As a rental property owner, the possibility of a water damage disaster should never be taken for granted. Thus, it’s important that you always be prepared in case a flood hits. There are a few simple things you can do ahead of time to accomplish this.
Water Damage Cleanup Hudson Valley
Here are a few tips on being prepared and responding to water damage in your rental properties from our restoration experts at Liberty Restoration.
Be Prepared
Have The Home Inspected
When managing multiple properties, it’s essential that you have them regularly inspected since it is impossible for you to keep tabs on everything you need on your own. A plumbing professional will crawl under your home, investigate all the water sources, look for current signs of flooding, search for pipe corrosion, and look for damaged appliances. This will help you address serious problems in the making before they ever develop in the first place.
Install Water Detection Devices
Water detection devices are a wise investment for preventing water damage. Just like smoke detectors, these devices sound an alarm if they detect excessively high levels of moisture. You can even link these up with your phone so you or your tenants could be notified in the case of a potential water damage emergency.
Prepare Your Renters
If any of your rental properties flood, you need to establish a good system of communication with your tenants since they will know about the damage before you do. Setting these expectations with them ahead of time will help them know what to do so they can get the help they need sooner and allow you to minimize the overall damage from the flood.
Act Fast
Be Able To Stop The Water Quickly
If the cause of the flooding is a burst pipe, make sure you or your tenant turn off the main water shut-off valve as soon as possible. To the extent you can, try to stop the source of the flooding as well if it is caused by something other than a burst pipe.
Minimize Property Damage
Remove items that might leave a stain on the wet carpet. If you can’t remove the item, put aluminum foil under its legs. Lift curtains, draperies, or upholstered furniture skirts away from wet carpets or standing water. If your property has two stories, move as many items as possible to the second floor.
Arrange For Temporary Housing
While dealing with the fallout of the damage, you will also need to provide a good option for your tenants while the damage is being repaired. We recommend having a set plan already established so you don’t have to scramble to figure something out while also dealing with the water damage.
Finally, our team of dedicated water damage restoration experts at Liberty Restoration is always just one call away. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us after a flood so we can begin removing the water and restoring the damage for you.