The setup
Many older condo buildings in Aurora place each unit's water heater in a small closet, sometimes backing onto a neighbor's unit. When a tank leaks slowly or the relief valve discharges, water spreads across the closet floor and under the bottom plate of the wall, appearing in the neighboring unit as wet carpet along a baseboard.
Unlike an apartment complex with one owner, a condo building has separate owners for each unit and an HOA for common elements. The declaration decides where one person's responsibility ends and another's begins, so the first conversation is often about documents rather than water.
The situation
Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.
In a hypothetical ground-floor condo, the owner of Unit A is away for a week. Their aging water heater starts leaking from the tank. Water spreads across the closet and under the shared wall into Unit B, whose owner notices wet carpet along the wall on the third day.
- Unit B's owner calls the HOA's management company, which sends maintenance with the emergency key to enter Unit A and shut off the water heater supply.
- The management company contacts Unit A's owner and documents the entry.
- Both units are photographed; Unit A's closet and Unit B's carpet and wall base are mapped for moisture.
- Water is extracted in both units; Unit B's pad is replaced and the lower drywall on both sides of the shared wall is checked.
- Each owner notifies their own insurer, and the HOA notifies its master policy carrier in case common elements are involved.
- The contractor keeps separate readings and equipment logs for Unit A, Unit B and the shared wall.
Unit A's owner replaces the water heater and adds a drain pan. Drying completes in both units, and the insurers sort out responsibility using the separate records and the declaration's definitions.
Decision points
- IfThe declaration lists water heaters as the unit owner's responsibilityThe source owner typically handles the replacement and may be asked to cover damage to the neighbor.
- IfThe shared wall is a common elementThe HOA may be responsible for its repair, possibly through the master policy, subject to deductibles.
- IfThe source owner cannot be reachedEmergency entry under the declaration lets the HOA stop the water; keep a record.
Records kept in this example
| Record | Unit A | Unit B | Shared wall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos before work | Closet, heater, floor | Carpet, baseboard, wall | Both faces |
| Moisture map | Closet floor | Wall base and carpet | Both sides |
| Equipment log | Yes | Yes | Noted under each unit |
| Removed materials | None beyond heater | Pad, baseboard | Lower drywall if needed |
Questions both owners should ask the HOA
- What does the declaration say about water heaters and the walls between units?
- Does the master policy cover any part of this, and what is its deductible?
- Will the contractor's paperwork separate each unit?
- Is there a rule about water heater age or drain pans?
General information for Aurora, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.