Plumbing Poses a Problem for Wichita Homeowner

Tony R. of Wichita had grown up in his grandparents’ home on Waco Avenue. He returned to the home that had been in his family since 1942 when it came into his possession.

An Old Home and a New Problem

That was when he noticed the plumbing problems: low pressure and some parts of the house had no water. Hot water was only available from certain faucets. But Tony had another problem: he didn’t have the funds for the extensive repairs.

“The plumbing was done back in the ‘40s, and it’s worn out,” Tony said.

The entire home needed to be re-piped, and the water service line needed to be replaced. Many homeowners are not aware that they are responsible for their water, sewer and electrical service lines. They believe that those service lines are the responsibility of their utility or municipality. Many are surprised and displeased to find out otherwise.

Tony didn’t have the funds to replace the piping, so he had to live with low flow and no water in parts of the house.

Working with Bowers Plumbing, he began to replace items piecemeal, such as the water heater, as he could afford them.

A Trusted Source

“I’ve been using Bowers since I moved back to the house,” he said of the company that’s been operating in Wichita since 1955. “They have done everything for me. I haven’t gone to any other plumber in Wichita. They’re experienced plumbers – top of the line. Everyone who works for them is very experienced and knows their job.”

The family-owned company has been serving the Wichita community for several generations, providing plumbing solutions to Wichitans. Bowers is dedicated to providing quality craftsmanship and customer service. Their longevity reflects the community’s appreciation, since Bowers has been in business for more than 60 years. Bowers is dedicated to giving back and helping out some of Wichita’s most vulnerable residents.

A Partnership That Works

One of the ways they are able to do this is as a network contractor for Utility Service Partners, a HomeServe company. Bowers performs service line and interior plumbing repair work for those who have a repair plan with the company. Utility Service Partners and HomeServe take corporate citizenship seriously, so they maintain a charitable arm, the HomeServe CaresFoundation, providing plumbing and electrical solutions at no cost to qualifying homeowners.

“It was so satisfying to help [Tony] out, because it was something I really wanted to do,” said Kendall Cooper, General Manager, Bowers Plumbing. “We seek to give back to the community as we can.”

That sense of corporate responsibility is why Bowers Plumbing has been a network contractor – one of the first to sign on in Wichita – for more than a decade, providing that same top-of-the-line service. Network contractors and their employees must pass background checks and drug tests and maintain a high customer satisfaction score and an A rating with the Better Business Bureau.

“We’re there to serve the customer’s best interests,” Kendall said. “In my opinion, they’re the best to work with. They treat their customers and their contractors well, and, in my experience, that’s rare to find in a warranty company.”

Plumbing a Problem for Many

In Tony’s home, the plumbing was so old, it was made of galvanized steel, which is prone to corrosion, causing clogging and low flow – exactly the problem Tony encountered. This issue is most frequently encountered in pipes carrying hot water, as Tony found out.

Galvanized steel plumbing was popular in the ‘50s, but not so much anymore – many insurance companies require higher rates to insure homes with such plumbing. Some may refuse to insure it at all.

The expected lifetime of home plumbing is 40 to 70 years, but some homeowners are unaware of the age or type of plumbing in their home. One-third of homeowners have less than $500 set aside for a home repair emergency, and nearly 20 percent have nothing set aside at all.

Utility Service Partners administers the National League of Cities (NLC) Service Line Warranty Program, which protects homeowners from unexpected water and sewer service line repairs.

NLC Service Line Warranty Program partners with municipalities to educate homeowners and offer affordable protection against potentially costly service line repairs. The Program uses a network of local plumbers who have gone through background and drug screenings. The Program’s 500-seat call center is staffed 24/7/365 to answer claims calls and dispatch contractors to address homeowners’ emergencies. The Program is provided at no cost to cities, and partner cities can receive royalties based on participation. For more information, contact us.