Who is Responsible for Storm Pipe Maintenance in an HOA?
As a homeowner, I’d like to know that I have adequate resources (reserve funding, insurance, etc.) to cover anything that could happen to my home or my property. But what I do know…is that private stormwater pipe systems are usually the responsibility of the HOA…and that storm pipe is a shared common element. That means that regardless of the location (or address) of the defective area and regardless of the magnitude of the resulting damages…in an HOA, I’d be responsible for my fair share. Some municipal utilities might retain responsibility for the entire stormwater network, but most probably do not. Check with your local sanitary sewer utility management and find out for sure.
And while there are in some places, supplemental policies that can be purchased for sink hole damage…this coverage might not cover sinkholes caused by damaged or broken pipe, which should have been maintained by the owner of the system. Be informed. Contact your insurance agent and find out exactly what coverage you have.
We’re going to use our News Blog to offer guidance and point you to a variety of possible sources for the purposes of saving money. We’re also going to continue to encourage HOA’s and property management companies to go ahead and have a professional inspection done. Early detection definitely pays off in this area. Repairs can be made, without digging, that can prevent future collapses. Collapses mean “replacement”…and that means digging trenches. It can also mean replacing or repairing assets above the ground that may have been compromised because of the collapse.
Let’s recap some very important points here:
- HOA’s and their members are usually responsible for the maintenance and repair of it’s stormwater pipe system.
- Insurance companies typically do not cover damage related to the stormwater pipe system.
- Waiting for a pipe to fully deteriorate before addressing the problem can lead to expensive replacement of the pipe, the soil and turf, and any assets damaged above the ground.
If you’re not at least curious to know how stable your underground pipe network is…then download our brochure and I think you’ll begin to understand why you should schedule an inspection right now.
Fully Deteriorated Corrugated Metal Pipe (CMP)