Water damage can be a serious source of worry and financial stress in residential buildings, causing headaches for both administrators and residents alike. In fact, water damage is the most common type of home insurance claim. Water leaks in condo buildings can be especially problematic in shared infrastructure, since a leak can affect neighbouring units or even multiple floors. For this reason, having a water-detection system is particularly important in condominiums.
Jocelyn Gilbert, the president of a condo building in the Old Port of Quebec, knows this firsthand. After experiencing major water damage in his building several years ago, he made the decision to install a water-leak detection and control system to prevent future damage and achieve peace of mind.
Tell me about your condo building and the residents who live there
Jocelyn Gilbert: It’s a very old heritage building that dates back to 1880, located right on the river in Quebec City’s Old Port. We have 40 residential units, and most of the people don’t live here full time. Many residents are from Montreal, the U.S., Europe, and some are from Quebec City but go to Florida in the winter. And because it’s so sparsely inhabited in the winter, water damage can easily leak onto other floors without anyone noticing.
What happened in the condo a few years ago?
Jocelyn Gilbert: The fact remains that it’s an old building, and when water damage occurs in an old building, water spreads rapidly from one floor to the next. It’s not as watertight as an all-concrete building. So we experienced a leak four years ago that only lasted about 20 minutes, but the water ran down all three floors of the building in that short period of time and caused a significant amount of damage.
What has your experience been like since the water-detection system was installed?
Jocelyn Gilbert: We installed the NOWA water leak and detection control system in March, and there have been five water leak detections since then. These were dishwashers leaking down the drain, shower fittings leaking into the walls, and a leaky sink. Funnily enough, each time there was a leak detection, the condo owner said, “But I can't see anything. There's no damage. It must be a false alarm. I don’t think it works.” And each time we investigated it, we found that there was water running. Nothing major, but enough that it could have caused major mold damage in the long term. That’s five valid alerts in the span of five months.
How does the NOWA system work?
Jocelyn Gilbert: In bathrooms, we have sensing cables, which are about three feet long, placed in all the areas that might leak—so under the shower drain or faucet, for example. And then we also put in detection frames in kitchens under the sinks and dishwashers, which look like electric wires. And as soon as there’s any water where it shouldn’t be, it’s going to detect it, alert us, and cut off the water supply.
Tell me about the installation process. Was it simple for you and fellow condo owners?
Jocelyn Gilbert: To date, the installation has been impeccable. We used a company called DétectEau Solution, by GardaWorld , who we’ve worked with for a long time, and they installed the system throughout the entire building in just four days. And not one resident out of the 40 co-owners in the building has called me to ask how it works. Each resident was given a little information booklet under their control panel, and there’s a 24-hour service line they can call if there’s an issue. Residents have called the service a few times and everything was taken care of immediately. As a director and president of a condominium, I honestly haven’t had to deal with anything—it’s been a piece of cake.
Can you tell me about some of the ways that water damage can cause serious stress and inconvenience for residents?
Jocelyn Gilbert: I know of a building that experienced major water damage several months ago, and it caused so many problems for the residents. It’s very difficult to find contractors and construction workers right now because of the labour shortage, and materials are very expensive, so repairs take a long time and cost a lot. Residents are often locked out of their apartments for months on end. In the case of this building, the residents were given a financial allowance from their insurer to relocate while the building was being fixed, but the repairs took so long that they used up their entire financial allowance and were forced to pay for the remaining time out of pocket.
What would you say to people who say it’s too expensive to install a water-detection system?
Jocelyn Gilbert:The installation of the NOWA system using Detect Eau Solution, by GardaWorld, cost us a significant sum, but if you think you don't have the money to install it, then you certainly don't have the money to pay for major water damage. Insurance companies are becoming more and more cautious with condo buildings, especially heritage buildings like ours. And if you experience water damage, you have to pay the deductible, which might be a similar sum, plus your monthly premium will likely go way up.
In other words, the system costs less than one major leak would, so you’re ultimately saving money. People may think they can’t afford NOWA, but in reality, they don't have the financial means not to install an effective detection system.
Before you had the NOWA system installed, how did you deal with water detection and damage in the condo building?
Jocelyn Gilbert: We used to have a bylaw requiring the manual water valve to be closed, and the main water also inlet had to be closed for any absence of three days or more. I’d say about 80 percent of co-owners followed that rule. Now, with NOWA installed, and especially because we've also installed motion detection with it, the valves close after 14 hours of no movement, giving us peace of mind even when residents are out of town for long periods of time.
Is the system only useful to prevent major water damage?
Jocelyn Gilbert: We often tend to think that a water leak detector like NOWA only prevents major water damage, but one of its biggest benefits is that it prevents water damage that’s more insidious. The five leak detections we’ve had so far have all been minor, but these types of leaks don’t just go away on their own—they get worse with time. So it’s clear that at some point we would have had a problem inside the walls.
What regulations do you have in place regarding the NOWA system in your building?
Jocelyn Gilbert: We require a certified plumber to do all the plumbing work, and we have the NOWA system set up to close the water valve after a certain amount of time of there being no one home. And as soon as someone is absent for a month or more, we force the condo’s water inlet manual valve to be closed in case there is a defect with the backwater valve. Also, the more you manipulate the valve, the better it keeps its condition. We’re also trying to introduce a by-law that would say that each co-owner is obligated to keep the NOWA poles or sensing cables where they have been installed at all times. And then if there is ever water damage after a co-owner has moved the sensor away from where it’s supposed to be, it becomes the responsibility of the resident rather than the condo building.
About NOWA:
GardaWorld’s NOWA water leak and detection system not only identifies water leaks, but it also stops them in their tracks to limit the extent of the damage. The system works using small sensors, which are placed in every spot where there is a risk of a leak. As soon as water hits the sensor, even if it’s as little as a single glass of water, the master control receives an alert and shuts off the appropriate water entry immediately. The property owner, maintenance and security staff are also all notified as soon as this occurs. Plus, if you head out of town but forget to close your valve, the web app allows you to open and close your main water valve remotely. Installing NOWA may also save you money on insurance, as many insurance companies offer discounted premiums if you have a leak-detection system installed. NOWA provides peace of mind to condo administrators and residents alike by eliminating the stress of potential water damage.
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