Seasonal Leak-Prevention Calendar for Cherry Creek Condo Owners

Through the year

January: Check closets and cabinets on exterior walls after any deep cold snap. Look at balcony and garage plumbing. Test leak sensor batteries.
February: Review your HO-6 or homeowners policy at renewal time, including water backup coverage and loss assessment limits.
March: As snow melts, look at top-floor ceilings and walls near rooftop decks and balconies for new stains. Clear balcony drains of winter debris.
April: Replace rubber washing machine hoses with braided ones if they are old, and check toilet supply lines and fill valves for drips.
May: Before cooling season, ask whether the fan coil or AC condensate drain has been cleaned. In houses, test the sump pump if there is one.
June: Thunderstorm and hail season. Clean sliding door tracks and window weep holes so wind-driven rain can drain out.
July: Look at the water heater for rust at the base or moisture around fittings. Note its age from the label.
August: Schedule boiler or furnace service before heating season, and have older homes' radiators checked for weeping valves.
September: Clear gutters and roof drains on houses and townhomes after early leaf drop. Check irrigation systems for leaks against the foundation.
October: Winterize: blow out sprinklers, disconnect hoses, close interior shutoffs to outdoor spigots.
November: Walk the house during the first week of heating to catch radiator and fitting leaks. Set travel plans for unit check-ins.
December: Confirm the thermostat setting for any time away, and leave building staff an updated emergency contact.

Five-minute monthly walk-through

Look under the kitchen and bathroom sinks with a flashlight for drips or damp cabinet bottoms.
Check the floor around toilets and the base of the water heater.
Glance at ceilings below bathrooms and in rooms under rooftop decks.
Pull the washer forward slightly if you can and look behind it.
Sniff closets and cabinets that share a wall with plumbing for any musty odor.

Adapting the calendar to your building

Owners in large towers can skip the roof and gutter items, which the association handles, and should instead ask the manager when shared systems such as risers, drain stacks and fan coils are serviced. Owners of Cherry Creek North townhomes, Hilltop and Belcaro houses, and older homes in Country Club and Congress Park will have more of their own exterior work, including irrigation, gutters, sewer lines and, in many cases, boilers.

If you rent, share the relevant parts of this calendar with your landlord and report anything you notice. Most of the checks are simple observations, and early reports keep small drips from becoming claims.

General information for Cherry Creek, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.