Condo – short for condominiums are small and separate units, the amenities, however, are shared by the condo communities. Like gymnasium, parks, garages, swimming pools or gardens. You can get a condo depending on your requirements, but you have to research it before buying as without research you can suffer the consequences.
Majority of Canadians find condo living ideal – whether you choose to stay there during your job tenure or looking to downsize. Condos not only drives an efficient living but it’s also easy on wallets. In addition, the concept that you don’t have to build in your amenities grabs the people more towards buying condos.
When we talk to real estate brokers about the concerns people show before buying condos, the most common to come up was water damage. They were worried if their condos can survive the rain or not.
How is Water Damage Caused?
Water is the worst enemy of the building structure. The repair can cost you thousands of dollars, especially when you don’t fix the leakage on time. There are many factors that can cause water damages like condensation due to air conditioning, plumbing faults or masonry.
Excess of rain, water flow, and the leakage holes if left unaddressed. It’s better to spend money on your condo maintenance rather than giving space to the leakage as it’s rightly said, “A stitch in time saves nine.”
So, here comes a short guide to protect your condo from water damages:
Before you Buy
The decision to buy condo should be done after complete research and discussion with your real estate agent. When you ask him about the Homeowner’s Association rules and regulations, you should also show concern for the water damages. Here is the list of questions you need to ask your real estate broker.
Know about the insurance policy. Ask what does the corporate insurance covers and what it doesn’t.
Do the insurance policy covers the damages of the outside structure or walls or it covers the rain damages?
What are the charges that will be deductible from the corporate insurance policy?
Is the HOA responsible for fixtures, damages of ceilings and floors?
Asking these questions will give you a satisfactory edge in emergency circumstances. For instance, when you look for beautiful Toronto condos for sale downtown, knowing the answers will help you narrow down the searches.
When you Settle in..
Once you’ve chosen the condo for you and decided to move in then here are few solutions you need to adopt.
In case of water leakage, who’s the responsible person to contact. If possible gather the phone numbers so you wouldn’t have to panic in the situation.
Know where is the main connection to shut down the flow of water.
Learn the emergency plan in case of heavy water flow.
Does the building management corporate in case of natural disaster prediction and running emergencies?
In Case of Water Damages
If you don’t have an emergency plan for your water leakages and it suddenly occurs then here’s what should you do immediately?
Contact the professional plumber who can fix the fault on point. If there’s a crack on the walls, fix it to prevent damage later.
Turn off the electronic appliances and make sure they are not in use.
Don’t leave your unit without turning off the dishwasher.
Never dispose of the waste in toilets, it can clog it during the water flow.
Make sure the toilet isn’t running whenever you leave your home.
Do a test by dropping coloring into the toilet tank. If the coloring appears then there’s a leak.
If you stay away from home, give the keys to your security guard, and ask him to check when you’re away.
There is a list of queries that comes when you’re choosing to buy a condo. So, when you consult a real estate agent to suggest a condo, it’s important to also ask him about the water damages. Although this guide doesn’t give the nitty-gritty to save your condo from water flow but it does provide the overview.
So, when you’re buying a Toronto condo, keep these factors on top of your mind and you’ll save yourself from the leaking potholes.