Why multifamily leaks spread so far
Aurora has a very large stock of apartments, condos and townhome rows, from garden-style complexes built in the 1970s and 1980s to newer mid-rise buildings near light rail stations and the medical campus. In stacked buildings, kitchens and bathrooms are usually aligned floor over floor, sharing vertical plumbing chases. When a supply line or toilet fails upstairs, those chases act like drainpipes, carrying water down into units that are nowhere near the original leak.
Wood-framed floors in garden-style buildings let water seep through subfloor seams and run along joists before dripping out at a light fixture or a ceiling seam. In concrete mid-rise buildings, water may pool on the slab and travel to a penetration such as a pipe sleeve before it shows up below. Either way, the first unit to notice the problem is often not the one where it started.
Who typically handles what
| Party | Usually responsible for | Insurance often involved |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment landlord or owner | Building structure, common areas, drywall, built-in flooring in rentals | Owner's commercial property policy |
| Apartment renter | Personal belongings and possibly additional living costs | Renter's policy, if the tenant has one |
| Condo HOA | Common elements as defined in the declaration, often structure and shared pipes | Association master policy |
| Condo unit owner | Interior finishes and contents, depending on how the declaration draws the line | Unit owner policy, often called HO-6 |
| Unit where leak started | Possibly liable for damage to others if negligence is shown | That owner's or renter's liability coverage |
Getting every affected unit handled
- Stop the source and trace it.Maintenance shuts off the unit valve or the riser. Someone checks every unit directly below and to the sides, not just the one that reported dripping.
- Get access to each unit.Managers follow notice rules for entry; in an emergency, many leases and declarations allow immediate entry. Keep a log of who entered which unit and when.
- Extract and open up as needed.Standing water is removed in each unit. Wet ceiling drywall below the leak is checked for sagging and may be opened to drain and dry cavities.
- Document each unit separately.Photos, moisture maps and equipment counts are kept per unit so the HOA, the owner and each tenant's insurer see their own portion of the loss.
- Track drying in each unit.Units dry at different rates; one may be finished while another still needs dehumidification.
Questions to ask if water came through your ceiling
- Which unit did the water come from, and has the source been stopped?
- Is the building owner or HOA sending someone to extract and dry my unit, or should I arrange it?
- Will the drying equipment in my unit be documented under my unit number?
- Who do I contact for my belongings, and do I need to file with my own insurer?
- If the water came from a toilet or drain, how is my unit being cleaned and sanitized?
General information for Aurora, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.