I awoke this morning to a fucking flood in my apartment. Apparently a pipe had busted last night. So i tell my apartment office about it and all they do is bring in the blowers.

So I guess thats all they are going to do. Aren't they suppose to replace the carpet? can I get out of my lease now? this is rediculous.










[Edited on February 27, 2006 at 8:06 PM. Reason : d]

2/27/2006 8:06:39 PM

Rip the carpet out.

Then they'll have to replace it.

It's already bad right?

2/27/2006 8:09:50 PM

it stinks. smells horrible in the place.

2/27/2006 8:32:33 PM

contact student legal services

2/27/2006 8:45:27 PM

That looks pretty fucked up right there. And it's ridiculous too.

2/27/2006 8:52:12 PM

Quote :

"Aren't they suppose to replace the carpet?"

no. they are required to dry it like they have done unless it is permanantly stained or continues to smell like mildew. then they must have it professionally cleaned.

Quote :

"can I get out of my lease now?"

why would you think you could get out of your lease? shit happens. i hope your not one of those dumbfucks who is too cheap to pay for renter's insurance since it's only like $12/month. you do understand that if any of your personal property was damaged, the apt. complex has no legal duty to cover any costs of replacement, right? get renter's insurance if you don't already.

Quote :

"Rip the carpet out. Then they'll have to replace it. It's already bad right?"

yeah, they will have to replace it at Novicane's cost.

[Edited on February 27, 2006 at 9:08 PM. Reason : -]

2/27/2006 9:06:53 PM

Quote :

"yeah, they will have to replace it at Novicane's cost."

None of my stuff has been damaged.

The pipe busting is not my fault and I will not pay for carpet replacement.

2/27/2006 9:44:54 PM

Same thing happened to me. They brought in blowers to try and salvage the carpet. I think they try and save the carpet and then if it's just too much damage then they replace it. It was their busted pipe so they pay for it, not you.


You're lucky none of your stuff got ruined- if it did and you didnt have renters insurance you'd be screwed. Maybe you should take this as a message from above to get some renters insurance!!!!

[Edited on February 27, 2006 at 10:26 PM. Reason : grammar]

2/27/2006 10:26:14 PM

heh, i just starting working at a carpet cleaining place that does flood damage. If there is a flood, the apartment complex will call us up and we'll pull the pad out (if it's a sewer leak), we'll extract the water from the carpet, and usually put down some chemical to kill any mildew that might grow, and possibly some blowers to dry the carpet

none of the places we've been will replace the carpet; at best, they will replace the pad. If the smell is really a problem, try to push to get the pad replaced b/c mildew can easily get trapped in the pad. Also, get them to spray some chemicals to kill any mildew. Good luck

2/28/2006 12:21:46 AM

CASE CLOSED

2/28/2006 12:33:57 AM

Quote :

"The pipe busting is not my fault and I will not pay for carpet replacement."

i understand that. but if you decide that the carpet doesn't meet your expectations and just decide to rip it out without consulting the office first, they will charge you for replacement.

2/28/2006 7:21:06 AM

Quote :

"i hope your not one of those dumbfucks "

2/28/2006 7:22:46 AM

Quote :

"So i tell my apartment office about it and all they do is bring in the blowers."

Have you tried talking to them a second time? Seems to me there may have been some miscommunication (either intentionally or unintentionally) on their end. A busted pipe will cause a LOT more problems and damages to repair for them if they don't fix it. Pretty sure if falls under one of those "emergency maintenance" items.

2/28/2006 7:28:03 AM

i had a hot water heater blow a pipe in my old apartment way back when... and they did the blower thing too. the only complaint i remember having afterwards was the amount of carpet fuzz that had coated everything in the place after they were done. but nothing smelled bad and the carpet was dry, so i didnt really worry about it.

2/28/2006 7:42:02 AM

Day 2:

Water is still leaking from the ceiling.
Fans are still blowing.

Im curious as to what about our power bill?

2/28/2006 11:13:06 AM

did they plug in the fans to your outlet?

2/28/2006 11:15:40 AM

^ yeah. Like all 4 fans ran all day, all night, and now all day today.

2/28/2006 11:35:22 AM

http://www.apthorrors.com/introduction.html

2/28/2006 11:53:24 AM

Quote :

"Day 2: Water is still leaking from the ceiling. Fans are still blowing. Im curious as to what about our power bill?"

well, obviously you need to let management know that it's still leaking. also, when you tell them that it is still leaking, since you have had to deal with the constant drip and fans blowing, that you will want your carpets professionally cleaned (note-they might have an extractor and cleaner. be sure to tell them you want an outside company to do the work or else they'll just send maintenance in there to do a half-ass job) and a discount on next month's rent due to the power the fans used. be sure to talk to the manager. not some nobody leasing agent who can't make decisions. be polite and nice but be firm.

btw, i did apt. maintenance for 5 years. take my advice.





[Edited on February 28, 2006 at 12:42 PM. Reason : -]

2/28/2006 12:39:53 PM

Talk to the apt manager- I bet they'll foot the power bill for the month. Be a pain in the butt- be in there morning and afternoon- "It's still leaking", "My apartment smells like mildew" etc. They'll be so desperate to get rid of you that they might do just about anything you ask.

2/28/2006 12:46:37 PM

what floor are you on?
1st or 2nd? If you are on the second floor, you might need the subfloor replaced. The carpet may be salvagable, but that can only be determined after it is dry.
Fans and dehumidifiers can work wonders in places such as that. There should be at least two fans and a dehumidifier in each room that has damage though.
Watch out for mold and mildew, as well as drywall damage due to the water. I bet your drywall has water at least a foot high.

For reference, I worked for a company that specialized in reconstruction after water and fire damage.

[Edited on February 28, 2006 at 12:54 PM. Reason : any questions, just PM me.]

2/28/2006 12:53:56 PM

^ We are on the 1st Floor. The water has spread to the kitchen and everything. Thanks for the advice above. Rent is due tommorrow as well. I hate the bitches in the apartment office, all they care about is money. I'll ask for the manager definately.







[Edited on February 28, 2006 at 1:25 PM. Reason : l]

2/28/2006 1:01:24 PM

Sounds like my experience, and ask now. My complex (kensington park) when i had a flood (their fault) refused to even help with the insane power bill.

2/28/2006 1:58:03 PM

Update:

They came back and finally cut a hole in the ceiling. Water wasn't coming from a pipe, but instead from the apartment above us. The guys above kept using their dish washer that leaked even after the fact they knew it leaked.

They are still blow drying the carpet and have brought in a humidifier.


Oh, that light fixture in the pics above, was filled with water.

[Edited on February 28, 2006 at 3:29 PM. Reason : d]

2/28/2006 3:29:18 PM

^^I had the EXACT same thing happen at KP. It also took them almost 2 hours to come to our apartment and even turn the water off. We literally had a waterfall in our bathroom from the upstairs neighbor's hot water heater. They didn't even fix the ceiling completely in the bathroom until I called and bitched months later. They came in right after the flood and did some stuff to the ceiling and then said they had to come back the next day to finish...

[Edited on February 28, 2006 at 3:50 PM. Reason : n]

2/28/2006 3:50:02 PM

They are responsible for making the apartment livable as it was prior to the water damage. This includes the floors, the walls and the carpets. Continue to complain that it smells if it still does.

Its just water man but mold is a huge issue. If you smells anything at all funny when the blowers leave call and complain. Call EVERY SINGLE DAY until they fix it. If they don't fix it in 30 days threaten to call minimal housing. That'll get em there fast.

BUT remember... this is only if it still smells. If they do make the effort to fix it then don't worry.

2/28/2006 5:04:42 PM

i'm sorry. that sucks. i had a friend with a similar problem. i think she ended up calling dept of health. if it smells= possibility of mold spores= health risk = u can get the place condemmed or at the very least ordered to rectify the problem.


our water heater burst and my landloard had a new one ordered and installed the next day. he personally came tore up the ruined carpet in the room 2 days later, we now have linoneum (sp?) there instead. which rocks. easier to clean then carpet.
the room is only the laundry/dogs room (size of a small bedroom).

and he asked if any of our stuff was damaged and said he'd replace it if so.
(nothing was, just dog beds but they were washed and ok)

he also had a brand new washer and dryer delivered 2 days later when those died too.

but my landlord is the exception i think. he rocks. takes care of us.

2/28/2006 5:19:38 PM

you aren't in lake park are you?

2/28/2006 9:34:24 PM

Similar thing happened to me. They fixed it up but it was still a pain in the ass. Had to sleep in a hotel for two nights and basically everything in the kitchen was wet. Threw out tons of food. If you haven't learned your lesson, RENTER'S INSURANCE. Also, you might not want to stay there past your current lease term. Get out! Those pictures look so eerily similar to The Falls at Duraleigh where it happened to me. Good luck. I know it's pretty stressful.

2/28/2006 10:30:59 PM

I live in wilmington.

I am breaking my lease tommorrow. 1 Months rent + 60 day notice.

3/1/2006 1:22:10 AM

It's been 2 days, people have told you that what they are doing for now is standard practice, and have told you what to expect and what to look for as a sign of trouble and then told you what to do about it. Is it really worth screwing with your rental history just because some water leaked into your apartment?

3/1/2006 12:32:23 PM

Day 3:

Still Water (standing water as well...). Smell is 10x worse now.






[Edited on March 1, 2006 at 12:43 PM. Reason : jj]

3/1/2006 12:42:39 PM

Day 4

Kiddie pool

3/2/2006 12:42:45 AM

First, find out if water is still leaking.

Second. From the pictures, I see the dehumidifier. IF that is what they are using, you probably want 1 in the center in each room, and two or three fans circulating air. The fans are not used to dry the carpets.

If you are running the Heater or AC, stop. Keep the doors closed as much as possible.

That place is going to need a lot of work.

If the dehus are working, your place should be very very hot. When it is nearly dry, it will be like a sauna.

[Edited on March 2, 2006 at 12:52 AM. Reason : .]

3/2/2006 12:51:59 AM

Quote :

"Im curious as to what about our power bill?"

depends on how big the fans are and how many you have. also, I work for Progress Energy, good luck getting the office to pay the bill, alot of times they try to just put it back on us saying it was our fault, they'll run you in circles. i suggest check your meter and see if it's gone up more than normal. if they give you hell call us and request a history of your bills so they can see if there's a significant increase. if i can help you PM me.

[Edited on March 2, 2006 at 12:57 AM. Reason : .]

3/2/2006 12:56:47 AM

^^ dehus were def working today, place was hot as hell. But there was still a ton of water.

^ thnx. They said they would "adjust" our bill. So i'll see about that

3/2/2006 1:45:14 AM

man, they really need to get a professional service out there to extract the water, then use the fans. the fans work good on damp carpet, but not when it's soaked. i don't think it will dry quick enough to prevent mildew from growing. like maximadrvr said about the fans, you don't want to focus them on a particular spot of carpet, but use them to get some air flowing throughout the entire room. and be careful about bending wet carpet and leaving it folded over; it will get stiff in a hurry and not lay back down properly.

3/2/2006 2:11:29 AM

Day 4 Cont.

Making head way now. Three mant guys came over this morning.

Water was coming from two places: 1. The guy's above us washing machine. They kept using it even after the apt complex told them not to. 2. There is a cold water line (that always has pressure) inside our bar wall where it runs into the conrete and runs under the apartment. They sawed a hole in our counter and saw the leakage.

They wet vacced and now have tore up the carpet. They have finally given up on drying it.

We are getting new carpet, new dishwasher, new fridge, and possibly new oven. 4 days of solid bitching has paid off.

3/2/2006 10:59:54 AM

^ Good for you!!!!

I'm glad to hear that they're replacing things for you. Because imho they should. Carpet that has been flooded even if it doesnt smell is never the same.


And re someone way up- gee, a water heater in KP? how coincidental. (not) that's what ours was. It happens all the time over there and the management doesnt give a shit. It's one of the reasons I moved the FUCK out.

3/2/2006 11:34:34 AM

See PM

DO NOT SETTLE until you know that there is NO MOLD GROWING in your apt.

Your health depends on it.

3/2/2006 1:05:50 PM

^^Same here, and I am MUCH better off for it.

3/2/2006 1:48:07 PM

are you still gonna move then?

3/2/2006 1:57:07 PM

^ we are still planning to sublease it. Im tired of the apartment thing, ready for a house.

3/2/2006 3:08:42 PM

Quote :

"no. they are required to dry it like they have done unless it is permanantly stained or continues to smell like mildew. then they must have it professionally cleaned."

yep

3/2/2006 7:42:50 PM

I would ask for a rebate for the electricity you had to use for the fans.

3/2/2006 7:45:16 PM