How much does it cost to fix an infiltration?

Anyone who lives in an apartment building has sooner or later found himself asking how much does it cost to fix a water infiltration. Infiltrations can occur anywhere, in private homes as well as in public buildings or companies.

When water infiltrates walls or floors, even serious damage can occur in buildings. Various phenomena can cause infiltration: continuous dripping, humidity, or the spill of liquids.

To avoid an increase in the costs of a water infiltration, it is advisable to intervene as soon as possible in order not to risk compromising the walls due to stains or molds, detachment of plaster, and in the worst case even structural damage.

It is necessary to ask for the intervention of a specialized technician to fix any infiltration. If the damage occurs in a condominium, the technician is contacted by the condominium administrator, who normally has a list of companies approved by the condominium assembly.

To calculate the damage caused by water infiltration, the technician can use:

• thermography;
• video inspection.

Thermography is useful in inspections. It helps to identify the infiltration of water without breaking walls, and is particularly suitable when it is necessary to analyze a large area. The surface temperature is detected by an infrared camera, which reveals the presence of humidity.

Afterwards, a video inspection is carried out, with a digital camera that explores the internal state of the pipes and verifies the type of problem.

After this investigation, the technician is able to evaluate the type of intervention required, indicating the methods and estimating times and costs.

Once the location, the extent and any damage has been ascertained, it is possible to estimate how much it costs to fix an infiltration by requesting a quotation from several companies or specialized professionals, in order to choose the best offer.

The costs of the intervention may vary depending on where the infiltration is located and/or the damage has appeared. Infiltrations may concern:

• roofs;
• attics;
• outer walls;
• doors and windows.

In the case of roofs, waterproofing is often necessary. The cost, depending on the intervention required, can range between € 17 and € 100 per square meter for more complex jobs, including labor.

If the infiltration is in the floors, the fixing costs are higher (and can reach up to € 300 per square meter) because, in addition to waterproofing, it is very often necessary to replace the pipes.

Fixing an infiltration on the outer walls requires the application of a liquid membrane which costs approximately € 10 per square meter upwards.

These costs are absolutely variable, depending on the geographic area and also on labor costs.

For this reason, before accepting a quote, it is advisable to compare multiple offers and choose the one that guarantees the best value for money and lead times.

To prevent water infiltration and the consequent fixing costs, it is necessary to:

• pay particular attention to the materials and structures (membranes, waterproofing, pipes, fixtures, etc.);
• carry out regular checks and maintenance;
• monitor water consumption, to detect any hidden leaks that could generate an infiltration.

A building automation system (or smart home in domestic contexts) can be particularly useful in this sense.

ELTEK Appliance, for example, has developed the E-WATERBLOCK safety device, capable of quickly detecting any anomaly in the water flow and blocking it before consumption becomes excessive or there is damage.

E-WATERBLOCK is the latest generation ELTEK device, which also includes WATERTERBLOCK . It is suitable both for monitoring work spaces, public places and home. Monitoring is simplified by the special APP, which also allows consulting the consumption history for the last 12 months.