No renter wants to experience water leaking in your Park Ridge rental home. However, if ever there is a leak, there are steps you can take to address 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. If the leak seems to be quite problematic, you might need to shut off the main water supply to the house. To do so, locate your water main shut-off valve. You can usually find it in the basement, utility room, or outside the home. Then, use a wrench and some pliers to turn the valve until the water stops flowing.
Minimize the Spread
Because you’ve already shut the water off, you can 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. You can use towels to soak up as much water as you can, should you find that your carpets and rugs to be soaked too. And then, you can open your windows and use a few fans to dry the rug as fast as possible. If you leave your carpet wet for too long it will produce mold, possibly damaging any furniture on top of it.
Call the Landlord
Get the water flow under control, and then call your landlord. Keep your landlord updated with the situation so that he/she knows what you’ve done to address the problem. If you don’t want serious damages to the property, deal with water leaks immediately. If you let that happen, you will be held liable for the damages. Calling your landlord to inform him is a wise choice so that any leak and/or damage is repaired a.s.a.p.
Practice Prevention
Ultimately, dealing with a water leak in your rental home requires proactive prevention. After you’ve determined the cause of the leak, make sure you take measures to prevent it from happening again. If possible, protect your drains and pipes from extreme temperatures, clogs, and other common mishaps. Make it a point to not lose track of your home’s regular maintenance. Then, if any problems arise, contact your landlord immediately. 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 Park Ridge rental home for one that is maintained year-round by qualified professionals? Real Property Management Chicago Group can help! Visit our website to check out our listings or give us a call at 312-265-0660.
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