Ways to Prevent Water Damage in Apartment Buildings

7/29/2024 (Permalink)

A man holding a bucket of water

Ways to Prevent Water Damage in Apartment Buildings

Preventing water damage to apartment buildings is one of the top priorities of property managers, as water damage can be costly. Aside from the initial damage caused by flooding or plumbing leaks, water damage often produces hidden damage that may not be noticed or felt for weeks, months, or even years.

How Water Damage is Insidious

As wooden surfaces absorb moisture, they can become saturated, allowing the wood to rot over time. This weakens the structural elements of apartment buildings and potentially jeopardizes the structural integrity of accommodations.

Furthermore, moisture damage can cause soil saturation and erosion, which may lead to foundation issues over time. Moisture can also lead to uneven walkways, which may threaten workers and tenants in and around multi-family properties.

Additionally, moisture that makes its way to areas that house electrical components can also become compromised with rust and corrosion. The effects of moisture damage on electrical components sometimes result in shortening circuits. Still, in some cases, it can lead to the creation or arcing that results in severe electrical shocks and apartment fires.

Because of the dangers listed above, preventing water damage to apartment buildings should be at the top of your list as a property manager after a natural disaster, burst pipe incident, or any other situation involving moisture and flooding.

Seek an Inspection After a Water Event

If you’re concerned about damage after a water event, it’s important to inspect affected areas professionally, even if you don’t see any apparent damage. As mentioned, water damage can sometimes be hidden in plain sight. While walls, flooring, and ceilings may look okay from the outside, structural damage may be in, and an upstairs neighbor may be getting ready to fall through the floor to the unit below.

Another advantage of having an inspection done early is quickly performing mitigation and restoration services. After a fire event where apartment sprinklers have gone off, a fire damage restoration service can inspect the area for both outward and hidden damage to provide recommendations and solutions. Professional restoration services often use advanced tools and training to spot areas of damage that may not be outwardly visible but can still lead to structural instability.

Contact Your Insurance Company

It’s also vital to contact your insurance company immediately following an event that causes water damage. Many commercial insurance companies require customers to file a claim within a specific amount of time after an event, and written notice may also be required. By contacting your insurance provider early, you may have an easier time dealing with water damage and receiving coverage for costs incurred.

It’s also a good idea to encourage tenants of a damaged apartment building to contact their insurance providers. Many people who lease apartments have renters’ insurance. While these are usually separate policies independent of your insurance coverages, you can make life easier for everyone when coverage claims start early.

Review Your Maintenance Policies

Regular maintenance is another way to prevent water damage to apartment building structures. Although some water events happen at a moment’s notice due to natural disasters or burst pipes, others occur due to neglect of plumbing and safety systems.

You likely already have a maintenance schedule to inspect and maintain these systems, but it may have been a while since you’ve reviewed it. This can lead to gaps and lapses, especially if changes have been made to your property over time.

By taking some time now to review and amend your maintenance plan, you stand a better chance of staving off water damage before it occurs. As a bonus, this can also allow you to look for and weed out inefficiencies.

Don’t forget to include HVAC and plumbing equipment inspections as part of your maintenance. While inspecting the structural integrity of your buildings is important, remember that leaking AC units or plumbing pipes can lead to water damage over time. This type of damage is often the hidden type mentioned previously.

A leaking plumbing pipe in a building's basement or crawlspace may take weeks, months, or longer to cause damage. Regular and thorough inspections can catch these problems early, allowing you to prevent serious damage.

Update Your Training

In addition to updating your maintenance policies, it is also a good idea to update your training. In many cases, the first step in preventing water damage to apartment buildings is having the right training so that workers know how to handle water emergencies.

In your policy manual, clearly spell out the chain of command for reporting potential water damage and the steps workers must take to mitigate damage safely. Remember to include steps workers should take to protect tenants, their property, and common areas where tenants may gather. These steps can help you avoid lawsuits for injuries or breach of lease agreements.

Work With a Mitigation and Restoration Professional

If you spot water damage, you’re also encouraged to work with a professional mitigation and restoration company. While your maintenance staff may be able to handle some repair and restoration jobs, a professional mitigation and restoration company will usually be able to provide more comprehensive service. Dedicated restoration services may also be covered by your property’s insurance policy, allowing you to quickly get the damage under control without spending a lot out of pocket.

Contact SERVPRO of Arcadia for Fast Solutions After Water Damage at Your Apartment Building

If you’re concerned about water damage at your apartment building, SERVPRO of Arcadia is Here to Help®. SERVPRO® water damage specialists provide inspection and restoration services to mitigate damage to commercial properties caused by water, smoke, fire, and more.