November 2024
A severe winter storm occurred in December 2022. Many residents had departed to warmer locales or to visit family and friends, leaving their units vacant.
A pipe in a ninth-floor vacant unit started leaking after a polar vortex of frigid air came through the city. It may have been that that the cold weather caused standing water to freeze in the unused pipe. Water damaged multiple units as it traveled down to the second floor before being noticed, reported and repaired. Then extensive unit repairs commenced.
If the leak had been caught sooner, damage would have been minimal. Planning for the future, the board sought to prevent a repeat of this incident. They received approval from owners to regularly inspect vacant units, and to have all renovations inspected by a board-hired plumber and electrician. More importantly, everyone agreed to have water sensors installed.
Water sensor alerts are now sent to a central database for dissemination by phone, text and e-mail to affected residents, concierge/security and condominium manager. A box in the lobby broadcasts an audible announcement that there’s a leak. Everyone agreed to share their internet access so additional wiring was unnecessary.
The cost of installing water sensors was considerably less than the cost of repairing water damage to units and common areas on eight floors.
