Emergency Water Damage Response ACT 2026 - Costs, What to Do, and Insurance Guide

Emergency Water Damage Response in the ACT: The Complete 2026 Guide

Emergency water damage in an ACT property can range from a single-room carpet saturation from a failed washing machine hose to a whole-floor flooding event from a burst supply pipe that has been running undetected for hours inside a wall cavity. The total cost and disruption from a water damage event is determined almost entirely by two variables: the volume of water involved and the speed of the response. A burst copper supply pipe flowing at 15 to 20 litres per minute into a subfloor space for six hours deposits approximately 5,400 to 7,200 litres of water under the floor, which is enough to fully saturate the bearers, joists, and floor sheeting and, in an ACT winter, create conditions for mould colonisation within 24 to 48 hours once the subfloor temperature rises above the threshold for active spore germination. The same pipe discovered and isolated within 30 minutes deposits approximately 450 to 600 litres, a manageable volume that can be extracted with standard equipment and dried in place without structural remediation. Response speed is the single most cost-effective action available in any ACT water damage event.

The ACT's residential building stock creates a specific water damage context that differs from many other Australian capital city markets. The significant proportion of ACT homes built with a timber subfloor on stumps or piers, concentrated in the inner-north and inner-south suburbs where houses from the 1920s through 1960s are common, creates a damage pathway from supply or sewer leaks that does not exist in slab-on-ground construction. A supply leak in a subfloor-construction property directs water into the enclosed, low-ventilation subfloor space where it accumulates in contact with untreated structural timber, creating the combination of moisture, organic substrate, and moderate temperature that produces rapid mould growth in the ACT's spring, summer, and autumn conditions. Slab-on-ground construction in Belconnen, Woden Valley, Tuggeranong, and Molonglo Valley properties limits the subfloor risk but creates a different damage pathway where water from a burst supply or overflowing fixture spreads across the slab and under floor coverings, saturating carpet underlay and tile adhesive and creating moisture entrapment between the slab and the floor covering that can persist for weeks without extraction and drying equipment.

What to Do First in an ACT Water Damage Emergency

The correct immediate action sequence in any ACT water damage event is: close the main water supply, close any gas appliance isolation valves if the event has affected areas near gas appliances or pipework, call an emergency plumber to confirm the source and assess the extent of the damage, photograph the affected areas thoroughly before any drying or movement of contents, and contact your home insurer to report the event and obtain a claim number before authorising any work beyond the emergency plumbing repair. The photograph record taken before any remediation work begins is the most important documentation in an insurance claim, and skipping this step to start cleanup faster regularly results in inadequate documentation that insurers use to reduce claim settlements. A brief systematic photographic record of every affected room, surface, and material takes 15 minutes and can be the difference between a fully settled claim and a disputed partial settlement. For slab-on-ground ACT properties, photograph the floor surface and any visible moisture wicking up skirting boards or through floor junctions before moving any furniture, as these early saturation marks often disappear as the surface moisture evaporates, making it difficult to demonstrate the full extent of the affected area from photographs taken hours later when the restoration contractor arrives.

The main internal isolation valve in an ACT property is typically located either at the Icon Water boundary meter, which is in the front garden near the street boundary, or at an internal meter if the property has one. Older ACT properties from the 1960s and 1970s frequently have a gate valve at the boundary that has not been operated in years and may require significant turning force to close, and in some cases the gate valve seal has deteriorated to the point where it will not fully close. If the main isolation valve will not fully stop the supply, calling Icon Water's 24-hour fault line to request mains isolation at the street is the appropriate next step: Icon Water can isolate the supply at the street main in an emergency situation. For a sewer backflow event rather than a supply pipe event, the immediate action is to stop using all drains and toilets to prevent additional sewage entry into the building, and to arrange emergency blocked drain clearance to relieve the blockage causing the backflow before the drains are used again. Our emergency plumber guide for the ACT covers the isolation valve procedure, boundary stop tap access, and the ActewAGL gas emergency contact for events involving both water and gas infrastructure.

Common Causes of Emergency Water Damage in ACT Properties

Burst supply pipe is the most common cause of significant water damage in ACT properties, accounting for the majority of emergency plumbing call-outs for water damage. The ACT's sub-zero winter temperatures, which the Bureau of Meteorology records as producing 44 to 55 frost events per year at Canberra Airport, create freeze risk for exposed water supply pipe in the elevated outer suburbs of Chapman, Duffy, Holder, Kambah, and parts of Tuggeranong. A frozen supply pipe that then thaws and bursts can deliver a high-volume flow into the subfloor space or internal wall cavity before it is noticed, particularly if the burst occurs overnight or when the property is unoccupied. Our burst pipe guide for the ACT covers the freeze risk profile by suburb, the pipe material vulnerability to freeze-thaw cycling, and the emergency repair procedure for the most common ACT burst pipe scenarios.

Failed appliance connection hoses are the second most common source of significant internal water damage in ACT homes. The flexible braided hoses connecting washing machines, dishwashers, and under-sink refrigerators to the supply have a finite service life of eight to ten years under typical ACT operating conditions, and hoses that are approaching or have exceeded this life are statistically the most common source of sudden, high-volume water release in the internal environment. A washing machine hot water inlet hose that fails during a wash cycle delivers the full supply pressure to the internal of the machine cabinet and then onto the laundry floor at the rate of the mains supply, which in a lower-elevation ACT suburb with no PLV can be 700 to 800 kPa. The water volume that a failed washing machine hose deposits before the cycle is noticed and the supply is isolated is typically 200 to 400 litres, enough to saturate a laundry, adjacent hallway, and any subfloor space accessible from the laundry area. Replacing appliance connection hoses on a preventive schedule, at or before the ten-year mark, is one of the most cost-effective water damage prevention actions available to ACT property owners. Our water pressure solutions guide for the ACT covers the supply pressure control that is the companion protection to hose replacement, since uncontrolled high pressure is the primary reason that hoses fail before their nominal service life.

Subfloor Water Damage in ACT Properties

The subfloor spaces of older ACT properties in the inner north and inner south suburbs present the most complex and expensive water damage scenario because of the structural timber content, the limited access and ventilation, and the proximity to the organic debris that accumulates in subfloor spaces over decades. A water damage event that reaches the subfloor of a 1950s Griffith or Reid property with original Baltic pine or hardwood flooring system requires specialist assessment to determine the moisture content of the structural timber before a drying protocol is designed, because the target moisture content for structural timber differs from the target for concrete, plasterboard, and carpet underlay, and applying a drying protocol designed for slab-on-ground construction to a timber subfloor system produces inadequate drying of the structural elements even when the visible surface materials feel dry. A subfloor water damage assessment for an inner-north or inner-south ACT property should also document whether the event has affected any sewer drain pipes or inspection openings in the subfloor space, particularly in properties where the subfloor drain pipes are the original terracotta or clay conduit from the original construction, because water pooling around clay pipe joints accelerates the softening and displacement of the clay cement mortar that holds those joints together, creating a secondary drain system defect from an event that began as a supply pipe failure. Our sewer line repairs guide for the ACT covers the inspection and repair options for terracotta and clay drain systems in the inner suburbs.

ACT restoration contractors working in subfloor water damage events use calibrated moisture meters and in some cases thermal imaging cameras to map the moisture distribution in the affected timber elements before and during drying, tracking the moisture content reduction in the bearers, joists, and floor sheeting against the target values and adjusting the drying equipment placement and ventilation strategy accordingly. The drying of a timber subfloor system after significant water intrusion in an ACT property typically takes seven to 21 days depending on the initial moisture content of the timber, the ambient temperature and humidity, and the drying equipment capacity deployed in the subfloor space. For an ACT property event that occurs in winter when the subfloor temperature is near zero and the ambient humidity is high, achieving the target moisture content in the structural timber takes substantially longer than the same event in a summer period, and the restoration contractor's drying schedule and equipment hire costs reflect this seasonal variation. A post-drying moisture verification by the restoration contractor, with moisture meter readings at multiple points across the affected area documented in the restoration report, is the standard evidence of completion that an ACT home insurer will require before authorising the repair and reinstatement phase of the claim.

Under-Slab and Slab-Adjacent Water Damage in ACT Properties

Post-1980 ACT properties constructed on concrete slabs face a different water damage scenario than subfloor-construction properties. In a slab-on-ground property, water from a burst pipe or overflow event spreads across the slab surface and penetrates under floor coverings, accumulating in the void between the slab and the carpet underlay or tile adhesive. This moisture entrapment is not visible from above because the floor surface may feel dry to the touch, particularly where carpet over foam underlay provides thermal insulation from the wet slab surface, and without a moisture meter reading the extent of the saturated zone under the floor covering cannot be determined visually. Water trapped between a concrete slab and a floor covering can persist for weeks, creating a moisture-rich environment that supports mould growth on the underside of carpet backing, foam underlay, and in the adhesive and grout of tiled areas.

The standard water damage response protocol for ACT slab-on-ground properties requires lifting the affected floor coverings to expose the slab surface, extracting any standing or pooled water, and then deploying high-velocity air movers and dehumidifiers to dry the slab surface and the underside of the floor covering materials. Carpet and underlay that has been wet for more than 48 to 72 hours in an ACT property is generally unrecoverable for health and mould reasons, and the restoration contractor will typically recommend disposal rather than cleaning and drying in these cases. For tiled areas, lifting tiles and removing wet adhesive and grout is sometimes necessary in severe events, particularly in ACT wet area applications such as bathrooms and laundries where the tile system extends over a waterproofing membrane and water has migrated through grout failure or through failed silicone joints. Our shower regrouting and leak repairs guide for the ACT covers the wet area waterproofing and regrouting work that commonly accompanies water damage repair in ACT shower and bathroom wet areas.

Mould Risk in ACT Water Damage Events

Mould colonisation in ACT water damage situations depends on the interaction of moisture, temperature, and organic substrate. The ACT's climate creates a specific mould risk profile: the warm, humid conditions of late spring, summer, and early autumn (October to April) provide near-ideal temperatures for mould germination and growth, while the cold, dry winters reduce but do not eliminate mould risk in enclosed, moist spaces such as subfloor areas where trapped moisture persists even when outdoor temperatures are below zero. ACT properties that have experienced previous water damage events without complete structural drying are disproportionately represented in mould remediation referrals, because residual elevated moisture content in timber structural elements from an earlier event creates a pre-conditioned substrate that colonises faster in a subsequent moisture event. A plumbing inspection that includes subfloor moisture meter readings as part of a routine assessment can identify residual elevated timber moisture content that indicates incomplete drying from a previous event, well before visible mould growth makes the condition obvious. Mould colonisation of structural timber, plasterboard, and insulation in an ACT water damage event can begin within 24 to 48 hours of moisture exposure in warm conditions, and within 48 to 96 hours in cooler conditions, which means that a water damage event discovered the morning after an overnight occurrence in an ACT summer property already has mould initiation risk in the moisture-affected materials.

The ACT Health Directorate provides guidance on the health implications of mould in residential properties, noting that immunocompromised individuals, infants, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable to mould exposure in their living environment. A water damage restoration contractor assessing an ACT property after a significant moisture event will assess for visible mould growth, measure relative humidity in affected spaces, and in some cases take swab samples for laboratory identification if the mould species present is not identifiable visually. Where mould is confirmed, the remediation protocol typically involves physical removal of colonised porous materials such as plasterboard and insulation, surface treatment of affected structural elements with an appropriate biocide, and post-remediation air testing to confirm that the mould count in the treated space has returned to background levels. The WorkSafe ACT framework applies to mould remediation work where workers are exposed to elevated mould concentrations, requiring appropriate respiratory protection and handling procedures for removed materials.

Insurance Claims for ACT Water Damage Events

Most ACT home insurance policies cover water damage from a sudden and unforeseen event, including burst pipes, failed appliance hoses, storm overflow, and accidental overflow from fixtures. The key distinction in ACT home insurance policy language is between a sudden event and gradual damage: a burst pipe that floods a room in minutes is covered; a slow leak behind a wall that has been dripping for months and has rotted the wall framing is typically not covered as it is categorised as a maintenance failure rather than a sudden event. Understanding this distinction is important because the documentation of the event's sudden nature, established through the plumber's report and the photographic record, is the foundation of the insurance claim. This is also the reason that regular property maintenance, including a periodic plumbing inspection in the ACT that identifies ageing supply pipe and appliance connections, serves both as a preventive measure and as documentation that the property was being actively maintained to a reasonable standard, which supports the characterisation of a subsequent failure as sudden and unforeseen rather than the predictable result of deferred maintenance.

ACT home insurers handle water damage claims under the insurance policy and the general insurance code of practice administered by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. The AFCA provides the independent dispute resolution pathway for ACT property owners who have concerns about how their insurer has assessed, valued, or settled a water damage claim, and is the appropriate escalation point if the insurer's settlement offer does not reflect the actual cost of restoration. An ACT property owner contesting an insurer's scope or valuation of a water damage claim should obtain an independent scope-of-loss assessment from a qualified restoration contractor before engaging AFCA, as the independent assessment provides the quantified evidence for the dispute. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission also administers consumer guarantee provisions that apply to the repair and restoration services engaged in response to a water damage event, confirming that those services must be delivered with due care and skill and that materials must be fit for purpose. For strata properties, understanding whether the policy covering the water damage is the lot owner's contents and fixtures policy or the owners corporation building policy is the first step in the claims process, and this determination is governed by the ACT Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011 in conjunction with the owners corporation's specific policy terms.

Resolving ACT Insurance Disputes Through AFCA

When an ACT property owner's water damage insurance claim is disputed, underpaid, or denied by their insurer, the AFCA free dispute resolution service is the standard escalation pathway before any court action. AFCA accepts complaints about general insurance products including home and contents policies and strata insurance policies, and its determinations are binding on insurers. The most common grounds for ACT water damage insurance disputes include: the insurer characterising a burst pipe event as gradual damage to avoid the sudden event coverage; the insurer's scope of loss underestimating the affected area compared to the restoration contractor's measurement; and the insurer declining to cover consequential damage to contents and floor coverings that would not have occurred but for the covered plumbing event. Lodging a complaint with AFCA costs nothing for the complainant and the process is available online at the AFCA website, with a typical investigation timeframe of 30 to 90 days depending on complexity.

Before lodging an AFCA complaint, the ACT property owner should gather the complete documentation of the claim: the original event report to the insurer, the insurer's assessment report and settlement offer, the emergency plumber's report identifying the cause and timing of the event, the photographic record taken at the time of the event, and the independent restoration contractor's scope-of-loss report. The strength of an AFCA complaint is directly proportional to the quality of the documentation, and a complaint supported by a licensed plumber's event report confirming a sudden pipe failure, a restoration contractor's scope confirming the full extent of the affected area, and the photographic record showing the pre-remediation condition is in a much stronger position than a complaint supported by memory and general descriptions. Our plumbing inspections guide for the ACT covers the pre-purchase inspection that identifies ageing supply components before they fail, which is the most effective form of insurance against the water damage events themselves. A pre-purchase inspection that identifies a washing machine hose connection beyond its service life gives the buyer the information needed to plan replacement before settlement, avoiding the water damage event that the failing hose would eventually produce at the cost of a single planned service call rather than a full water damage claim process.

Emergency Water Damage Response Costs Across ACT Suburbs in 2026

Emergency water damage response costs in the ACT vary by the extent of the damage, the construction type of the property, and the after-hours premium if the event occurs outside standard business hours. Properties in the inner-north and inner-south suburbs with timber subfloor construction have higher restoration costs for equivalent water volumes than slab-on-ground properties in Gungahlin or Molonglo Valley, reflecting the additional complexity and duration of timber structural drying compared to concrete slab drying. After-hours emergency plumbing call-outs attract a premium of $100 to $200 above the standard daytime rate across most ACT suburbs. The after-hours premium applies to both the plumbing repair component and, in many cases, the initial extraction and drying equipment deployment, since restoration contractors who provide 24-hour emergency response charge a mobilisation premium for deployment outside standard business hours that reflects the availability cost of maintaining that response capability.

The subfloor drying cost range in the table below deserves specific explanation because it is the single largest variable in total restoration cost and the one most frequently underestimated by property owners unfamiliar with timber subfloor construction. The lower end of $650 to $750 reflects a subfloor event where the water volume was limited, the drying equipment was deployed within four hours, and the soil moisture and timber moisture content reached target levels within seven to ten days of continuous drying equipment operation. The upper end of $2,500 to $2,800 reflects a larger-volume event in a deeper subfloor space, where the water has saturated the bearers and joists above target moisture content, the soil beneath is holding significant moisture, and the drying programme runs for 14 to 21 days with multiple dehumidifiers and subfloor air movers operating continuously. Canberra's winter conditions push drying timelines toward the upper end because the low ambient temperature and relatively high humidity in a sealed subfloor space slow the evaporation rate, and this seasonal difference in drying duration is the primary reason that the same-volume event costs more to remediate in July than in February.

Slab-on-ground properties in Belconnen, Woden Valley, Tuggeranong, Gungahlin, and Molonglo Valley do not incur subfloor drying costs but face their own extraction and drying expenses when water has spread under floor coverings across the slab surface. Carpet and underlay extraction, dehumidifier hire, and slab surface drying for a flooded lounge or bedroom room typically costs $350 to $760 per room as shown in the table, with the drying programme running three to seven days in most cases. If tile adhesive or grout failure has allowed water under a tiled area, tile lifting and slab drying adds a separate scope item of $400 to $900 per affected area.

Preventing Water Damage in ACT Properties

The most effective water damage prevention actions for ACT property owners combine supply system maintenance with a prepared response capability. The supply system maintenance priorities are: replacing appliance connection hoses at or before the ten-year mark, particularly washing machine and dishwasher hot inlet hoses; confirming the pressure limiting valve is functioning and set correctly to protect all supply connections from above-design operating pressure; confirming the main isolation valve opens and closes freely so it can be operated quickly in an emergency; and for properties in the elevated outer suburbs of Chapman, Duffy, Holder, and Kambah, lagging or protecting any exposed supply pipe from freeze risk during the ACT winter. The burst pipe prevention section of our ACT burst pipe guide covers the freeze protection measures in detail, including the pipe materials most resistant to freeze-thaw cycling, the critical sections of a typical ACT property that are most exposed to freeze risk, and the heat tape products available at ACT trade suppliers. A water leak detection assessment scheduled after any significant ACT frost event confirms whether the freeze cycle has produced any concealed supply cracks that have not yet manifested as a visible burst, giving the property owner the opportunity to repair a minor freeze crack before it progresses to a full pipe failure and water damage event in a subsequent thaw cycle.

The prepared response capability means knowing where the main isolation valve is, confirming it operates correctly before an emergency creates the need to use it quickly, and having the phone number of a 24-hour ACT emergency plumber saved before an event occurs rather than searching for one while water is flowing. An ACT property owner who can close the main isolation valve within two minutes of noticing a burst pipe reduces the maximum water volume by the entirety of the flow during the search and call time that would otherwise precede that isolation. For properties with multiple occupants, ensuring that every adult in the household knows where the main valve is and how to close it multiplies the response capability. The water damage cost data is consistent: containment within the first 30 minutes limits damage to a fraction of the cost of a three-hour uncontained event, and the preparation cost is zero.

Water Damage in ACT Strata Properties

Water damage in ACT strata and unit complex properties creates immediate questions about responsibility and insurance coverage that must be resolved quickly to avoid delays in the emergency response. In an ACT strata property, water that originates from a burst pipe within a lot flows through its boundary and may affect adjacent lots, common property areas, or the lots below. The lot owner where the burst occurred is typically responsible for the emergency plumbing repair, while the damage to adjacent or lower-level lots from the water that originated in the first lot is covered under the owners corporation's building insurance policy in most ACT strata schemes. Confirming the source of the water and which policy applies requires the involvement of both the individual lot owner and the strata manager in the immediate hours following the event.

The owners corporation building insurance in ACT strata schemes typically covers the fixed structure and common property, while individual lot owner contents and fixtures policies cover the lot owner's personal contents and installed fixtures within the lot. A water damage event in an ACT strata property that saturates one lot's carpet and damages another lot's ceiling plasterboard involves at least two policies, and the restoration contractor engaged for the work will typically prepare a scope that itemises which elements are covered under which policy. The strata manager is the appropriate person to contact after the emergency plumbing repair is complete to initiate the building insurance claim process, and the individual lot owners should simultaneously contact their own insurers about their contents and fixtures coverage. For complex multi-lot damage events, the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal provides a dispute resolution pathway if responsibility or insurance coverage allocation cannot be agreed between the parties. Our commercial plumbing guide for the ACT covers the broader plumbing infrastructure maintenance obligations for ACT strata buildings, including the common property pipe maintenance that owners corporations are responsible for funding and managing. For strata buildings where the common property pipe system includes hydro jetting maintenance for shared drains, coordinating this preventive work through the owners corporation is the most efficient approach to managing the drain blockage risk across all lots simultaneously.

ACT Winter and Frost-Related Water Damage

The ACT's documented frost climate, with 44 to 55 frost events per year at Canberra Airport and more frequent and severe frost in the elevated outer suburbs, creates a water damage risk profile in winter that differs from warmer-climate Australian cities. The freeze-thaw mechanism that produces burst pipes in ACT winter conditions is straightforward: water expands approximately nine percent in volume when it freezes, and the expansion force this generates inside a rigid pipe is sufficient to split copper, galvanised iron, or plastic supply pipe at the weakest point of the fitting or joint. The pipe then holds the crack closed while frozen but opens fully when the ice thaws, releasing water at supply pressure. The overnight timing of most ACT freeze events means that pipe bursts from frost damage typically occur in the early morning, and the water often flows for several hours before the household wakes and discovers the event.

For ACT property owners in Chapman, Duffy, Holder, Kambah, and the elevated parts of Tuggeranong, specific winter precautions reduce freeze risk: lagging exposed supply pipe in unheated subfloor spaces and in uninsulated roof cavities with closed-cell foam pipe lagging, ensuring that the property's heating system maintains at least a minimum overnight temperature when occupied, and in periods of forecast severe frost, allowing a small continuous drip from the furthest cold water tap in the building to maintain water movement in the supply system. For unoccupied ACT properties in winter, the precaution of isolating the supply at the boundary meter and draining the internal system before extended vacancy removes the water that would freeze, at the cost of a reconnection procedure when the property is occupied again. Our water leak detection guide for the ACT covers the post-thaw leak detection process for confirming whether a frost event has produced a concealed supply leak that has not yet manifested as an obvious burst, and our pipe relining guide covers the frost damage to drain systems where ground frost penetration at depth in the elevated outer suburbs causes soil movement that stresses sewer pipe joints. The combination of supply pipe freeze protection and drain system monitoring is particularly relevant for elevated ACT suburb properties because a single severe frost event can produce both a supply pipe crack and sewer joint displacement in the same property, and addressing both in a single coordinated inspection after a frost period is more efficient than discovering and responding to each issue separately as they manifest over the following weeks.

Getting Water Damage Response Quotes in the ACT

When obtaining quotes for emergency water damage response work in the ACT, the most important consideration is the qualifications and equipment of the contractor, not just the price. Water damage restoration requires calibrated moisture meters, thermal imaging equipment for locating concealed moisture pockets, professional-grade dehumidifiers and air movers sized for the affected area, and the expertise to design and monitor a drying protocol that achieves the target moisture content in all affected materials within the insurance policy's reasonable timeframe. A contractor quoting for water damage restoration work should be able to explain the drying protocol they will use, the moisture meter readings they are targeting, and the documentation they will provide at the completion of drying for insurer review. Ask specifically whether the contractor carries professional indemnity insurance covering restoration work, whether their scope-of-loss reports are in a format accepted by major ACT insurers, and whether they have experience with timber subfloor drying specifically if the property has a subfloor construction. For stormwater and drainage-related water damage where the source of moisture was external inundation from inadequate stormwater drainage rather than an internal supply event, the repair scope includes both the moisture remediation and the stormwater drainage correction to prevent recurrence, and obtaining quotes from contractors experienced in both scopes is more efficient than engaging separate parties for each component.

Confirm that the emergency plumbing repair quote covers not only the burst pipe or failed fitting repair but also the pressure testing of the repaired section and adjacent pipework to confirm no additional weaknesses are present before the system is returned to service. A plumber who repairs the identified burst section and immediately returns the supply to pressure without a post-repair pressure test is not providing the due care standard that the Standards Australia AS 3500 installation standard requires, and an adjacent weakened section of the same galvanised pipe run that bursts two days later produces a second water damage event that may not be covered by insurance as a separate event. The Access Canberra licence register confirms the licensed plumber's current credentials, and all water damage plumbing repair work should be performed only by a licence-verified contractor. For shower and bathroom wet areas that require regrouting or waterproofing repair as part of the water damage reinstatement, our shower regrouting guide for the ACT covers the scope and costs involved in restoring ACT wet area waterproofing to a compliant standard after water damage remediation.