Question about leak in housing apartment

[jrezz]

I live in Nyc housing apartment, in the projects. So the apartment 2 floors under me which is apt 4D have a leak in their kitchen walls. The leak got so bad that housing had to eventually take their kitchen wall completely out too along with the kitchen cabinets, same as 4D. Housing went to 5D and tore out their kitchen wall to see if the leak is coming from them. Their pipes was wet too, just like 4D. They came to my apartment which is 6D and made a small hole in the kitchen wall and my pipe was dry.

Now they want to send a plumber to my apartment. They said the plumber may have to tear out my kitchen sink, kitchen wall and cabinets. I’m pissed because they are gonna tear my whole apartment apart. If my pipe is dry then why do they need to tear up my apartment? They said it can be coming from between the floors but how do they fix something like that? I understand it’s their job but it’s going to be stressful dealing with my kitchen being destroyed

 

[Jadnashua]

Water flows downhill...if it's dry above you, it's probably coming from your place. If they can't find a leak in the wall beneath you up to the ceiling, and it's dry above the test hole they drilled...it's almost certainly leaking somewhere down below. Now, water will also flow a ways, depending on how the place is constructed, so it may be possible that it's coming from an apartment to the left or right, but it's much more likely to be coming from your place. There are flexible inspection cameras that they might snake into the wall to help locate the problem which MIGHT allow them to minimize how much they need to tear out, but that doesn't always work out.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

I’m guessing no one knows if it is a hot or cold pipe leak or a drain pipe leak. Is the pipe only wet or can water be seen dripping?
Tell them the run the water at your sink and check the apt under yours. If the water drip increases then it’s a drain problem. If not and water can be seen running down the pipe can the water be shut off for your unit and check the pipes below? Just trying to eliminate guessing and minimize a tear out of the walls.

 

[jrezz]

Water flows downhill...if it's dry above you, it's probably coming from your place. If they can't find a leak in the wall beneath you up to the ceiling, and it's dry above the test hole they drilled...it's almost certainly leaking somewhere down below. Now, water will also flow a ways, depending on how the place is constructed, so it may be possible that it's coming from an apartment to the left or right, but it's much more likely to be coming from your place. There are flexible inspection cameras that they might snake into the wall to help locate the problem which MIGHT allow them to minimize how much they need to tear out, but that doesn't always work out.

They drilled a small hole in my kitchen wall and seen that my pipes was dry in my apartment. The pipes in the kitchen wall on the floor below me is wet along with the apartment 2 floors below me .
All of our kitchens is in the same spot in our apartments

 

[WorthFlorida]

Depending we’re the hole was made it still could be leaking just below. I’m guessing the floors are concrete so probably opening the ceiling below may not be an option because there is no joist space as in a wooden building.
There is a NYC plumber who comments on this forum and if reads this he will probably know how the supply pipes run. Horizontal through the apartment or vertical. The drains definitely run vertically through the floors.

 

[Cacher_Chick]

The real problem is that you are at the mercy of whoever they hire to solve the problem. As a renter, you have rights, but that does not stop them from making repairs. If they are decent, you should end up with a better looking place than what you started with.

 

[jrezz]

They found out where the leak is coming from. It’s coming from my bedroom which is the back of the kitchen wall. They opened a hole in my bedroom wall and it was a crack in the pipe. Everytime somebody ran the water upstairs you could see the cracked pipe in my bedroom wall leaking.

Anyone know how long this job takes and how big of a mess they will make

 

[Terry]

It sounds like you got lucky there. If they can work on the bedroom side it should go much quicker. I'm not sure how quick it will be, but the plumbing could take 1/2 a day or more and then patching the wall and painting afterwards. These jobs are never fun for anyone involved, but they do need it at times. I repaired a leak in a condo last month, they thought it was in the ceiling of the basement. It turned out to be the third floor toilet leaking in a unit that was vacant. I rebuilt the tank and replaced the shutoff at the wall and things dried out.

 

[Reach4]

Wall repair can be more involved, or they can patch and try to approximate the paint color. It would be best to repaint that wall, I think.

The plumbers did the hard part already -- tracking that down.

 

[WorthFlorida]

Thank you for the update, most do not follow up after problems have been resolved.

If it only leaked when the water was running then it must be a drain pipe. Depending on the pipe material will dictate time to do the work. A city housing unit in NYC I would say it’s cast iron since cast iron it is about the only material that will crack with age and most multi dwelling apartments or condos in the big cities do not allow PVC material. With the right tools the section can be cut out if the pipe breaks clean on both sides of the crack. Wall repair time is unknown depending on the wall material and the size of the hole. May take a two or three short visits to repair a wall.