Condo & Townhome Leaks
Condo & Townhome Leaks in Bellevue, WA
Shared walls, shared problems
In a condo or townhome, water rarely stays in one unit. It runs along floor framing and down inside walls, so a supply line failing upstairs can show up two floors down. The first job is finding where it starts, which usually means knocking on doors and getting the building manager or HOA involved quickly.
Who pays for what depends on the building's governing documents and on the insurance: the association's master policy for the building and each owner's own condo policy for the unit. That split differs between buildings, so ask your manager and your insurer. A restoration contractor can document the damage in each unit while the question is being settled.
First steps in a multi-unit building
- Find the source
- Check the unit above, and tell the unit below if water is leaving yours.
- Call the manager or HOA
- They may have a shut-off for the stack, a preferred vendor or a reporting process.
- Shut off your water
- If the leak is in your unit, close your unit's shut-off or the fixture valve.
- Photograph both sides
- Ceilings, floors and belongings in every affected unit, with dates.
How it works
Four steps, one phone call
Call
Tell whoever answers what happened, where the water or smoke came from and your ZIP code.
Connect
You're put through to an independent restoration contractor serving your part of the Eastside.
Assess
They inspect, measure moisture, explain what has to come out and give you their price.
Decide
Hire them or not. The agreement is between you and the contractor.
Questions
Common questions
Who is responsible when water comes from the unit above?
It depends on the cause, your association's governing documents and the policies involved. This site can't answer it for your building; ask the manager and your insurer. Start mitigation either way, because waiting makes the damage worse.
Can one contractor handle several units?
Often, yes. Each owner should still get their own documentation and agree their own scope.
Do I need the HOA's permission to start drying?
Check your building's rules. Many associations want to be told straight away and may have a preferred vendor, but drying generally shouldn't wait.
Also
Other kinds of damage
- Water Damage CleanupLeaks, overflows and failed appliances: water out, materials dried and checked, damage repaired.
- Broken & Frozen PipesA supply hose that let go or a pipe split in a cold snap: water off first, then extraction and drying.
- Rain & Storm FloodingOverflowing gutters, flooded window wells and water in the lower level after heavy rain.
- Crawl Space WaterStanding water, soaked insulation or a torn vapor barrier under the house: pumped, dried and checked.
- Sewage Backup CleanupSewage up through a floor drain, tub or toilet: contaminated materials out, surfaces cleaned and sanitized.
- Mold RemediationMold after a leak, in a crawl space or from condensation: moisture fixed, area contained, materials removed.
- Fire & Smoke DamageSoot, smoke odor and the water used to fight the fire: cleaned, deodorized, dried and repaired.
Water, smoke or mold
Get a restoration contractor on the phone
One call connects you with an independent contractor serving Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, Issaquah, Sammamish and Mercer Island. Say what happened, where the water came from and how long it's been wet.
Something wet that shouldn't be? Call now.
Your call goes to an independent restoration contractor that works in Bellevue and on the Eastside.
Call (425) 592-3275Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure and privacy policy.