If a sewage main has broken through in a high-rise building, speed in eliminating the consequences is important. The longer the leak continues, the more serious the negative impact on the condition of the building. In case of an emergency in an apartment on the top floor, there is a danger of flooding of neighbors, which threatens with serious payments for repairs. Knowing what to do in an accident and where to go can help minimize the damage caused by a breakout.
Breakthrough reasons
If you identify what caused the accident, you can fix the problem faster. Pipeline leaks occur:
- due to damage to the walls of the line;
- due to the weakening of pipes in the most rusty places;
- due to wear of the sealing gaskets.
If the place of the leak is not visually noticeable, it is necessary to look for it precisely in the areas of greatest corrosion or at the joints of pipe sections.
Actions in case of an accident
If you are not an expert in the field of plumbing, and your sewer pipe gushes, you need to proceed as follows:
- Try to locate the leak and reduce the drain flow if possible. A small hole can be closed with plasticine or cold welding can be used. If these options are not available, you can wrap a rag around the pipe. It is also better to cover the floor with absorbent material.
- Go around the neighbors on the riser and ask them not to use the sewer for a while. Refuse to use plumbing yourself.
- If the action takes place during the day, make a call to the management company or to the housing department. In the event that they do not answer there or an emergency happened at night, call the emergency service of the water utility. Their services are provided free of charge. Similar actions are carried out if the water supply system is leaking.
If your house has a collar with a seal, use this device. Place the clamp over the pipe in the damaged area. Then it must be pulled off with bolts, thereby creating a barrier for the outflow of wastewater.
In the event of an accident in the basement, the risers are blocked and the neighbors are notified of the problem so that they do not use plumbing fixtures.
The housing department or the management company is responsible for the operability of all common-use equipment; it is necessary to call there when a basement sewage system breaks. They must quickly dispatch an emergency team and close the breach. If you cannot reach the responsible persons, call the emergency workers yourself.
Most of the basements in apartment buildings are closed, so you can't put up temporary barriers with your own hands. But even if the basement is open, it is not worth doing so that the utilities do not blame you for the breakthrough.
Search for the culprit
Victims of a sewer breakthrough need to know exactly who is to blame for such a situation. The management company and housing department are responsible only for those sections of the pipeline that are outside the apartments.
The homeowner is responsible for the entire water supply and drainage system in the apartment. He will pay for the problems encountered by the neighbors.
If the sewer main has broken through in the basement or in the common riser, responsibility for these networks is assigned to the Criminal Code and the housing department. A collective complaint is required. In case of flooding by neighbors, each victim writes his appeal or amicably negotiates with the perpetrators of the accident about repairs at their expense.
Where to complain and claim damages
After fixing the breakthrough, you need to take a photo or shoot a video to document the consequences. This information will come in handy when you claim damages. But it is not enough. A flooding act is required. Call the UK or housing department and ask them to send employees to draw it up.
If there is no response, go to one of these offices in person with a statement addressed to the manager in duplicate. In the document, indicate what the problem is and ask for an act.
Leave one application with the organization, the second must be certified there and given to you.
A commission should come from the servicing housing office to your home for inspection and drawing up an act. It includes a chief engineer, a site foreman, a representative of the management company and a plumber. The document must contain the following information:
- Description of the problem and the reason for its occurrence.
- Date of registration of the act, address and apartment number.
- Signatures of all members of the commission indicating their positions.
- Defective statement, listing all damaged items.
In addition, probable hidden damage due to the negative influence of moisture absorbed into the floors is indicated.
After the act has been drawn up, an assessment of the damage caused will be required. This is done for a fee by organizations of the corresponding profile. Experts will assess the cost of damage, fill out a document on the amount of damage.
Do not agree that the inspection of the premises was carried out only by an employee of the housing department. He will not be able to draw up a full-fledged act that is needed to go to court. If the service organizations refuse to meet halfway, you can complain to the prosecutor's office.
