Water leaks and any ensuing damage cause major maintenance issues for apartment buyers and owners, and can cost thousands of dollars to repair.
Builders and architects say faulty workmanship and poor design are the main reasons for water leaks in apartments and high-rise residential buildings.
As industrial areas are converted and apartment living takes off in central cities, suburban satellites are also boosting medium density developments, and water leaks are becoming a number one maintenance issue for owners.
Older buildings are usually the main problem – statistics show that during pre-purchase inspections between 2010 and 2015 across Australia, four per cent of residences were found to have major water problems, and 34 per cent had minor problems.
Experts say there only needs to be one leak caused by a poor sealing job, a broken tile or a blocked drain, to cause substantial damage to an apartment, or the ones next door.
With more than three million Australians now living in apartments, the maintenance of both old and new apartment buildings needs regular monitoring.
Water damage can not only be a very expensive fault to repair, it has the potential to make an apartment uninhabitable.
Water damage can cause structural materials to rot, compromising the integrity of walls and even foundations.
And if water enters electrical fittings, the safety of a whole building may be compromised. Don’t forget, dampness and mould have major health impacts.
