1300 382 826
Open 7 Days a Week
Damp Treatment, Rising Damp Repairs, Mould & Moisture Remediation, Mould Cleanup, Environment Testing, Moisture, Ventilation, Bathroom leaks, Mould & Water Damage, Moisture Remediation
1300 382 826
Open 7 Days a Week
Damp Treatment, Rising Damp Repairs, Mould & Moisture Remediation, Mould Cleanup, Environment Testing, Moisture, Ventilation, Bathroom leaks, Mould & Water Damage, Moisture Remediation
Bathroom leaks and water leaking from showers - either via faulty water pipes or tiles which are leaking water - are an extremely common problem and ones which can be difficult to both locate and repair.
There are several companies around who promote no tile removal repairs to leaky shower cubicles. In our opinion, based on several years of experience in the field, there are no shortcuts (like sealing leaking tiles) which should be considered by householders. This is because water leaking through tiles via faulty grout or seals between the shower base and the wall tiles (very common) always causes significant damage to the substrate on which the tiles have been glued (thereby weakening the glue holding the tiles to the wall), structural timbers or plaster walls that exist behind or around the leaking shower.
Once structural timbers have become sodden, they begin to deteriorate and rot, mould begins to grow and generate further mould spores and a cycle of timber degeneration and mould formation commences and continues unabated until the area is dried and the decaying timber is removed.
Whilst externally sealing leaking shower bases or tiles may stop any more water leaking through the shower area, it does not resolve any of the structural or health issues associated with the water breach. Often the only way to permanently repair any leaking shower and resolve the associated structural and health issues is to strip the shower recess back, repair the damage behind the tiles and rebuild the recess once all repairs have been completed. Below outlines the correct (and only) way to repair a leaking shower recess.
Any permanent repair to any leaking shower recess must involve identifying the source of the leak. Often this can be attributed to leaking water taps which are generally buried in the plaster wall or behind the cavity wall behind the tiles of the shower recess.
Generaly this will involve stripping back of the existing tiles and removing the substrate backing to expose the structural wall behind the shower and all damaged timbers and plaster and mould growth.
Identify and confirm the source of the water leak - whether from leaking water pipes or via faulty tile structure. If the water pipes are leaking this must be repaired before any other works can commence.
Remove Rotten Timbers and Plaster - All rotten and decaying timbers and plaster must then be stripped out and removed from the wall and shower recess.
Once the rotten timbers and plaster have been removed the wall cavity and remaining timbers must be treated for mould growth and then dried. Using air movers and dehumidifiers and sometimes heaters, the area is dried to normal levels. This can take several days.
Once dry, the shower recess can be rebuilt by installing new structural timber to replace any removed, installing a new substrate, applying a waterproofing membrane to the new substrate and re-tiling of the recess.
Call us on 1300 382 826 or email us for more details or to arrange for a free inspection and a report on mould removal and treatment options.
