Job completed for Apartment Utility Closet Leak Cleanup and Kitchen Drying

A West Columbia, SC property owner called Kingsley water damage & Fire cleanup after water leaked from the utility closet that holds the water heater and washer hookups in a pair of side-by-side apartment units. The water ran under the louvered closet doors and across the vinyl kitchen and hallway floor, loosening floor tiles and soaking the baseboards and the bottom of the drywall along the closet wall.

Kingsley water damage & Fire cleanup started with a moisture survey of both units. The crew checked the air with a thermo-hygrometer and took meter readings along the baseboards, the lower drywall and the floor in the kitchen, hallway, closets and bathrooms, then compared them with readings from dry areas of the same building to map exactly where the water had traveled.

Loose vinyl tiles were lifted and the water-stained baseboard along the utility closet wall was pulled so the floor underneath and the bottom of the wall could dry instead of trapping moisture. A commercial dehumidifier was set up in the kitchen hallway right outside the utility closet, and the crew returned to log readings in each room until the floor and walls matched the dry standard, at which point the equipment was removed and the units were ready for repairs.

Property owner takeaway: a water heater or washer connection in a small utility closet can leak for a while before anyone notices, so put a drain pan under the water heater and have the valves and hoses checked once a year. If you have water damage in your West Columbia home or rental property, call Kingsley water damage & Fire cleanup at 803-219-8873. Our team is available 24/7 for emergency water damage service.