Hi, I’m Brad Fitch, and I’m running for Sparks City Council Ward 3. The City Council frequently addresses issues such as development, traffic and potholes, all of which affect your everyday life. But how often do you think about your household water pressure? Probably not ever — until you must.
Unfortunately, that moment came for me earlier this year, just after the primary election. What began as an odd smell in my living room ultimately became a costly ordeal, taking months and leaving me with a bill of nearly $14,000. Even worse, most homeowners’ insurance doesn’t cover the damage caused by this issue. They consider it normal “wear and tear.”
What was the cause? The sustained water pressure (pounds per square inch) on the copper pipes under my house was almost double the recommended limit according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and many had extensive splits causing water to pour into my crawl space over months (or even years). Copper pipes should traditionally stay intact for 70-80 years before needing repair.