Florida Cast Iron Pipe Lawsuits Help Homeowners Collect Almost Three Times More Than Insurance Companies Want To Provide!

AVOID Excavation through the slab to replace cast iron drains. Trenchless sewer drain replacement lasts 50+ years (305) 946-9626

Rusted cast iron drains before trenchless pipe lining

The original problem – corroded cast iron pipes

Nearly 40% of all Florida homes were built before 1975. This means they have cast iron drain pipes underneath the slab that have been corroding for 50-60 years. Most of the corrosion occurs at the bottom of the pipe where it gets wet most frequently, which means the pipe gets thinner and thinner until a crack forms, exposing soil and roots to the inside of the pipe.

This cracked pipe has a serrated edge which traps debris and allows roots to grow into the pipes in search of water. These roots also trap debris which ultimately causes repeated backups and a terrible sewer smell, as bacterial and cockroach infestations.

Ultimately the homeowner has a sewer video scope performed just to get the bad news that all the cast iron pipes need to be replaced by excavation through the concrete slab, after which the homeowner has to replace all their tile Etc. This process takes two to three months and in Florida costs about $50,000 for a 2,000-square-foot house.

Are pipe lawsuits legitimate? What do insurance companies cover? Do you have a claim?

This cast iron pipe replacement problem has become an abundant source of cases for lawsuits against insurance companies that refuse to cover much, if any, of the expense of pipe replacement. Also, the insurance companies are slowly but surely removing the language in their policies that would include the pipe replacement contingency. Currently, most insurance companies won’t cover it, and those that do, will cover only up to $10,000. Other insurance companies will pay for the concrete excavation, but not the pipe replacement, and not the surface repair of the floor.

Of those insurance companies that do cover it, they try to deny the claims or they send out their own so-called “Professional Engineers” and plumbers, who more often than not, blame the cause of the problem on something else like improper rainwater drainage.

There are a few law firms, like Morgan & Morgan, that specialize in these cases and have been extremely successful in recovering up to three times what the insurance company wants to initially payout. In Florida, if the insurance companies contribute any payment towards this pipe replacement, it is usually a little under $10,000. The average cast iron pipe replacement lawsuit settlement runs around $28,000 in Florida. Keep in mind that a 2,000-square-foot home has about a hundred linear feet of cast iron pipe under the slab, which in Florida costs about $50,000 to replace. So even if you win the lawsuit, you are still underwater to some degree. Not to mention that you have to put your furniture in storage and live somewhere else for those 3 months.

Should you get a public adjuster?

Broken cast iron drains before pipe lining in Miami

Broken cast iron drains before pipe lining in Miami

The answer is, absolutely! They are definitely worth the money given that the stakes are so large. The bigger the claim the more proficient insurance companies are at finding ways to deny claims. The public adjusters a truly a blessing in this industry. They will gather all the information regarding damages and will recommend a sewer scope inspection, that will reveal the conditions of the cast iron pipes. The public adjuster will be able to technically describe the problems to the insurance company. MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY OF THE VIDEO RECORDING, OR AT LEAST SCREENSHOTS (use your phone if needed!).

The average layman has no idea what they’re looking at when examining the Sewer Scope results. Insurance companies absolutely do, and they will find ways to pass the blame on to somebody or something else. So the experience of the public adjuster is absolutely essential for this type of claim. We highly recommend, however, that when choosing a public adjuster, that you inquire whether they have had any experience with cast iron pipe claims.

If your insurance company won’t cover the $50K repair, “pipe lining” is the next best option!

This 50-year warranty pipe lining stops backups permanently

In either case, whether the insurance company pays your claim, you win a lawsuit, or you obtain no money at all, you really need to know about trenchless pipe lining. It is also known as cured-in-place pipe lining. This technology has been around since 1998 and essentially installs a new lining inside of the old cast iron pipes. The new inner lining is a rock-hard, load-bearing pipe by itself, and it does not need the old cast iron pipe for any support. It comes with a 50-year warranty, which is transferable to a new homeowner in the event that the home sells, or is in the process of being sold.

 

Must Watch! The 2 Common Technologies Used As Of 2023

Benefits Of Trenchless Pipe Lining

    • No excavation required – compare pipe lining vs pipe replacement
    • Less expensive – pipe relining costs about 50%-70% less than excavation
    • Save your floor surface – it’s usually impossible to find matching floor terrazzo, marble, or tile that was installed decades ago
    • Clean, No sewer bacteria in your home – since the drain is not being cut into pieces inside your residence, there is no need to sanitize the property afterward
    • Stay in your residence – pipe relining is done from outside, so you can stay in your home
    • Speed – pipe lining takes 2-3 days for homes, not 2 months as for pipe replacement by excavation

5 Steps Of Pipe Lining Installation

The lining consists of a polyester fabric that is saturated with epoxy resin that becomes rock-hard inside the pipe after a few hours. During those hours a temporary balloon is inflated inside the lining to hold the fabric against the wall of the host pipe while it hardens. Complete installation takes about 4 hours, after which the plumbing can be used immediately.

Trenchless pipe lining costs about 50% or less of what excavation would cost. For example, the 2,000-square-foot house mentioned above would cost about $50,000 to excavate and replace the pipe and will take two to three months to complete. To re-line all the cast iron pipes under the same house would cost about $20,000, and take about three days.

Useful cast iron pipe lawsuit and insurance coverage sites:

https://www.classaction.com/cast-iron-pipes/lawsuit/

https://totalcarerestoration.com/cast-iron-pipes

https://www.forthepeople.com/class-action-lawyers/cast-iron-pipes-lawsuit/

 

3-Our Trenchless Pipe Lining As Featured on “Designing Spaces” On TV

 

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