Water Damage Restoration in Associations: What CAMs Should Know

Did you know that 65% of property damage claims and losses are water-related? Community Association Managers (CAMs) need to understand what happens during water intrusion events and how to limit your association’s financial exposure.

What is a Water Intrusion Event?

Water intrusion is the unwanted movement of water or vapor into a building where it can cause damage.

Water intrusion events include:

• Roof leaks
• Plumbing pipe breaks
• Basement leaks
• Sewer line backups
• Condensation
• Flooding from the outside

What Factors Impact the Water Cleanup and Restoration Process?

The class of the water loss and the type of intruded water determines the time, effort, and cost involved in cleaning up and restoring the impacted room or building.

Water Loss Classes

Restoration contractors assign classes to levels of water loss based on the IICRC standards and guidelines. Identifying the loss class helps establish the cleanup scope and aids in pricing the job.

Class One

There is limited water intrusion in a room with little sustained damage. This applies to rooms with partially affected or with little to no carpet/pad. Typical drying time: 3 days

Class Two

Water has spread throughout the room and has wicked up the walls to a height of less than 24 inches. The carpet and padding are affected and wet in at least one whole room. Typical drying time: 3-5 days

Class Three

Water has invaded to the extent that significant damage has occurred to walls, ceilings, structural members, floor coverings, and the subfloor. Typical drying time: 5-7 days

Class Four

Water is bound in the material and requires advanced drying techniques as well as specialty equipment.  Typical drying time: minimum 7-10 days

Is the Water Clean, Grey, or Black?

The cleanup process after water intrusion is not only determined by the class of the loss. It’s also determined by what type of water has intruded and caused damage.

1. Clean water comes from a sanitary source like a sink overflow. It’s safe.
2. Grey water comes from an unsanitary source like a dishwasher. It’s toxic.
3. Black water comes from a contaminated source like toilet overflow or flood waters from the outside. It’s toxic.

Note: Drywall wicks up water. If the water is toxic, the toxicity goes into the drywall. Restoration companies usually cut drywall four feet above the floor to remove all wicked toxic water.

What to Do When Water Has Intruded

It’s critical to respond rapidly to a water intrusion event in your association. The longer building materials are exposed to and penetrated by moisture, the more time, effort, and money it takes to restore them.

In an association setting, you should have a water damage restoration contractor on speed dial. Call them and get an initial inspection set up immediately. (Scroll down for what to look for in a quality restoration company.)

The following are the typical steps in the water damage restoration process that a quality restoration company employs.

The Water Damage Restoration Process

Document & Communication

• The restorer communicates and documents the process in detail from start to finish
• Documentation should include detailed reports outlining:
  • the class and category of water
  • the extent of water damage
  • the types and quantity of affected building materials
  • the preliminary scope of work
• Communication is key. All materially interested parties should be kept informed throughout the entire drying process, from the initial inspection through the final inspection. This includes information on pre-existing damage, the discovery of mold, lead, and asbestos, change orders, and more.

Initial inspection and Ongoing Inspections

• Professional moisture detection equipment should be used to evaluate and moisture map possible affected areas, including:
  • Psychrometric charts to determine proper and effective treatmentMoisture meters to measure invasive and non-invasive vapors/waterThermal imaging cameras
  • Thermal hygrometers
• Establish drying goals to combat and inhibit microbial growth
• Monitor the indoor environment conditions every 24-48 hours (equipment, moisture measurements, humidity)

The Drying Process

• Water is extracted
• Mechanical equipment is placed and activated to promote drying, dehumidification, and high-velocity air movement
  • Dehumidifiers, air movers, air scrubbers, water extractors
• The temperature and humidity of the space being restored are controlled

Final inspection

• Document and verify that drying goals have been met before removing drying equipment
• Proof that the structure has been deemed dry (no photos = no proof)
• Communicate to all materially interested parties that the mitigation process has been completed and provide access to final documentation

Restoration Problems That Can Occur in Associations

When water damage occurs in a resident’s home, who is financially responsible for the restoration efforts? The homeowner, or the association, or both?

Not all associations have the same coverage responsibilities since these vary according to documents and bylaws. Homeowner responsibility and association responsibility can look different from one situation and association to another.

The professional restoration company will advise homeowners on whether they should stay or go during the restoration process. Some homeowners elect to stay, but in these cases, it’s not unusual for homeowners to get tired of the nonstop fan noise and turn the fans off. This delays the time it takes to dry out the space.

The longer it takes to dry an area, the more the restoration company charges.

If your association is paying for the restoration, you as the CAM should notify the homeowners that they cannot turn off the fans or dehumidifiers.

How do you prevent them from turning the equipment off? This can always be a challenge.

With noise factors, humidity, and heat, many times homeowners just do what they want. One idea is to let them know that if they don’t follow the rules and if they turn the fans and dehumidifiers off, they will have to foot the bill for the charges that result from the delayed drying time. This is probably something that should be discussed with your board of directors and possibly legal counsel to get the best advice on how to handle situations like this.

TIP: Ask the restoration contractor if they can remotely monitor their drying equipment. That is, can they tell if the fans and equipment have been switched off?

Water Damage Do’s and Don’ts

In the event of water damage:

DO:

• Switch off the power supply and main water source
• Take photos and videos of the damage as well as any contents affected
• Collect valuables and important documents to eliminate as much water damage as possible
• Open windows and doors to allow air to flow into space
• Mop up and extract as much standing water as you can

DON’T:

• Enter a room with electrical or structural damage
• Lift up tacked-down carpeting
• Use small electrical appliances if standing on a wet floor or carpet
• Attempt to dry out a water loss on your own. The most dangerous water damage comes from the water behind the walls.

How to Select a Good Water Damage Restoration Contractor

The critical credential to look for in a water damage restoration contractor is its IICRC certification. This stands for “Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification.”

Only hire a water damage restoration company with IICRC S500 credentials. This represents the golden standard in water restoration science, processes, knowledge, and equipment. An IICRC-certified contractor employs a psychrometric chart in analyzing the conditions and properties of moist air.

Find an expert water damage restoration contractor before you need it. When a situation arises in which you need immediate restoration help, you’ll be ready.

Key Takeaways

1. Understand what can happen in a water intrusion event.
2. Call a water restoration contractor immediately when an event occurs.
3. Know your association’s coverage responsibilities.
4. Communicate responsively with all involved parties.

We thank Kayla Hennessey at MGM Recovery for her contribution to the information in this blog.

Note: MGM Recovery will be teaching a class in Sarasota at Seasons 52 on February 9 and in Orlando at Rocco’s Tacos on June 11.