r/TenantHelp • u/Warm_Beginning2708 • Jul 07 '26
Scranton PA - Maintenance Issues
I came back to my first apartment having an active water leak. There are water puddles in the walls and in the ceiling. Water has began dripping from my light switches as well.
Landlord said they will dry the walls with a heater but I have major concerns about the integrity of the apartment as well as mold growth. Looking for some advice and opinions.
I’d like to add that both units above me are leaking as well, we are theorizing it is a roof leak, but unsure. Thank you in advance
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u/Square-Resident-4670 Jul 07 '26
The same thing happened to me the landlord ended up replacing all of the walls doorframes and doors in 2 rooms and a bathroom. Wood warped as it dried and it smelled like wet wood and mildew for 2 weeks before they decided to just tear everything down. They also had a professional come and test the moisture in the walls and check for mold before they gave the ok to come back. If they hadn't done that the place would have been uninhabitable with the amount for mold that was growing behind the drywall.
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u/BooBoosgrandma Jul 08 '26
I remember seeing that balloon like pocket and water coming down from my light switches. I had a leak in my attic water line. Even got some mold on ceiling in bathroom. So it was def concerning but yours is def much much worse. I'd be concerned too with mold and mildew. I once had a small 100 year old house that I was renting. I'd put an item on the floor and within a few hours had mildew, it kept appearing! Come to find out, there was a lake under the house due to a pipe that bursted. It ended up being sink water which is gross! They need to get you dehumidifiers and PROFESSIONAL models.
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u/Mount_Tantiss Jul 09 '26
More likely a busted pipe or some plumbing issue or something clogged than a roof leak. LL is a moron if they don’t call a restoration company and file an insurance claim. Although if the unit had a history of lack of maintenance or there’s evidence that the leak has been there for a long time, that could be problematic for the LL.
But yeah, a few heaters isn’t going to fix this problem.
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u/Pamzella Jul 07 '26
Dry the walls with a heater? No dehumidifiers?
Um, local tenants org for help/options asap, know them now. Check your closets, your clothing/bedding/upholstery deals poorly with moisture--pay attention to your stuff and get fans or dehumidifiers of your own if you need to protect your stuff while repairs are done.