The Different Factors That May Be Causing Leaking In Your Bathroom
Leaking and waterproofing are key concerns when it comes to bathrooms. And that's because, unlike other rooms in the house, the bathroom is exposed to huge amounts of water every day. If your bathroom is not well waterproofed, therefore, this water could end up leaking to adjacent structures and causing all manner of structural damage. In this article, find out exactly what could be causing such leaks in your bathroom and how to stop it.
Cracked or missing tiles
Tiles are usually generously installed in bathrooms to help with water drainage. When the tiles in your bathroom are cracked, broken or missing, the water that lands on these areas seeps through all the way to the bare wall or floor. Because your bare wall or floor is not designed to handle that much water, like the tiles are, the moisture slowly seeps across and spreads. To avoid this, always have worn or damaged tiles repaired immediately.
Worn grouting
The grouting on the tiles is just as important as the tiles themselves. Grouting seals the gaps in between the tiles. In some cases, the grouting may not be well installed or it may wear off over time. When this happens, tiny crevices are formed in the grouting sections. Water then seeps through these crevices and starts to penetrate the floor or wall adjacent to the tiling. To avoid this, have your bathroom re-grouted periodically or after you notice any wear.
Cracked or loose-fitting bathroom installations
Bathroom installations such as shower base pans and tubs are often sealed along the walls to ensure that water does not seep through. However, over time, water can do just that in two ways. One, if the installations have cracks on them, and two, if the seal on the installations wears off. The latter is especially hard to notice if the seal has not come off everywhere. To remedy this damage, the damaged installations must be repaired or replaced and any worn sealing re-caulked.
Leaking shower head, tap or toilet
Your bathroom can also leak, not because the drainage areas are damaged in any way, but simply because there is an uncontrolled flow of water in the bathroom. For example, leaks from the toilet, taps or shower heads can create a continuous flow of water on the floor. This can then cause damage to the tiles or grouting due to over-absorption of water. At some point, your floors will start to absorb some of this water and it will slowly spread to other rooms. To avoid this, have bathroom leaks repaired as soon as possible.
Have a bathroom waterproofing contractor, like one from Westside Sealants Pty Ltd, inspect the damage for a more detailed assessment. They will then advise you on which of the above problems you're faced with and how to go about or whether you need a complete waterproofing service.