Condo water damage cleanup in Miami high‑rises and mid‑rises

If the water is coming from your unit, close the main shutoff valve for the unit or the valve at the fixture. If it is coming from above, call the front desk or building management so they can reach the unit above and shut the water there.

Then call us and take photos of everything before anything is moved. Ceilings, walls, floors and anything wet on the floor are all useful for the claim.

• Shut off water at the unit valve or fixture
• Notify the front desk or building manager
• Turn off power to wet ceiling fixtures at the panel
• Photograph ceilings, walls and floors
• Move valuables off wet flooring

Florida condo law, in Section 718.111(11), generally makes the association responsible for repairing and covering the condominium property as originally installed. Items inside a unit that serve only that unit, such as floor, wall and ceiling coverings, appliances, water heaters, built-in cabinets and countertops, are generally the unit owner's to cover.

One Florida law firm reads this to mean that for a sudden leak, drywall and what is behind it generally falls to the association, while finishes, fixtures and contents fall to the owner's policy. If damage comes from an owner's negligence or failure to follow the condo documents, that owner can be responsible. This is a general summary, not legal advice, and your condo documents and adjuster have the final word.

Most Miami condo buildings have rules for contractors: paperwork on file, service elevator reservations, work hours and loading dock times. We call ahead, follow those rules and keep the manager updated on what we find and how long equipment will run.

We also check the units below and beside yours when the building allows it. Water travels through slab penetrations, pipe chases and wall cavities, so the damage often extends past the unit where the leak started.

Drying a condo means bringing air movers, dehumidifiers and extraction gear up a service elevator, often during set hours. We pad the elevator, protect hallway floors with runners and keep carts off the common area carpet.

Wet drywall, pad and debris leave the same way, bagged and taken down to the loading area so nothing drips in the corridors or lobby.

Drying equipment runs day and night for several days, so we set it to keep noise reasonable and keep doors closed to the hallway. If a neighbor's unit is wet too, we dry it at the same time so one unit is not dumping moisture into the other.

We keep a daily moisture log for each affected unit. That gives the association, both owners and both insurance companies the same set of readings and photos to work from.