Why does my bathroom LEAK?
“Leakage in a bathroom can be mainly caused by: Inadequate waterproofing layer, Cracked or broken tiles, Faulty grout joints and Improper sealant application”
James, a client, called us for leakage in his house and asked for help when he found out the wetness under the carpet layer of his bedroom.
We wondered whether he checked his bathroom. James said: "it is brand-new. So how come does the leakage come from it?"
We recommended that he contact the tiler, who has just done the bathroom, as he would quickly find out the problem.
James said that his tiler refused to come and check.
Cozy Tiling entrusted a tiler to come and look into the situation.
With his skills and experiences, our tiler realized the wetness was not only in the client's bedroom but also in his daughter's bedroom. The water came from the bathroom to the toilet and then through the two bedrooms.
The leakage was not from the shower but the tiny air bubbles on the silicone joints of floor tiles, next to the shower.
The solution we offered: re-applying the silicone.
James agreed (in suspicion).
One week later, he happily informed us: "No more leakage in our bathroom. The carpet is dry."
Can leakage happen in a brand-new bathroom? Yes, it can. Definitely.
Whether your bathroom is new or old, leakage can be mainly caused by:
- Inadequate waterproofing layers
- Cracked or broken tiles
- Faulty grout joints
- Improper sealant application
Leakage Cause No.1: Cracked or broken tiles
This cause is the easiest to detect. Anytime you see the cracks on tiles, it is advised that you find help from tiling experts.
Leakage Cause No.2: Improper waterproofing installation
Installing a waterproofing membrane seems to be simple: buy a bucket of waterproofing membrane (such as Mapei: Aquadefense, Ardex: WPM or Bostik: Dampfix Gold), a roller, and a brush. Then, can anyone do it?
If you think so, you should prepare for: Leakage.
Because: when the thickness of waterproofing is not adequate, cracks (your eyes may not detect them) will appear or the waterproofing is not enough to prevent the water absorption. But they will be acting as "tiny bags of water" and causing "tiny water streams" silently running through your house, inside your rooms, and under carpets.
Waterproofing experts are trained to do waterproofing adequately. With their skills and experiences, they know how to brush waterproofing membrane properly, how thick a layer should be, or how to quickly detect improper waterproofing spots or defects. Qualified experts need to undergo training courses for every waterproofing product they apply.
Leakage Cause No.3: Faulty grout joints
I always keep in my mind the first lesson my mentor taught me: "I have never let anyone do waterproofing and grouting for more than 20 years in all projects. It is not as simple as it seems." At that time, I did not understand the lesson's meaning as I thought “easy as a pie”.
But, then, the more I do my job, the more I appreciate his lesson. Faulty tile grouting can present several problems after installation, especially cracks or breaks. For example, if the grouting isn't packed into the tile gaps properly, air bubbles will appear under the grout, resulting in cracks and breaks. Or if too much water is mixed with the grout before application or the grout is left out too long before use, cracks could appear. When cracks among grout joints happen, leakage is unavoidable.
Leakage Cause No.4: Improper Sealant Application
Improper sealant joints are challenging to detect and are caused by several reasons. For example, inadequate sealant dimensions (width to depth ratio) lead to excessive or insufficient sealant depth. Or bad sealant tooling causes lack of contact at sealant/substrate interface resulting in adhesive failures or inadequate cure. All this results in leakage.
If you are not tillers (tiling experts), it is hard for you to notify the fault until the leakage happens.
A simple solution:
Seek trusted tilers who you could hand over all the responsibility of the tiling work at your home.
Then, let them do their job and have a rest!
I hope that every time you search: trusted local tiler or tiler near me, Cozy Tiling is the one you find.