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Avoid BackUps and Water Damage

Drain & Sewer Lines: What is a drain line? Your drain lines are the plumbing pipes inside your home that carry used water away from fixtures like toilets, sinks, showers, and washing machines. Their job is simple but critical: move wastewater from your unit to the building’s sewer system and eventually to a treatment facility. In a high-rise building, this system is much more complex than in a single-family home. Drain lines run vertically through the building in shared “stacks,” and each unit connects into that system. Because of this design, a blockage in a common line can cause sewage to back up into one or even multiple units above the clog.

Who’s Responsible for the Drain Lines? Condominium plumbing systems are divided between Association-maintained common lines and Owner-responsible lines. Under the Association’s governing documents, Owners are responsible for maintaining, repairing, and replacing utility systems and equipment, including without limitation, gas, plumbing, electrical, air conditioning, heating, other water heating equipment servicing his or her residential unit and located either within or without the perimeter of the exterior walls, floors and cielings, so long as those systems are used exclusively by such Owner (CC&Rs: Article 8). This includes the responsibility to clear obstructions in any sewer or drainage line that exclusively services your unit.

What can you do to prevent clogs and backups in your unit?

Toilet(s): Avoid flushing items other than those intended for the toilet. Items like wipes (even “flushable” ones), paper towels, cat litter, feminine hygiene products, and tissues do not break down properly and are a major cause of blockages.

Kitchen Sink/Garbage Disposal: Limit the items you put down the drain! Avoid placing fibrous fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, eggshells, pasta, rice, oatmeal, fruit pits, seeds, bones, seafood shells, grease and cooking oils, or harsh chemicals down the drain. Each of these items present a hazard by either causing a blockage in the sewer line or causing actual damage to the pipe itself.

Shower/Bathtub: The only items going down your drain should be soap, shampoo and water. Unfortunately, the main culprits that lead to a slow or clogged drain in showers/bathtubs are inevitable: soap scum, conditioner scum, dead skin, etc. Another main cause for clogged drains is hair buildup – try using a shower/tub drain strainer to catch the hair! Unfortunately, these substances naturally build up over time, eventually coagulating and sticking to the walls of the pipes until a blockage gets so large that it impacts the flow of water.

Avoid: Chemical Drain Cleaners such as Drano, Liquid Plumr, etc.

Use: Other high-rise Associations have recommended non-acidic or Alkaline based drain cleaners. The Grande North HOA sells “Thrift Drain Cleaner,” a non-acidic drain cleaner, for $11!

Laundry/Washer: Double check your soap/detergent/other washing machine safe items to ensure that they do not have harsh chemicals. When doing loads of laundry, make sure that you are placing the recommended amount of soap and detergent in your washer. Avoid doing “large” loads of laundry as an excessive amount of clothes in a washer can not only damage your exclusive-use washer, but can also create a backup or flood. Washers pump out significant water volume, which can ultimately overwhelm the capacity of the drain, forcing water to back up and overfill the machine.

Low Water Pressure or No Hot Water? = Cartridges, Filters, Aerators: If you notice low water pressure or inconsistent hot water, the issue may not be the building’s supply but rather aging components within your fixtures. Cartridges, aerators, and filters in faucets and showers can clog with debris over time, especially in older buildings. Replacing these small parts often restores proper pressure and temperature control. Some manufacturers, such as Kohler, offer lifetime warranties on certain components like cartridges, which may be available at no cost. If you’re unable to obtain parts directly, a licensed plumber can usually source and install them during the same visit. Some manufactures like Kohler provide a lifetime warranty on its products, and parts like Cartridges can be obtained free of charge. If unable to obtain a cartridge through the manufacturers, please call your preferred plumbing company as many obtain and install the cartridge all at once!

If you need any information on parts, please contact the Front Desk or Management office to obtain the information and we will be happy to help! For a list of preferred plumbers/vendors, please click on the “Vendor List” tab on the grande north website.

Check for Water & Moisture: Whether it’s plumbing or weather water intrusion, here are a few ways to check for moisture. Residents are also encouraged to routinely check their units for signs of moisture or water intrusion. Periodically inspecting walls, ceilings, floors, windows, door seals, and patios can help catch problems early. Stains, bubbling paint, soft drywall, or musty odors may indicate hidden moisture. Early detection can mean the difference between a small repair and a major remediation project. Balcony drains are another critical but often overlooked feature. These drains are designed to carry rainwater away from your unit. If they become clogged with leaves or debris, water can pool and eventually enter the home, causing damage not only to your unit but potentially to others below. Regularly clearing debris from balcony drains is a simple but important step in preventing water intrusion.

HVAC: This equipment in your home can be a source of water leaks in condos and flooding to other Units. Now is your chance to help protect yourself and others from water damage.

The equipment that cools and heats your condo is commonly called “HVAC”—“Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.”  Why does this matter?  Because it’s not air from equipment (an “air conditioner”) that cools (and heats) your condo, it’s WATER.

In addition, attached under your heat pump is a shallow “condensate drip pan” with a small drain hole in it to a tiny drain line to many other heat pump pans above and below you. Condensation moisture drips into this pan and, ideally, drains out. Over time, however, bits of debris can gather in this tray and algae also can form and grow, which clog the narrow drain. Water can back-up and overflow the pan onto the closet floor and potentially onto units below. Gravity Rules!