“For Stress-Free Healthy Living”
“For Stress-Free Healthy Living”
One of the most challenging parts of owning a home is knowing when a problem is occurring especially with water damage. Water damage can occur in any room in the house, but the bathroom is one room that is more prone to it on account of its high water usage. All the appliances built into your bathroom require the use of running water and, because of that, there is a high risk of water damage under floors or behind the walls.
Mold and mildew are encouraged to grow when moisture makes it into places they shouldn’t be such as under the tub or between the shower liner and wall. This can eventually lead to wood rot in the walls and subfloor, softening them. If left to get worse, damage can get so severe that the floor or walls can give way. Because of this, it is detrimental to find the signs of water damage and take care of them as soon as possible.
The main purpose of caulk and grout in the bathroom is to keep things adhered to and prevent water from getting in the cracks. Unfortunately, both of these do begin to break down over time. Once they begin deteriorating, they will be unable to perform as intended. Gaps will allow shower and bath water to seep through the walls and subfloor, causing the wood to rot over time. To prevent this from happening, it’s important to reseal caulk and grout as necessary. Grout should be resealed at least every six months, while caulk will need to be redone at least every five years. This will depend greatly on the traffic in these bathroom areas as well as the quality of application and product used.
Bathrooms that are affected by water damage will begin to show through in the floors by changing texture and shape. Wood floorboards can buckle, crack, or stain while tile will separate from the grout. If the subflooring is plywood, it will rot and start to feel spongy and soft. Because the floor is no longer stable, appliances may rock as well, such as the toilet or a pedestal sink. Water-damaged bathroom floors that are left unattended can be disastrous. In worst-case scenarios, the entire flooring system under the bathroom can collapse.
Not only are the floors and appliances affected by water damage, but the walls and ceilings can also show major signs. Drywall that has been exposed to moisture will become soft and bubble. The paint on walls will also begin to bubble, crack, or peel, and visible water stains will appear. Rooms that sit under water-damaged bathrooms will show stained ceilings with a brown or yellow color and may appear in streaks.
There is a distinct smell that goes along with mold and stagnant water. If you smell this musty scent when trying to discover water damage, this is a clear indicator. It can be found in many places in your home such as drywall or wood. This distinct smell usually goes hand in hand with mold and water damage. When you first discover the smell, try to track it down to its source to find out the root issue.
Any of these can be huge signs of water damage and it is pertinent that it is addressed immediately. The longer that the issue is ignored, the larger the damage. Professionals at Daystar Cleaning will be sure to get the job done efficiently to correct water damage immediately.
