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How to Deal with Water Damage of Your Rental Property
How to Deal with Water Damage of Your Rental Property
4.9 RATING

How to Deal with Water Damage of Your Rental Property

Water damage can happen for many reasons: flooding, broken plumbing, roof dams, and leaking roofs. Floods often happen during winter months

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June 03, 2026
How to Deal with Water Damage of Your Rental Property

Water damage can happen for many reasons: flooding, broken plumbing, roof dams, and leaking roofs. Floods often happen during winter months. In these cases, you may not even know you've been affected by water damage until you notice the smell of wet drywall or mildew in one of your closets or corners of the basement. Water damage removal is very challenging, so you need to address it as quickly as possible with Tidal Wave Response. Delays in the water damage restoration process can lead to health concerns due to mold.

What to Do When Water Damage Strikes Your Rental Property

When water damage strikes your rental property, acting quickly and efficiently is important. The longer you wait to address the problem, the more likely mold will develop and make the situation worse than it needs to be.

Who Takes Responsibility?

In some cases, landlords are responsible for paying for damages caused by tenants or guests during their stay at the property. If this happens, you'll want to take pictures of the damaged area and document its condition before anything is removed from its place in order to prove that you didn't cause the damage yourself or let someone else do so without reporting it first.

When tenants report a problem with their rental unit, they may expect the landlord to take care of it. However, in most cases, that responsibility lies with the tenant. It’s up to them to report any issues and resolve them before they become serious problems.

What About an Airbnb Rental?

If your rental property is used as an Airbnb or other short-term rental service, this can complicate things further. You need to consider how much you want to invest in repairs versus how much you make from rentals each month. If there are multiple units in the building, consider whether it would be better for you financially if one unit were out of commission for a while rather than all of them being out of commission at once (if only temporarily).

Reviews

Cassandra Abdus-Salaam

Alpharetta, GA

Hi. I don’t know where to start. John and Tidal wave his company were and still are a blessing from my Lord. One morning in January of this year I went down stairs and stepped in a puddle of water it was flooded. I also passed out. This was the second one in less than a year. I stood there for a minute and just cried. All I could think of was my insurance company may not take care of it a second time even if it was for a different leak. The last claim they paid out $23,000 for…

John Ayer

Atlanta, GA

John Mayer, Principal of Tidal Wave Response, and his project management team, lead by Colin Galubinski, has completed the restoration of my home in record time. The work included, but was not limited to the following: 1) Professional water leak detection 2) Professional plumbing that removed the concrete slab and backfill material, found and repaired the PEX cold water pipe 3) Backfilled and placed concrete to finish grade 4) Packed the furniture to storage. Restored the furniture without incident nor damage. 5) Dehumidified and removed the damaged carpet and hardwoods. 6) Cleaned the concrete surface and installed the new hardwoods.…

Spenser Hewett

Brookhaven, GA

I have worked in sales and also have experience in launching my own business. It is rare that you find a company that genuinely has your best interest in mind. Not only was John helpful outside of his business’ expertise, but he sent Chris to do a *free* evaluation of our water damage. John and Chris were both genuine and personable. They cared about what our situation was and they weren’t looking to get any sort of “fee” for their time. These are the kind of people you trust to handle big, catastrophic water damage to. I have previously had…

James B

Chamblee, GA

While others might categorize John as a fast talker, but on the other hand. I saw a man that's passionate about his business and willing to help others elevate their present situation. In early December 2022, our laundry room floor and wall got water damaged due to leakage from the hotline pipe, and other rooms got impacted due to water spreading. So, I reached out to John and he assured me they'll do everything within their power to get our house done before Christmas day. Boy was he right! John and the tidalwave response team were professional, helpful and got…

Anne Berman

Cumming, GA

We did not plan to renovate our terrace level but when the hot water heater leaked and flooded the entire area, Tidal Wave was recommended to us by the plumber who installed the new hot water heater. John, the owner was at our house the same evening and mitigation started early the next morning. The crew professionally removed wet drywall, flooring, and baseboard. Fans and dehumidifiers ran for several days and then the fun began. With Colin's help we were able to choose updated flooring, repaint a color of our choice, and new trim was installed. Everything was completed professionally.…

Hunter smith

Decatur, GA

Wow incredible company! I had a water damage that destroyed my entire main level. John and his team are very quick and efficient. When I was looking on google, tidal wave response was the only water restoration company with a 5 star review. Highly recommended using tidal wave response!!

Meme Dupree

Doraville, GA

I had a flood in my downstairs living room. It was devastating. John with Tidal wave was very professional. He had his team show up immediately to get the job done. Great work Tidal Wave. I'm definitely going to refer you to others.

pam kunc

Duluth, GA

Thank Goodness !!! Johnny on the spot! We had a pipe ruptured in the ceiling and we were looking for a 5 Star Rated Water Restoration company . Johnny came out with a Thermal Camera and found the pipe spraying behind the wall. I wish I would have called him sooner . My wood floors were so damaged by the water, they all will need to be replaced. We highly recommended Johnny with Tidal Wave. Very knowledgeable and even helped us start a claim with our insurance ..

Randy Fann

Dunwoody, GA

Had a shaky start with this particular project but I must say the owner took charge and corrected all the remaining issues. I will say that this particular job was the absolute worst I have taken on in 45 yrs. My hat is off to Mike and his crew and Allan was superb in making sure everything was done correctly. Thank you for your follow-up on this project guys. And Allan thank you especially for your thoroughness in making sure it was completed correctly.

Kadeja Edwards

Johns Creek, GA

Unfortunately, my water heater was old, cracked, and leaking water onto the supported area in my garage. I needed to replace the water heater with a new one, but the plumber told me that in order to meet the city code, I would have to handle the water damage first. I called out tidal wave (who I’ve worked with before), and they came out the very next day to cut out the affected area and treat for mold. This is my second issue with water in my house and tidal wave has taken care of both issues. They are fast,…

Record the Damage

First, you should take pictures of the affected areas and document them. This will help you during restoration efforts when you need to show contractors what needs to be fixed or replaced.

Work With Your Tenants

Tenants should report any leaks or flooding immediately, so they don't cause further damage or injury to themselves or others. If they're able to stop the leak before it gets out of hand, then they should do so immediately — but if they wait too long and the damage gets worse, they may not be able to help themselves anymore. In these cases, owners should immediately step in and do whatever they can to minimize potential damage.

Restoration After Water Damage

Once the water has been removed from your property, you must get some help restoring it back to its original condition as quickly as possible so that your tenants don't have any issues with their homes during this recovery time.

What To Do If Your Rental Property Is Unoccupied

If your rental property is unoccupied, you first want to assess the situation before doing anything else. If any standing water is present in any room, turn off all electricity and gas before entering. Once this has been done, hire a professional restoration company like Tidal Wave Response which can assess the situation and determine what steps need to be taken next.

How to Reduce The Risk of Water Damage for Vacant Property

One of the most important things you can do as a landlord or property manager is to ensure your vacant rental properties are properly maintained and regularly inspected. This will ensure no leaks or other issues before new tenants move in. If any problems are present, they can be addressed before they become an issue.

Reasons to Choose Tidal Wave

We Bill Your Insurance Directly

We Bill Your Insurance Directly

We Accept All Insurance Claims

We Accept All Insurance Claims

Licensed & Certified Technicians

Licensed & Certified Technicians

30 Minutes Response Time

30 Minutes Response Time

Locally & Family Owned

Locally & Family Owned

24/7 Emergency Service

24/7 Emergency Service

Never an Overtime Charge

Never an Overtime Charge

How To Prevent Future Water Damage

Water damage is a common occurrence in rental properties. Water damage can be costly and time-consuming to repair, whether a leaky faucet or a broken pipe causes it. Here are some tips to help you prevent future water damage in your rental property.

Regular Maintenance and Inspections

Do regular inspections of your property and make sure that everything is working properly. Check for leaky faucets, burst pipes, and other problems that could lead to water damage.

Communicate With Your Tenants

If you have tenants in your rental property, talk to them about any problems with plumbing or appliances that could cause water damage when they are not around. Make sure they know what needs fixing immediately and what can wait until they move out or return home from vacation or business travel.

Adequate Insurance

Insurance is the first step towards preventing future water damage in your rental property. You should have adequate insurance coverage for both your building and contents and liability insurance against any injuries caused by negligence or carelessness on your part. Your insurance policy may cover flood damage but will only cover losses up to a certain limit. You must check with your insurance provider before any loss occurs to know what kind of claim is likely to be covered by them.

Tidal Wave Response For Your Water Damage Restoration Needs

In the wake of a water emergency, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Rather than panic, you should act quickly to safeguard your property and possessions, prevent further damage and get help from a qualified cleaning and restoration provider like Tidal Wave Response. From there, follow through with our tips for water damage to your rental property.

Our Services

From emergency water extraction to full property recovery, Tidal Wave Response provides the fast, expert care you need. Browse our complete suite of 24/7 restoration services below to see how we can help today.

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