes coverage for a broad spectrum of leaks, clogs, sump-pump problems and other issues common to the pipes connecting your home's drains to the local sewer. We called HomeServe to file our claim, and they sent a licensed plumber out to take a look. Because everything that turned out to be wrong fell under the plan's stipulations, we were covered. No bill. (Though I was out the money I'd spent having someone come out to check the plumbing before my wife reminded me that we had a TotalHome Warranty plan.)

So, long story short. It can be stressful dealing with home maintenance, and even more so when repairs are necessary. But when you're prepared with a plan, they don't have to be a financial catastrophe.

Click here to learn more about how TotalHome Warranty and other plans from HomeServe can help with the costs of covered repairs.

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