Hallway floor drying under plastic with a dehumidifier. Shown to illustrate the work described; not a job for this site or at any address named here.
A different kind of housing for Lakewood
Most of Lakewood is single-family homes from the post-war decades. Belmar and the blocks around it are the exception: multi-story buildings with retail at street level and homes above, townhome rows and apartment buildings, mostly built in this century. The plumbing is newer, often PEX and plastic drains, so corroded steel pipe is rarely the problem.
What changes is how water moves. In a stacked building, a leak in one unit can travel down through several floors. Water supply, drains and fire sprinkler lines may serve multiple units, and parts of the building belong to the association rather than to any one owner. Renters, owners, the association and sometimes a commercial tenant on the ground floor may all be involved in one loss.
Common sources in newer multi-unit buildings
- Washer in a closet
- Stacked laundry closets leak through floor assemblies to the unit below
- Fire sprinkler heads
- Damaged or frozen heads release a lot of water quickly; only the building can shut the system down
- PEX fittings
- Crimp or expansion fittings can fail, usually at a joint
- Balcony and roof drains
- Clogged drains can push water under doors and through walls
- HVAC condensate
- Blocked condensate lines overflow in ceiling or closet air handlers
Questions for owners and renters in Belmar-area buildings
- Where is the water shutoff for my unit, and who controls the building's main and the fire sprinkler system?
- What is the emergency contact for the building or association after hours?
- What does the association's master policy cover inside my unit?
- Does my lease or the association require me to carry my own insurance, and what does it need to include?
- If water comes from a commercial space below or above, who coordinates the response?
Who to contact first
- IfA fire sprinkler head is dischargingThenCall 911 and the building's emergency line; do not try to shut the system yourself.
- IfWater is coming from the unit aboveThenContact the neighbor and the building or association emergency line at once.
- IfThe leak is inside your unit and you can reach the shutoffThenClose it, then notify the association or landlord and your insurer.
- IfYou rentThenNotify your landlord or property manager in writing, then your renter's insurer about your belongings.
General information for Lakewood, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.