New-Build Gotchas in Master-Planned Communities
A new house doesn't mean a leak-proof one. In newer communities across the Valley, from Skye Canyon and Summerlin to Mountain's Edge, Inspirada and Cadence, the typical water problems look different from those in older homes.
Common leak points in newer homes
- Supply hoses to toilets, faucets and the fridge ice maker. A loose compression nut or a kinked line can drip for weeks.
- PEX connections inside walls: a crimp or expansion fitting that wasn't made right may hold for a while and then fail.
- Second-floor laundry rooms: if the drain pan isn't plumbed to a drain, an overflow goes straight into the ceiling below.
- Shower pans and grout: small gaps let water into the wall cavity.
- AC condensate lines and pans in attics.
- Irrigation lines and drip emitters near the foundation.
Warranty first
New homes usually come with a builder warranty, often with different terms for workmanship, systems and structure. Read yours and report the issue to the builder in writing right away. But don't let water sit while you wait. Stop the source, document everything, and ask the builder whether you can start drying. Then report it to your insurer.
Prevention
- Walk the house during your warranty period and check under every sink.
- Put inexpensive leak sensors by the water heater, the washer and the fridge.
- Find your main shutoff now.
If the leak has already done damage, see appliance leak cleanup.