Water damage repair

If there has been a water leakage in your apartment - no worries, we will take care of it. The general course of water damage repair is presented below as a common example. This example underlines the importance of the shareholder's and the resident's own actions.

 

There is a water leakage in your apartment:

• Where is the water leaking at?
• Where exactly is the water leaking from? The ceiling? A water pipe?
• Is the leakage minor or major? Can you see the actual leakage spot - or just where the water is coming from?
• Is the water cold, hot, clear or colored?
• Can you block the leak yourself or does it require measures by others?

The more specifically you are able to describe the details of the leakage in your message or on the phone, the better the causes of the leak can be addressed. Locating the cause usually consists of going through and excluding the most likely alternatives - in the most difficult cases one at a time.

 

Report immediately:

• Report the leakage immediately to the emergency service notified by the board of your housing company. Urgent notifications are always done on the phone.
• Be sure to briefly and clearly state the problem you identified based on the criteria mentioned above.
• Remember to tell your contact details and if the service staff can come to the apartment with a master key, if that is necessary.
• Indicate if you would like to receive relevant information as the problem solving proceeds.

Quick actions and correct observations can drastically reduce the repair costs and other indirect damage.

 

Wait for the leak to be repaired:

• The aim is to fix the water damages as quickly as possible.
• Sometimes it takes time and demolition work to locate the problem.
• At night time and on public holidays acute water damages are repaired as so-called emergency work aiming to prevent spreading of the problem. Actual repairs are done on weekdays.
• Try your best to help experts who are locating the leakage. Getting nervous will not help.
• People who are searching for, and trying to solve the problem, are professionals in their field.

All the analysis of problems, administrative decisions and acquisition of agents from different professional groups take time. So please, give some time to the people taking care of the situation, and remember that they might be working on dozens of other similar cases at the same time.

 

Damage has been repaired:

• The damage has now been located and fixed. Great! 
• Water spilled on the surfaces will be vacuumed or otherwise dried.

The most likely cause (or causes) always will be repaired first, and after that the damage caused by the leak will be fixed, for example paint damage on the ceiling. Drying will be done either by a machine, or the damaged area is left to dry on it's own with time. Final repair work is often done in weeks or months. During the work, it is ensured that the leak does not recur.

 

Home insurance:

• Report a major water leakage to your home insurance company.
• Inspect and document any possible water damage on your movables and report those to your home insurance company.
• Remember that any damage on your movables/personal property can only be covered by your home insurance.

The purpose of home insurance is to cover damage on movables such as furniture. Often people might find the use of home insurance sounding a bit strange, when the problem does not depend on the customer. The insurance companies have different compensation policies, which they use to decide on what and how much will be covered, in cases where the problem has not been caused by the resident.

 

Damage mapping:

• If necessary, Matinkylän Huolto Oy's technical expert (project manager) visits the apartment. This inspection can be done either before or after the damage mapping.
• Housing company orders water damage mapping from a qualified mapping and drying company if the extent of the leakage requires that.
• When it comes to cases of major damage, the housing company also makes a damage report to its insurance company. The housing company does not report minor water damage to the insurance company, because there is nothing left to be covered due to deductibles and age reductions.
• The mapping company usually arrives on the next working day or in a few days according to their current work situation.
• Once the damage mapping has been done, ask for a copy for yourself, just for assurance.
• Note that if the repair of the water damage goes under real estate insurance, the insurance company may decide on and order the damage mapping as well as the necessary demolition, drying and repair work from its own contractor. The housing company and real estate managemet can not always influence the choice of the contractor.

Analytical and correct mapping of the damage is essential when deciding on repair work options. Moisture mapping report also always serves as a basis for insurance companies' decision making when it comes to covering the damages.

 

Demolition of damaged fixtures and structures:

• If there is significant water damage in your apartment, the housing company or insurance company will order a contractor to dismantle the damaged fixtures and surface structures. 
• Demolition work can take several days - and with in cases of major water damage - even weeks.
• If you wish, ask the contractor or supervisor for a time estimate on the demolition , drying and repair work. Due to many parties involved, as well as other changing factors, the schedule can not always be accurately reported.

Depending on the case of damage, the amount of demolition work required varies a lot. Demolition work is done based on moisture mapping and other organoleptic examination.

 

Mechanical drying of structures:

• Once the structures have been demolished, a demolition contractor or a separate drying contractor will bring a sufficient amount of drying equipment to the apartment. This will speed up the drying of the concrete and stone structures.
• Wet board and wood structures will not usually be dried, but demolished and remade.
• Mechanical drying is usually done using apartment electricity. Drying company estimates and calculates the amount of apatment electricity consumed by the drain. This information is then shared with the housing company, which is obliged to reimburse the resident (or the person in whose name the apartment's electricity contract has been made) for the electricity consumption.
• Leave the apartment electricity claim for compensation (with your bank details on it) in writing to the real estate manager.

Mechanical drying puts the structures to a condition where the planned repair work can be continued safely.

 

Repair work:

• The housing company or insurance company is obliged to repair the apartment only to match the basic condition (the apartment's state prior to the damage) of the housing company.
• Usually the repair work is done by a separate repair constructor. This service is ordered after all of the demolition and drying work is done.
• The repair constructor of choice first visits the apartment before starting to work. The constructor gives either to the housing company or insurance company an offer or a price estimate for the repair work.
• Repair work can not be started until the housing company or insurance company has accepted the offer or the price estimate.

 

Living elsewhere:

• If your apartment has major damage due to water leakage and for example kitchen or bathroom must be demolished and repaired at the same time, the apartment is not suitable for living. This is because often the flow of water has to be shut down completely during the demolition and renovation work.
• Always arrange replacement housing as well as possible moving costs in advance with your own insurance company before moving out of your apartment.
• Ask for the housing company or contractor to inform you directly once the apartment has been renovated and you could move back in.

A replacement apartment will be considered only in cases of major water damage, so the need and possibility for it must always be agreed in advance. Usually the damage will be repaired while residents living in the apartment.

 

Informing:

• In cases of water damage informing is primarily done via e-mail.
• We try to inform the parties to the damage about all relating matters as soon as possible.