homeowner safety valve company reviews for sale

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Avoid the headache, hassle and costly repair bills caused by a water or sewer emergency on your property, or an in-home plumbing problem. A single call to Safety Valve takes care of it all.

New to Safety Valve? Enter your address below to check eligibility. Already a customer? Log in to manage your account. You must register first if you haven"t done so.

As a homeowner, you are responsible for the water line from your home to the street. Over time, your water line will start to crack, deteriorate, or clog. To protect yourself from a costly replacement process, get a water line protection plan from Safety Valve. If something goes wrong while you have a plan, all you have to do is call us, and we will take care of the repairs! Learn more about our plans by calling 1-800-719-1613 or visit our website at

Weeks ago, Aquarion Water Company must have come a’calling—and since I am visitor-proof, they left an urgent notice on our doorknob. By the way, nothing says *urgent* like a white luggage tag on the front door. I was instructed to contact the company immediately regarding a water leak on our property.

Aquarion refused to be ignored, sending a big white van to pay me a visit. They really stepped it up from the white door tag. This time, the dog alerted me to the vehicular presence in the driveway, and that is where I met my fate. I perp-walked out to the technician feeling rather guilty. After a boots-on-the-ground consultation, I was asked a question that no one in New Canaan is prepared to answer in the affirmative: Do you have water line safety valve insurance?

Ummm, no. You mean those silly letters that I throw away every month and say, “Ha, what sucker buys safety valve insurance?” It was made very clear why the insurance is worth the investment and it was painful. All of the sudden, I had become the New Canaan version of Diane Keaton’s character from “Baby Boom,” and was quite literally, drowning in homeownership hell.

That said, I was quoted up to $10,000 if my leak hide-and-seek project was major. This was not what I had bargained for when I threw away all of those safety valve insurance mailers.

HAMPTON — Several hundred customers of Aquarion Water Company have signed up with Aquarion Services Company, a water company subsidiary, in an insurance program that would pay for repairs to individual water lines on homeowners? property.

The brochure encouraged people to contact their own insurance company, and McNerney noted that his homeowner"s insurance policy covers only part of any such repair work that might need to be addressed.

Michael McNerney"s wife, Lisa, said the issue is about education. "A lot of people don"t realize that the water company"s responsibility goes only to the property line. We didn"t know that," Mrs. McNerney said.

Under the program, all work done must be completed by a company referred contractor. Roberts said that is because the company wants to monitor the work carefully in order to keep insurance premiums down, and so the company has some control over the process.

Roberts said the insurance program "fills the gap between the curb valve where the water company"s responsibility ends and the property owner"s responsibility begins."

Brian Goetz, operations manager at Aquarion Water Company of New Hampshire, based in North Hampton, said he is aware of the program, but it is not run by the local company. "It provides some coverage over pipes that might be cracked by a deep freeze, settling, age, wear and tear ... it"s voluntary insurance," Goetz said.

A spokesperson at the state Public Utilities Commission said she was not aware of any complaints received at the PUC about the water company. PUC Executive Director Deborah Howland said that Aquarion Services Company does not fall under the PUC"s authority.

Aquarion Services Company is a division of Aquarion Water Company of Bridgeport, Conn. , which owns the local water distributor. ASC is based in Bridgeport, Conn.

The Warwick Sewer Authority (WSA) strongly encourages homeowners whose properties are connected to sewers to contact the WSA at the first sign of trouble with their sewer system.  WSA inspectors are available to respond to a customer’s call and will investigate the nature of the problem.  If the problem can be traced to the public sewer collection system, WSA will make the necessary repairs and improvements to the system.  If it is determined that the public sewer system is functioning properly, WSA inspectors may be able to assist homeowners in addressing problems with their private service connection.

One of the fastest-growing insurers and a company with a 50-year history of protecting families, Mercury Insurance. They offer service line protection as an add-on to its home insurance policies. $10,000 of coverage is paired with an affordable $500 deductible to provide coverage for a broad range of service lines, including sewer lines.

This all depends on your provider, but sewer line coverage is often not built into a standard homeowners policy. Some providers do include it, though, and others offer it as an add-on or standalone policy. Some insurers may offer home warranties that include sewer line damage. Check out some of our favorite homeowners insurance policies below to see if they offer sewer line coverage as part of their available products.

Until we’re jolted to take notice, most of us forget that the water that flows through our homes and the wastewater that flows out spends time in the area between the street and the front of the house. If something goes wrong with those subterranean pipe systems, the homeowner, not the utility, is responsible. And unlike with leaks inside your home, your homeowners insurance won’t cover the expensive – on average, $2,500 per incident – repairs to water or sewer lines, plus the ensuing landscaping refresh, according to Myles Meehan, senior vice president of public relations at HomeServe USA, a service plan provider.

Every homeowner’s nightmare? You bet, and utility companies have come up with their own solution: They’ll sell you a service plan at a low monthly rate that will cover repairs to and damages from water and sewer lines. (Your utility might also offer plans for power surges, kitchen or laundry appliance failures, water heater replacement, heating and cooling system replacement and more.)

Dominion, the Richmond, Va.-based energy company that services a large part of the East Coast as well as two western states, sells a potpourri of home “warranty” programs, starting at a $1.99 per month. (Prices vary by state. In Virginia, where I live, Dominion charges homeowners $4.99 to $5.99 per month for water line replacement and $5.99 for sewer line repair). Why should homeowners bite?

Many other utilities in the U.S. outsource their insurance-warranty programs to large service providers. One is HomeServe USA, based in Norwalk, Conn., which is partnered with 400 cities, municipalities and utilities serving 2.8 million homeowners, says Meehan. Its service plans are on average $5 per month for water service line coverage and $8 to $10 a month for sewer line coverage.

Alas, sewer line policies may not take effect immediately. James Pecot of Chantilly, Va., noticed a neighbor’s lawn being dug up earlier this spring. The sewer line at that house was clogged and couldn’t be cleared. That’s when Pecot heard about the sewer line insurance being sold by Dominion. He called the company the next day and bought the sewer line warranty, which wouldn’t be effective for 30 days, he was told up front. A week later, the sewer line at the Pecot home failed.

“I called Dominion, and they indicated my coverage was not yet active and we were not covered,” says Pecot. A recommended sewer and plumbing company came out and fixed what turned out to be a cracked pipe that had tree roots growing through it (the plumber said the line could have been cracked 30 years ago, when it was installed). The cost for repairs: $4,700.

But some say homeowners are better off putting that $72 or so per year into a rainy-day fund to cover future unknowns – like when my water heater bit the dust this spring (and I didn’t have a water heater service plan from my utility).

You should also check your homeowners insurance. Most policies don’t automatically cover sewage and drain backups, which can cause expensive damage if water and sewage backs up into your house. It may cost just $50 to add about $10,000 in sewage backup coverage. But that’s for internal work – not for water or sewer line repair outside the home.

Ask about a service-line rider for your policy. Unlike with a service plan from your utility company, you will be able to use your own plumber for the repairs. Then again, you’ll be responsible for dealing with the plumber.

Just like others say, this is a s****** company. SIX times my home has been flooded because they refuse to fix the problem THEY identified...tree roots in a broken section of pipe. Their idea of fixing it is to snake the pipe out then make you wait until the flooding occurs. Then its same story as last time, you dont need the expensive fix just keep filling your house with stench and water. AVOID at all ..Read Full Review

Just like others say, this is a s****** company. SIX times my home has been flooded because they refuse to fix the problem THEY identified...tree roots in a broken section of pipe. Their idea of fixing it is to snake the pipe out then make you wait until the flooding occurs. Then its same story as last time, you dont need the expensive fix just keep filling your house with stench and water. AVOID at all cost. My next step is court. ..View less

They tried to send 2 out if state companies with 5 day lead time. My main sewer line was clogged and needed excavated for repair. I called my own plumber and got reimbursed $3800 of $7300 not including landscaping and concrete repair. Terrible continuity of phone personnel to manager/dispatchers. I got higher coverage through my homeowners policy and I can call my own contractors.

This company has some very serious issues in their billing department and apparently has taken no steps to correct them. Every monthly bill requires a painful phone call.

I appreciate all the help from SLW. After having back up sewage and a clogged line for years. It is a blessing not having that problem anymore. The plumbing company was prompt in coming out and they explained what was going on and what was needed. The company called back to make sure that the service was completed and Solid plumbing follow up also.

I"ve been with this company since the city of Arlington offered it to homeowners about 5 years ago. I have had NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS with their billing department. I"ve been billed odd amounts. My payments haven"t been posted properly, then they have had the nerve to suspend my services!! I"ve spent hours and hours and hours on the phone trying to get things straightened out and STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ..Read Full Review

I"ve been with this company since the city of Arlington offered it to homeowners about 5 years ago. I have had NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS with their billing department. I"ve been billed odd amounts. My payments haven"t been posted properly, then they have had the nerve to suspend my services!! I"ve spent hours and hours and hours on the phone trying to get things straightened out and STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS. Their excuses get tiresome. their coverage has been good the two times I"ve used them, but KNOW THAT IT IS AT THEIR CONVENIENCE to get help to you. Their contractors are low budget, slap a temporary fix on it kind of guys, and don"t fix things completely without having to call them back for a second or third trip. A total inconvenience to schedule and budget!!!!. overall, this company SUCKS. I"m in the process of taking my 5 homes away from them. ..View less

My father died and I only wanted to stop the auto pay. Holy Moly! I wasted an hour on the phone talking to complete and total idiots that can only read from a script. I was on the phone for over an hour and never once did anyone ask for documentation or offer any help. Instead what happened was that I was patronized and harassed and placed on hold for 10 to more mins at a time and jerking me around. I then got angry and contacted the BBB, WV attorney General and am fling fraud charges with my bank and changing my bank card. Today, I get a call from this company. I said you had your chance to do the right thing and you choose not to. I am taking action against this company. I can only imagine the hell I would have to go through if something actually happened. I have canceled the plan and will get my money back for the last payment.

I am writing reviews online all over the place to warn people about this terrible company - Unprofessional, patronizing and incapable of completing the most basic of tasks. ..View less

Over and over they send bill for premium that"s already been paid then YOU must take time to call them to make it right and their CS is not that great, this may be the last time I use them. The city of Tulsa should be ashamed to be associated with this clown company.

If i could give 0! They kept billing me an over due bill which I knew I had paid every month. Every time i called they apologized because they just got their new billing system. At one point I had to faxed them my bank statement to show that I had paid them for previous month. AVOID this company!

BGE Home Products and Services has served the central Maryland area for 26 years. It’s accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and currently has an A+ rating. The company is unique from many home warranty companies in that it offers bundled protection plans, as well as plans that cover individual appliances and systems, such as water heaters or dishwashers.

In this review, the This Old House Reviews Team will discuss the various protection plans offered by BGE, diving into the intricacies of each plan, coverage, cost, and policy features. Keep reading to determine if BGE is the best home warranty option for you.

Our team rated more than 50 home warranty companies and found that American Home Shield is the best on the market. Its extensive plan options, nationwide availability, and five decades of experience make it a worthwhile investment for homeowners.

Since 2012, BGE has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and currently has an A+ rating. They are very active and responsive on the consumer reviews site, resolving all complaints filed against them. As with many top-rated companies, BGE has both positive and negative customer reviews. Here are a few BBB reviews from BGE customers:

Though BGE Home is a top-rated home warranty company, there are home warranty companies that may be a better fit. Compare this company to two of our recommended picks.

The This Old House Reviews Team gives BGE Home Warranty an 8.1/10. Although the home warranty company offers a variety of plans to cover your appliances and systems, the plans are pricey for what they cover.

Our team rated more than 50 home warranty companies and found that American Home Shield is the best on the market. Its extensive plan options, nationwide availability, and five decades of experience make it a worthwhile investment for homeowners.

It’s recommended that you buy a home warranty even if you have homeowners insurance to cover repairs and replacements on major systems and appliances. Homeowners insurance only covers structural damage to your house from fire, natural disasters, or theft.

The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our home warranty ratings and recommendations with adetailed rating methodologyto objectively score each provider. We conduct research by speaking with company representatives, requesting quotes, analyzing sample contracts from each company, and conducting focus groups and consumer surveys. We then score each provider against our review standards for coverage, value, trustworthiness and transparency, availability, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.

You have 30 days to accept the offer. The 30-day period starts the date the company mails the offer to you. If you do not reply, you are rejecting the offer.

The California Earthquake Authority (CEA) provides most earthquake insurance in California. CEA offers earthquake policies, for homeowners, mobilehome owners, condo unit owners and renters. You cannot buy earthquake insurance directly from CEA you buy it directly from insurance companies that are members of CEA.

You must have a residential property insurance policy in place in order to get a CEA earthquake policy. You must purchase your CEA policy from the same insurance company that you have your residential policy with-see the list of CEA participating insurers here.

The CEA Homeowners Choice policy offers the option of choosing separate coverage for dwellings and personal property, with different deductibles. Even though you can select separate deductibles for dwelling and personal property, the Homeowners Choice policy will not apply both deductibles for the same earthquake claim. This means that CEA waives the personal property deductible if covered damage to your house exceeds the dwelling deductible.

You may be able to buy building code upgrade coverage (now up to $30,000).  CEA homeowners policies include the first $1,500 for emergency repairs with no deductible.

These are not CEA policies. A few companies offer these policies. They are policies that you can buy without buying homeowners insurance from the same company.

Earthquake insurance usually does not cover anything that your homeowners policy already covers. For example, your homeowners policy covers fire damage, even if an earthquake causes the fire. Therefore, your earthquake policy does not cover fire damage.

In some cases your homeowners or renters insurance may specifically cover direct loss due to explosion, theft, or breaking glass caused by an earthquake, even if you do not have earthquake insurance. Ask your insurance agent.

Read your homeowners policy and contact your insurance company whenever an earthquake damages your property. Do not assume that the damage is not covered.

Your insurance company must offer you earthquake insurance even if your property does not meet current Building Code and Health and Safety Code rules about bolting foundations and anchoring water heaters. But you may be charged a higher premium and/or deductible.

You may be able to reduce your premium or deductible by retrofitting to make your home safer and stronger. Your insurance company must tell you in writing about these discounts. Retrofitting can:

An insurance company can deny claims that are not reported within one year. The year starts with a date called the inception of the loss. This is when you first:

If your claim is larger than your deductible, the insurance company will subtract the deductible from their payment. You do not need to spend anything before you can get payment.

For your primary fire extinguishers (remember, one on each floor), we recommend the First Alert PRO5. It’s a UL-rated 3A 40B:C extinguisher, which exceeds the NFPA’s recommendation, yet the canister is the same size and weight as a smaller 2A 10B:C extinguisher. This model can effectively combat common fires ranging from burning wood and cloth to burning liquids. It can safely extinguish an electrical fire, as well. Equipped with a metal valve, the First Alert PRO5 is also rechargeable, which offers you more reliability and the potential for long-term cost savings. Although we found little to differentiate between this extinguisher and our Amerex runner-up, the First Alert model has a wider availability on the shelves of Ace Hardware and Lowe’s, so getting your hands on it should be a little easier (not all retailers will ship a fire extinguisher).

The PRO5, like all of our picks, is a rechargeable extinguisher with a metal valve and handle. Such models offer reliability and the potential for cost benefits over disposable extinguishers with plastic valves and handles. We need to note, though, that the firefighting abilities are the same between the two styles. Guyette Fire Protection owner Wayne Guyette told us that “two and a half pounds of chemical is two and a half pounds of chemical,” and assistant fire marshal Joseph Keenan said that “the effectiveness of the extinguisher is in how it is used, not the material it is made of.”

But Firehouse Magazine’s Timothy Sendelbach told us that “rechargeable [extinguishers] are typically better quality,” and that “paying a little more for your safety is never a bad practice.” For a 3A 40B:C unit (the kind we’re recommending), the up-front costs between the two styles are just about the same, but for smaller models such as our supplemental pick, rechargeables cost about $15 to $20 more.

We also found that disposable extinguishers have a track record of reliability issues. Kidde, a major manufacturer of disposable extinguishers, issued a recall of around 40 million units in 2017 due to issues with discharge and nozzle detachment—and that was after it recalled 4.6 million extinguishers2015 and another 470,000 in 2005 due to issues with the plastic valve. For that 2005 recall, it’s unclear whether the units were disposable (the plastic valve suggests that they were), but either way, the recall points to the potential failures of an extinguisher with plastic in the valve assembly. For that reason, all of our picks have all-metal valves.

In addition to the problems that Kidde has had, First Alert, back in 2000, recalled 600,000 units of its disposable FE1A10G extinguisher. The Consumer Product Safety Commission notice doesn’t give specifics as to the faulty component. We couldn’t find any extinguisher recalls due to faulty canisters, so if we had to guess, we’d wager that this problem also involved the plastic valve.

I am a sales agent, Sally White. I am sponsored by a broker but want to use an assumed name for my advertisements. Can I use “Sally’s Spectacular Properties” or “White Real Estate” for my business name on my advertising?You cannot use either company name because each implies that Sally, a sales agent, is in charge. An advertisement cannot in any way imply that a sales agent is the person responsible for the operation of a real estate brokerage. [TRELA §1101.652(b)(23) ]. A sales agent may use her name with the term “Team” or “Group,” so long as the advertisement also includes the broker’s name, and so long as the broker has registered the team or group name with the Commission.

As a licensed inspector I would like to advertise that my company performs wood destroying insect inspections. Neither I nor anyone in my company is a licensed wood destroying insect inspector, but we recommend or provide one if requested by the client.Under inspector advertising Rule 535.221, an inspector may not engage in false or misleading advertising. Including such information in your advertisement could be construed to be misleading in that a consumer may believe that you or members of your company are licensed to inspect for wood-destroying insects. Additionally, such advertising may also be in violation of the Structural Pest Control Service advertising rules.

Can I advertise a service provider such as an inspector, moving company, or repair contractor on my website?Yes, but if you offer, recommend, or promote the use of a service provider and expect to receive compensation from the service provider when a party uses the service, the ad must disclose that you may receive the compensation. [Rule 535.155 (effective May 15, 2018)] You may advertise an inspector’s services, however, an inspector may not pay a fee or other valuable consideration for (1) a referral, (2) inclusion on a list of inspectors or preferred providers, or a similar arrangement; or (3) inclusion on a list of inspections contingent on other financial agreements. [Rule 535.220(e)(3)] Also, acceptance of a fee from a service provider may violate the Federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), which prohibits certain referral fees and kickbacks.

Can a sales agent be the owner of a property management company?A: Yes. A sales agent may own the firm but the business must be conducted through the sales agent"s sponsoring broker.

Can a sales agent have a commission check written to the sales agent’s own corporation or Limited Liability Company? If so, does that entity have to be licensed as a real estate broker?All commissions must be paid through the agent’s sponsoring broker.[TRELA §1101.651(b)] Further, a business entity that receives compensation on behalf of a license holder must be licensed as a broker. [TRELA §1101.355(c)]

Can an unlicensed person own a real estate company and receive all or a portion of a commission paid to a licensed broker?Yes, within certain limitations. The unlicensed person may share in the income earned by a real estate brokerage if the person engages in no acts for which a license is required. [Rule 535.147(b)]

I am having a dispute with my Homeowner Association (HOA) regarding violating neighborhood restrictions.TREC does not have jurisdiction over Homeowner Associations or Association Management Companies. You may wish to consult with a private attorney regarding your legal rights as a homeowner. See also Chapter 209, Property Code.

I have a property management company and engage in leasing activity. May I have some of my unlicensed employees solicit business for me?No. A rental agent who solicits a prospect by phone must be licensed.

I just bought a house and noticed that the title company I used made a mistake at closing.TREC does not have jurisdiction over title companies. If you wish to file a complaint against a title company in Texas, you need to contact the Texas Department of Insurance.

If a homeowner wanted to hire a consultant to perform a cursory, major defect visual inspection, including the foundation, roof, plumbing, electrical, and major appliances, would TREC require any written report?If the inspection you are proposing relates to a purchase or sale transaction, then TREC"s Standards of Practice would apply, and a written report would be required. If the inspection you are proposing is not in anticipation of a purchase or sale, then TREC"s requirements would not apply, and the parameters of the inspection would be governed by the agreement between the inspector and his or her client. For further information, please see Sections 1102.001 and 1102.002 of the Texas Occupations Code and Rule 535.223.

Is observance of gas shut-off valves and connections with a digital camera placed behind or under appliances considered a reasonable method for discovering deficiencies in inaccessible areas?Pursuant to Section 535.227(a)(1) of the Standards of Practice, inspectors are not required to move appliances in order to inspect behind them. However, it is often possible to locate gas shut-off valves either behind or near appliances (such as in the cabinet next to the range). If a gas shut-off valve cannot be located, this should be reported. As the question suggests, it is sometimes also possible to use a digital camera to “see” in areas that are not otherwise accessible and there are multiple means of detection of gas leaks in existence, such as through the use of hand held detectors (however, these would be considered specialized tools and are not required to be used in performing inspections).

Is observance of gas shut-off valves and connections with a digital camera placed behind or under appliances considered a reasonable method for discovering deficiencies in inaccessible areas?Pursuant to Section 535.227(a)(1) of the Standards of Practice, inspectors are not required to move appliances in order to inspect behind them. However, it is often possible to locate gas shut-off valves either behind or near appliances (such as in the cabinet next to the range). If a gas shut-off valve cannot be located, this should be reported. As the question suggests, it is sometimes also possible to use a digital camera to “see” in areas that are not otherwise accessible and there are multiple means of detection of gas leaks in existence, such as through the use of hand held detectors (however, these would be considered specialized tools and are not required to be used in performing inspections).

Is olfactory detection of methane/natural gas odorant the only reasonable method of discovering gas leaks when the connectors are not accessible?Pursuant to Section 535.227(a)(1) of the Standards of Practice, inspectors are not required to move appliances in order to inspect behind them. However, it is often possible to locate gas shut-off valves either behind or near appliances (such as in the cabinet next to the range). If a gas shut-off valve cannot be located, this should be reported. As the question suggests, it is sometimes also possible to use a digital camera to “see” in areas that are not otherwise accessible and there are multiple means of detection of gas leaks in existence, such as through the use of hand held detectors (however, these would be considered specialized tools and are not required to be used in performing inspections).

Is the definition of accessible, as applied to gas appliance connections, left to the reasonable judgment of the inspector?Pursuant to Section 535.227(a)(1) of the Standards of Practice, inspectors are not required to move appliances in order to inspect behind them. However, it is often possible to locate gas shut-off valves either behind or near appliances (such as in the cabinet next to the range). If a gas shut-off valve cannot be located, this should be reported. As the question suggests, it is sometimes also possible to use a digital camera to “see” in areas that are not otherwise accessible and there are multiple means of detection of gas leaks in existence, such as through the use of hand held detectors (however, these would be considered specialized tools and are not required to be used in performing inspections).

Is the inspector required to comment on or report as deficient those gas appliance shut-off valves and connectors not visible or accessible without moving the gas appliances?Pursuant to Section 535.227(a)(1) of the Standards of Practice, inspectors are not required to move appliances in order to inspect behind them. However, it is often possible to locate gas shut-off valves either behind or near appliances (such as in the cabinet next to the range). If a gas shut-off valve cannot be located, this should be reported. As the question suggests, it is sometimes also possible to use a digital camera to “see” in areas that are not otherwise accessible and there are multiple means of detection of gas leaks in existence, such as through the use of hand held detectors (however, these would be considered specialized tools and are not required to be used in performing inspections).

Is the presence of a gas shut off valve that requires a tool to turn off deficient?Question is not clear. Some gas shut off valves are safety or emergency shut off devices and some are not. As the type of valve in question is not defined, no answer can be provided.

On my inspection report, the inspector reported certain things in the house as “safety hazards” or “code violations”. Can TREC give me information about what codes the inspector is referring to?There are many different codes that can figure into the construction of a house, depending on when it was built and local amendments. TREC does not require inspectors to inspect to any of the various building codes and cannot assist you in determining what code provisions were applied in a particular situation. Instead, TREC has established Standards of Practice for inspectors to follow. [Rule 535.227-535.233] However, an inspector is free to inspect to a higher standard (such as to various codes or based on recognized safety hazards), as long as they do so competently. If you have questions about your inspection report, you should ask your inspector for the basis of his statement. You may also wish to contact your local code enforcement authority for more information about relevant codes.

We tried to buy a house but our loan application was not approved. Our $500 earnest money had been deposited with a title company and they said they wouldn"t return it without a release signed by the seller, which the seller won"t sign. Help!The Commission does not have jurisdiction over title companies. While a license holder is encouraged to assist the parties in the exchange of the necessary earnest money release and need to sign the release as appropriate, there is nothing in TRELA or the Rules to determine who is entitled to the earnest money. You will need to consult a private attorney.

What are inspectors required to report regarding gas supply lines?Section 535.231(a)(2)(E)(ix) requires inspectors to report deficiencies in the condition of the gas distribution system. Section 535.231(a)(3)(D)(iii) does not require inspectors to inspect inaccessible gas supply system components for leaks. Section 535.231(a)(3)(A) states that inspectors are not required to operate any main, branch, or shut-off valves.

Team Name is a name used only by a team or group of one or more sponsored sales agents or brokers associated with this broker. Team names must end in “team” or “group” and cannot contain the words “brokerage”, “company”, “associates” or other similar terms.[Rule 535.154(a)(5)]

When I purchased my house there were repairs made before closing that I requested but were not performed properly. The seller gave me the receipts of the licensed repair people who performed the repairs. What can I do?TREC does not have jurisdiction over licensed repair providers. You may want to check with Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to see if they regulate the providers. You may also want to consult with a private attorney regarding your legal rights as a homeowner.

The cost of walk-in tubs varies quite a bit depending on size and features. The models chosen by our Reviews Team are some of the most affordable walk-in bathtubs on the market, but installation will add to the cost of your new walk-in tub.

It’s important to know what size of seat you will need to bathe safely and comfortably. A member of our Reviews Team (seefigure 1 below) sat in a few different models with seats that measured 23 inches wide by 15 inches deep, which is standard for many walk-in tubs. While she found those seats to be adequately sized for her 5-foot 5-inch frame, someone taller and/or larger would likely have felt cramped.

You also don’t want a seat that isn’t deep enough. This could be a matter not only of convenience but also safety; a shallow seat may cause you to slip off when turning around while bathing or reaching for something behind you, for instance.

Wheelchair-accessible tubs comply with ADA standards, meaning they meet certain requirements for ease of use and safety features. The threshold on wheelchair-accessible tubs is very low, and the width of the door is wider, to allow the user to move from the wheelchair to the tub seat.

Some walk-in tubs also offer overheating protection (also known as anti-scald valves). As an added safety measure, theConsumer Product Safety Commissionrecommends setting the maximum temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent burns.1

The design and safety features of walk-in tubs can also help caregivers who may need to bathe older adults or people with a disability. A walk-in tub makes it easier for caregivers to move around in the bathroom without getting wet, and reach all angles of the bathtub to help someone bathe.

In addition to the standard features above that help ensure your safety while bathing, many walk-in tub makers offer some or all of the following special features.

Practice reaching behind your back and turning in the seat to make sure you can move around without losing your balance. If you’re concerned about having enough room in the tub, it’s worth the time and effort to make sure you’re happy with the size offered before ordering one. Ending up with a seat that’s too narrow or not deep enough to sit on safely will affect your experience (and possibly your safety) while using a walk-in tub.

It’s a good idea to have an occupational or physical therapist, or a nurse experienced in older adult care conduct a home safety evaluation before purchasing a walk-in tub with an outward-swinging door. They can evaluate your bathroom space, spot any hazards that need to be addressed when installing the tub, and talk you through getting in and out of the tub. You can usually set up an evaluation by asking your doctor for a prescription, which will ensure that insurance orMedicarepays for it.

One company the Reviews Team called (but didn’t include in this review) would not give a definite answer on returns, saying it would depend on the circumstances and how much the tub had been customized.

It’s important to see the return policy in writing before ordering, so you know what recourse you have if the tub arrives damaged or you simply don’t like it once you see it in person. For example, the seat may not be comfortable, or it may be hard to reach the faucet and controls while seated in the tub. One of our Reviews Team members was surprised at how much pressure it took to hold the door closed while latching the handle on several walk-in tub models.

Our Reviews Team recommends buying a walk-in bathtub from a company with a return window. This will give you the chance to sit in the tub, try out the door and controls, and make sure the grab bars are conveniently placed for you, all before installing it.