Water leak prevention for renters in Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Water damage in an apartment unit or rental home is every tenant’s nightmare, but there are early detection solutions to help stop any major damage from happening before it’s too late.

KGUN9 spoke with SmartRent which is a company across our state that explains why water leaks may be more common than you may think, even living in the desert.

“Arizona if you think about it and Tucson especially.... the snowbirds. When homes are vacant and water starts to leak, that's when the most damage happens," said Haldeman. "If you're not at home, you can get a leak alert on your phone and prevent hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage.”

Landlords do have the ability to offer residents smart devices in order to stop any leaks. It's a detection device for apartment owners that includes a long cord, which is able to let you know when they sense water in your space right to your smartphone.

There are other devices renters or homeowners can install themselves too in order to detect a water leak. Most of these devices can be purchased at major home retail stores.

“We deal with this in Arizona when we have water which is during monsoon. But it's not just monsoon, it's also in the summer months because people aren't here. Last week we had someone who had a device and it detected their neighbor who had water flowing out of the front door," said Haldeman.

SmartRent says on average you can save up to 20% off your renter’s insurance when you have preventable devices in your home. Haldeman wants to encourage Arizonans to start that conversation with their landlord or rental property company about ways they are protecting you from water intrusion during monsoon or the time periods you may not be home.