Not Very Neighborly! Upstairs Unit Floods Into Downstairs Condo

We don’t get to choose who our neighbors are. Some neighbors are friendly, while others can be… inconsiderate. But even when they have the best of intentions, if your property is close enough, a disaster that affects your neighbors’ homes can affect yours, as well. Recently, we were called in to mitigate water damage in an El Cajon condominium that originated from the upstairs unit.

Cleaning The Condominium

We determined that the source of the flood was a ruptured supply line for the upstairs unit’s toilet. These lines supply the toilet with water, and if they break, water will continuously flow until it is turned off. In this case, the lower unit’s master bedroom, master bathroom, hallway, and hallway bathroom were all affected by the leak.

The size of the affected area told us that the water was flowing for a while, so we knew we did not have the luxury of time. The longer water sits, and moisture builds, the greater chance of mold growth there is. Thankfully, we were able to respond right away after Safeco insurance reached out to us on behalf of their client. And in doing so, we were able to dry 90% of this affected area in place very quickly.

We began the restoration on June 12th, immediately beginning to dry the property. Our drying process consists of our technicians using a thermal imaging camera to quickly identify the areas impacted by the water along with registering the water content with our state-of-the-art moisture meters. We set up containment around the affected areas, then placed air movers in strategic positions. By June 18th, the condo was fully dried, and it was ready for repairs to begin.

Restorations within condominiums can be tricky due to the Condo Association CC&R’s (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions) that are in place. These determine who is ultimately responsible for the cost of mitigation and the damages caused by the water. In this case, it fell under the upper-unit homeowner’s responsibility because it was the supply to the toilet. Despite this, the clients still claimed to have a good experience. They were delighted and impressed with our professionalism and knowledge. They left us an incredible review on our Excellent Service Endorsement.

Contact PuroClean of Clairemont for Professional Water Restoration in and Around San Diego

Water damage is the most common type of property damage in the United States. It is important to have a plan before it strikes your property. If you find your home, condominium, business, or property in this situation, call the restoration professionals at PuroClean of Clairemont at (858) 869-1313. Our trained technicians will return your property to pre-loss condition and communicate with you every step of the way.