One downside of apartment living is that you sometimes have to depend on maintenance workers who may or may not show up when you need them. One such example is when your home suffers water damage caused by an upstairs neighbor. Water damage restoration services are necessary for this type of situation.

Common Causes of Water Damage in an Apartment

If you’re living in the downstairs apartment, you may be wondering what you should do if your upstairs neighbor starts experiencing a water leak. Apartment water leaks are caused by a number of factors, including faulty or broken pipes, burst pipes during colder weather, and rainstorms. 

Here are some other common causes of apartment water leaks: 

• Leaky ceilings
• Leaky appliances
• Overflowing bathtubs and/or flooded toilets

Often, water leaks from upstairs will seep into your ceiling, causing it to buckle or break. It could also cause water damage to your carpets, bedding, and closets, putting your apartment at risk of mold. 

What to Do if You Experience Water Damage in Your Apartment

Dealing with water damage at your apartment doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you handle the situation. 

First, you need to clean up water damage as soon as it occurs to prevent mold growth. If the leak is remedied quickly, blot up excess water and immediately wash your towels. If the leak is ongoing, you may have to put a bucket beneath the leak. Take photos of what’s happening at your apartment and contact your property manager. 

In many cases, the property manager will be liable for water damage if it’s caused by a faulty or broken appliance, burst pipe, or natural disaster. This is because they’re responsible for the ongoing care and maintenance of the property. 

If your neighbor was simply careless or forgot to turn off their bathtub or failed to call the property manager to alert them to a problem, they might be held liable. In California, property owners are not usually liable for water damage if it was caused by a tenant. In cases like this, you’ll have to turn to your renter’s insurance policy to recoup costs. 

If it’s possible, you should contact a water damage restoration company. Sometimes, you may not have known there was a leak if it occurred in a hidden part of your apartment. In other cases, the damage may be too extensive to repair yourself. In cases like these, calling a water damage restoration company is paramount. They have the tools needed to repair costly and extensive water damage. 

Did Your Apartment Suffer Water Damage? Call the Water Damage Restoration Team at California Steam Clean for Help

At California Steam Clean, we’ve handled all sorts of water damage. Whether it was caused by a storm, flood, or negligent neighbors, we can handle it all. Our goal is to get your apartment back to normal. Call us today to schedule an appointment: (707) 755-7190.