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Foul odors emanating from bathtub and sink drains, toilets refusing to flush properly, water backups discovered in building basements or first-floor units. These are just some of the horrors condominium and apartment associations deal with when sewer pipes and drains back up.

It’s no isolated issue, and it causes significant health risks, cleanup costs, and ongoing maintenance. Sewers without proper traps can cause severe allergic attacks or potentially fatal consequences to residents. Broken pipes can cause raw sewage to empty into buildings. As a result, nasty stenches can reduce property values and associations that can’t seem to locate the cause and apply the right remedy can find themselves part of expensive claims.

Interestingly a recent lawsuit in California for damage to the interior of a unit from common area pluming found the Condominium Association liable.

Association boards tend to have a reactive approach to drainage issues. What’s needed is a preventative process that allows associations to reduce potential issues and costly repairs. In order to prevent backups or line breaks, associations should regularly inspect the sewer and drainage systems. A drainage maintenance process should include these four easy steps:

1. Schedule regular inspections. Twice a year, drainage systems should be inspected by licensed plumbing/engineering experts. Associations should invest in camera-based inspections to ensure trees and plants have not damaged drain pipes.
2. Conduct landscape maintenance. One of the most common reasons for a backup includes tree roots that have damaged pipes. Work with your plumbing expert to locate any potential problems.
3. Communicate dos and don’ts with residents. Even products labeled as flushable can cause serious backups. Make sure residents know that items such as flushable cat litter, feminine products, and pasta or rice products should never go down drains or toilets.
4. Review your apartment or condo association insurance policy. Examine your policy limits against the size and estimated replacement costs of a sewer or drain system. Most master policies offer limits from $25,000 to $100,000, depending on property size.

Has your association completed the 4 simple and inexpensive fixes that could save you thousands of dollars in the future?

Flickr photo credit: mojorider2