Leaking Showers Mean Big Problems
A water leak in a home can cause huge problems if not quickly detected. Water damage can spread quickly and over a vast amount of space in your home often without you knowing it is happening until too late. This was the case with these property owners in South Anston, Sheffield.
With water damage in any kind of property across South Yorkshire, it is essential to get an evaluation from a water damage expert. As water damage can spread quickly it is often the case damage can be found in many other rooms of a home or workplace. It is not always obvious where to check or signs to look for without years of experience.
The Water Leak Problem
Water Damage Under the Floor Tiles
After visiting the property to carry out a survey, the team found extensive water damage in an upstairs bathroom.
This had not only caused damage to areas of the bathroom but also the timber joists in the floor. Upon a thorough investigation of the problem, the origin was found to be the shower unit located in the corner of the room.
Due to the length of time the leak had been occurring for, the joists supporting the floor had mostly rotted away leaving little support to the entire bathroom floor.
As the leak was in the piping underneath the shower tray, this had to be removed to allow for the team to fully access the worst hit areas of the bathroom.
Toucan’s Water Damage Solution
Rotted Timber Joists Under the Bathroom Floor
The first job to undertake in any water damage repair and restoration project is to evaluate the damage caused by the leak. This involves following the problem from its place of origin throughout a property, ensuring other areas are free from water damages such as timber rot, damp marks and flooded areas which could cause secondary issues later down the line.
To be able to do this the shower had to be removed and the tile flooring brought up to fully reveal the extent of the problem in the bathroom. As can be seen, the timber directly below the shower has suffered the worst damage with the timber decaying through wet rot from the high levels of moisture below the times. Other areas of the bathroom suffered less damage but still required attention by the team.
Professional Wet Rot Treatment
In order to remove the wet rot from the area, the timbers were removed from the bathroom to be replaced with newly treated timber joists. Before the timbers could be replaced the area had to be left to dry out. It is important to let the area dry out naturally to fully ensure the replacement timber will not also need to be replaced for similar issues. While waiting for the area to become sufficiently dry, the team were able to amend the plumbing work required to stop this issue returning from leaking pipes.
With new joists laid and the floor re-boarded, new tiles were laid and the shower tray re-fitted to its previous position.
Toucan Tips to Avoid Water Damage
Water damage in bathrooms can come from a variety of different sources which can make the source hard to locate. These are some of our top tips to avoid water damage in your property.
Shower and Bath
A shower tray or bathtub is the most common cause of water damage in a bathroom. Used multiple times per day in most homes, a vast amount of water passes through. When amplified over a large period of time even the smallest leak can cause significant problems.
Ensure all tiling surrounding baths and showers has fully intact sealant and there are no cracks to tiles. This should prevent any unwelcome leaks.
Bathmats
Putting a bathmat on your floor not only gives you a safer place to stand when your feet are wet, but it can also save you from water damage. A bathmat will sock up water which would otherwise be left on a floor surface. Over time this excess water can wear away at sealants and grout causing future leaks.
Upgrade fixtures
Having faulty or loose fixtures such as taps or shower heads can cause leaks all over your bathroom. Look to replace these as soon as possible when you notice a drip or loss in pressure.
Top Toucan Tip – Older shower heads can use twice as much water as newer ones. Replacing your fixtures can not only reduce the risk of leaks but drastically cut your water consumption. Everyone in Yorkshire loves saving!