How does a shared wall carry a loss?
In a townhouse or apartment, the wall between units is often a single framed cavity with pipes and wiring running through it. Water from a leak in one unit travels along that cavity and reaches the next unit at the wall base or the ceiling.
The readings are taken in both units together, and the shared wall is opened only where the numbers stay high. Each unit gets its own record.
What does the river floodplain add?
Parts of Duluth sit on the Chattahoochee floodplain, and backyard creeks drain toward the river during a storm. Lower units and lots on that ground take water from the outside as well as from the stack.
The record notes the high-water line where it can be seen, and the outside conditions on the day of the loss.
Who handles the paperwork in Duluth?
The City of Duluth's building department answers permit questions for work inside the city. Work that opens a shared wall or changes a stack may need a permit, and the owner should ask before the work begins.
The owner or association should agree in writing who applies, since a shared wall can involve more than one owner.
What does an apartment owner need to know about records?
A building with several households needs a record for each unit and one for the shared structure. The record shows which readings belong to which space, and it is the document an insurer will ask for first.
Tenants should be told in writing what was found in their unit and what happens next, and the record should be updated at each check.
What does the Town Green area need?
The 1900s to 1930s buildings around the Town Green are masonry and framed, and water in them travels through old walls and floors. The readings are taken at depth, and the openings are kept small and recorded.
Shops and offices on the Town Green are read as their own spaces, and their owners have separate records.
