Shower Leaking Behind Wall – How Can You Tell?
When it comes to our bathrooms, we rely on them for comfort, relaxation, and cleanliness. However, hidden issues can look behind a shower or bathroom wall and one such problem is a shower leaking behind the wall. Detecting this silent trouble promptly is crucial to prevent further damage and costly repairs.
Let’s dive in and uncover the mystery of a shower leaking behind the wall!
How to tell if shower is leaking behind the wall
Here are a few tell-tale signs of a shower leak behind the walls:
Discoloured or cracked tiles
How do the tiles look? Discolouration of any kind or any cracked tiles could indicate water is seeping through. This is true for tiles that are both inside and around the shower area.
Dirty silicone and grout
Take a peek behind the shower curtain or inside the shower stall. What does the grout look like? Are there any spots of black? Dirty, grimy silicone and grout sealing in the shower and around the tiles is most often a sign of mould growth. This means water is seeping behind the tiles and soaking them, so it doesn’t dry out.
Bubbling paint
Take a look at the ceiling in the bathroom and particularly in the shower area. Is the paint in good condition? If it’s peeling, this is bad news that there may be a shower leak. Bubbling and peeling paint in the shower area indicates moisture is getting into the ceiling or wall. The shower waterproofing needs to be redone to prevent a shower leak.
A musty smell
A shower that doesn’t smell great is usually full of problems. A musty-smelling bathroom indicates that mould and mildew is likely growing in areas you can’t see, behind the walls, floor, and ceiling. If left unattended, this can grow into a major structural problem with the building and attract termites. Wood can rot and cement can be compromised over time. You definitely want to fix this one!
Buckling floors
In line with peeling paint, structural damage like buckling floors in a bathroom are a sure sign that water is getting in where it shouldn’t. Water is either getting behind the flooring when it seeps out of the leaking shower or damaging the floor when the person who is done with their shower drips onto it after exiting the shower, and the water is seeping beneath the loose floor tiles. Either way, a damaged floor shows that the shower needs resealing or the flooring needs redoing, (or both). Time for a fix!
Watermarks on the ceiling below the shower
Where there is an upstairs bathroom, any type of watermarks on the ceiling below the bathroom is definitely a sign of water leakage. This means the legally required waterproofing on the floor of the bathroom and shower has been compromised. Australian regulations require that bathrooms and showers are sealed according to certain building codes and a home that has watermarks on the ceiling will need a complete bathroom overhaul to be safe and functional.
At Leaky Showers, we’re experts in fixing shower leaks. We also undertake waterproofing, shower repairs, and shower resealing. We get the job done to code with high-quality materials and extremely knowledgeable technicians. We offer our services right across south east queensland.
Contact us today and let us help you fix a leaky shower!