Your Richmond Heights rental home should never put any renter through the experience of water leaking. Nevertheless, if a leak does occur, there are ways for you to fix it. Should you encounter a leak in your rental home, here’s what you should do.
Shut Off the Water
If you see or hear water coming from somewhere it shouldn’t, your first course of action is to shut the water off. If the leak is coming from a faucet or appliance, you may be able to shut off the water simply by turning the handle or powering it off. Should the leak prove to be serious, you will have to shut off the main water supply to the house. To do so, locate your water main shut-off valve. Check the basement, utility room, or outside the home. After, use a wrench and some pliers to turn the valve until the water stops flowing.
Minimize the Spread
When you’re done shutting the water off, you should mop up any water that has leaked or pooled on the floor, under cabinets, or elsewhere. Use old towels and a mop to minimize the spread of the water and to dry cabinets, table legs, and other wood. Should the carpet or rugs be soaked, you can use towels to soak up as much water as you can. And, you can open your windows and use a fan or two to try and dry the rug as quickly as possible. If you want to prevent damage to any furniture on top of your carpet, don’t keep it wet since it can lead to molds.
Call the Landlord
Make sure you manage the water flow quickly. Then, best to call your landlord right away. Your landlord needs to be made aware of the situation. If you allow water leaks to linger, they can do some serious damage to the property. If you let that happen, you will be held liable for the damages. Calling your landlord is a great way to get the leaks or any damages repaired immediately.
Practice Prevention
Ultimately, dealing with a water leak in your rental home requires proactive prevention. Make sure you find out what caused the leak in the first place. Afterward, take steps to prevent it from happening again. If possible, protect your drains and pipes from extreme temperatures, clogs, and other common mishaps. Keep track of performing regular maintenance, and then inform your landlord if you see any potential problems developing. By fixing things before the pipes burst, you can do a lot to help prevent water leaks in your rental home.
Would you like to trade in your current Richmond Heights rental home for one that is maintained year-round by qualified professionals? Real Property Management Endeavor can help! Visit our website to check out our listings or give us a call at 636-244-5959.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
