Bathroom water leaks can end up being costly.
If undetected, what could have been an easy fix becomes a massive issue that can affect the structural integrity of your bathroom (not to mention your bank account!)
But not all water leaks have to become major dramas. If you can catch the leakage early and take action, you can protect your bathroom and your sanity.
Want to know the warning signs of a bathroom water leak? Read on to find out what you should keep an eye out for.
Protect Your Home By Detecting Bathroom Water Leaks Early
What’s The Earliest Sign Of Water Leaks?
Most bathroom water leaks start with a teensy drip or seepage that goes unnoticed. Chances are you won’t see any excess water to begin with. But you can use your Bathroom Genie detective skills to scout for the first signs of a problem – mould in the silicone or grout.
Of course, mould does tend to accumulate in your bathroom due to the increased moisture, particularly inside your shower. However, if the mould begins to form around your tiles, you need to sit up and take notice.
Why do bathroom water leaks first show up as mould?
Some types of grouts such as sand-based grout, are very porous and absorb everything in the environment – from water and soap scum to dead skin cells and bacteria.
These things get deep into the grout, and the bacteria begins to grow mould, which will start to show on the surface of the grout.
You may notice tiny flakes coming off when you walk on the tiles, wipe them, or when the house shifts. The trouble is you can’t always see it growing.
Why You Need To Take Action ASAP
Like many problems in life, if you ignore bathroom water leaks hoping they will go away, you’re probably setting yourself up for an even bigger problem down the line.
Here’s what happens if you ignore mould. Mould needs space to grow. Once it’s established in your grout, it will expand and push the grout out, allowing even more water to get in behind your tiles and cause damage.
Before you know it, mould can expand and take over the entire bathroom. The more the mould pushes out the grout, the less protection against moisture you have. That allows more moisture to get through the grout and behind the tile.
Water can start to collect under the tiles. That water can break down the adhesive that holds them in place. This then bubbles out and forms a noticeable residue on the tiles called efflorescence
As the adhesive breaks down, the tiles might move every time you step on them, creating friction on waterproofing membranes. That friction between the two surfaces can create a hole in the waterproofing membrane – and that’s when the water can leak into other rooms.
What To Do About A Bathroom Water Leak
Why not just grab some bleach and clean that tell-tale mould from your grout? Firstly, bleach can damage grout, you should never use it to clean your tiles as you’ll be exacerbating any bathroom water leaks.
Secondly, hiding the symptoms is not the same as finding a solution to the problem. That mould will come back even if you clean it, and those bathroom water leaks will still be getting behind the tiles and potentially spreading to your bathroom walls, floors, and into other rooms of the house.
As soon as you see mould growing in your grout, call an expert to assess the situation. It’s crucial to get onto these things quickly as it could be two-three months until any necessary work can be done due to companies being so busy post-lockdown.
Bathroom Genie are your bathroom experts. If mould is forming in your grout or bathroom water leaks are causing issues, we can identify the problem and bring your bathroom back to as good as new without breaking the bank.
Contact us today to find out more.
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