Other say I should use vinyl because humidity can pass for the ground of the tile. If water is seeping through the grout joints that could be an indication that you have hydrostatic water pressure occurring. Any ideas? Hi, i live in a high rise condominium and i have just done epoxy flooring at my bathroom. No signs in walls or roof but the slab has over 12 showing and the water could be draining under it. Water leaks are normally covered under Home Owner insurance policies. If the water shows up intermittently, then the source of the water could be from the showers or from the toilets. It is possible that the concrete beneath the wall cavities wont have the moisture barrier, but it hasnt had it up to now any ways and it is still limited on what the slab can take. There might be a delay from the time the water source is used and the time it shows up at the tiles. We are now noticing wetness (white and brown coloring) coming up through the grout, especially when we step on that area of the bathroom. This error is usually due to your negligence. For the previous owners, this caused rust stains on carpets wherever metal furniture was positioned. If you hire a leak detection company they can pressure test your water source lines to determine if they have a leak. We discovered small amount of water coming up through our grout, long story short, we have ruled out any type of water leak and started removing all the tiles across the house to find out it was actually a slow leak from rain water coming in from a door. We really appreciate your response in regards to this issue. If the shower only leaks when it has been used, it is likely a problem with the waterproof membrane in the shower pan or at some transition on the wall where water is spraying. Tile lippage is one of the issues that might arise. I must say, Im at my wits end. Hi, We have seeping water under our kitchen tile directly in front of our refrigerator. While you can trace the point of grout failure, it is much better to let the professionals do a thorough job so that the new grout lasts for a long time to come. I really dont want to rip out the entire thing since its all brand new and cost a fortune. Sometimes cracks or holes are so small that it is difficult to find. A repairable reservoir should be repaired or replaced. Other products referenced in my last comment dont have those limitations and they are made for tile applications to go over them. The new tile floor was also taken out this week. Your email address will not be published. Water leaks or sources can be difficult to trace because they can travel a long distance. Thanks. This site is meant for professional floor technicians, amateur Do It Yourself (DIY) people, and anyone interested to know about flooring solutions. When you use tiles to design your floors and walls, you may encounter a variety of issues after a period of tiling. It gets much worse after heavy rain. This does not apply however to epoxy grout since it is a different material altogether. How can i fix it? So now we ruled out leaks from water pipes. ALL houses have wobbly walls. About a month after installing we noticed efflorescence and then small droplets of water coming through the grout line. Prepare your grout. About this product. So in theory, if all those joints and transitions is where the water was entering from, then it could stop the water from entering. Water accumulates on the subfloor, and it may rise to the surface at an inopportune time. This will tell you where the source of the water is from and then you will need to figure out how to fix it. Please help! (Related Post: Plumbers take on Low Water Flow), Unless you purposely let water sit on it, a bathroom floor rarely suffers water damage unless there is a leak. Make sure all water faucets and bibs are turned off. This is our first experience with tile flooring, so we not sure what we should do. The high leakage of the floor causes lots of water to come; you have to spend $4 to $7 per square foot. I have noticed a tiny, dime sized puddle of water in the grout lines in my kitchen near my dishwasher and sink. Any advice?? I would be glad to receive any solution from you and a hint towards the cost. If the water control system in the shower does not work correctly, water will continue to fall from it. When the excess water evaporates, the white polymer is exposed. I had a shower installed about a year and half ago, I had an old bathtub removed and shower pan installed, the membrane went way up the walls and everything was red guarded we used small marble tile all over the shower walls and the floor. Water bleeds up through the grout in the shower area. The ideal solution is to hire a construction forensic investigator to evaluate your situation, but that might not be practical cost wise. The sealing will protect the grout against germs and moisture. It looks like its wet around the copper lines coming through the slab under the sink in an interior wall about six feet from the exterior wall that has so much slab exposed. Hello, Said this product would eliminate the necessity for having a French drain will permanently waterproof the foundation. In that case water from watering the plants can migrate into the concrete slab and up through the tile floor. I have fixed the roof and the pavement outside the bedroom. Many thanks for your advice. As the water seeps behind the wall, it can destroy the drywall, cause the tile to fall, and lead to mold. Hi, So by a process of elimination you try to narrow it down to correlate it to another event. Use one of those water sources at a time and see if you can then detect a leak. If you are getting puddles of water coming through your grout joint, then you likely have a hydrostatic condition. We don't as a general policy investigate the solvency of companies mentioned (how likely they are to go bust), but there is a risk any company can struggle and it's rarely made public until it's too late (see the. Sump pump? If you cant stop the water from traveling towards your home, then you can dig trenches around the home and install a perforated pipe with a fabric sock surrounded with gravel. 5052 Genesee Ave, San Diego, CA 92117 So it must be coming from the shower or other interior water source. Manufacturers like Mapei, Custom Building Products, and Laticrete have systems with moisture mitigation products and they give 25 year or more labor and material warranties if you use their system of products and install them properly per their directions and per industry standards. What could be causing this? - damp behind tiles? - wet grout Water Seeping Through Concrete Slab | DIY Guide with Plumbing Tips How do I find a new Tile Installer to Fix or Complete, What is the Stone Industry Standard for the Allowable amount of Marble. Finding the source of the water can be tricky because the source might not be anywhere near where it shows up in the grout joint. They are not even that close together (some about 25-26 ft apart). My question is that if moisture penetrated the slab, how long would it remain until it clears up? If the water is coming up from the floor then it would most likely be a pressurized pipe. But as he lifted a tile you can see water/wet on the tile set groove. The percent of moisture in a floor is always fluctuating (according to him) and a floating floor will allow this to happen. Through any of the above faults, every time you have a shower, small quantities of water get behind the tiles . Hello dear! If it does come completely dry then monitor it after you use the toilet and the shower and sink to see if it becomes wet again to determine where the water is coming from. It seems like there can be many steps and people involved to fixed this, but am at a loss as to where to even begin. Take a look at our Larsens Wetroom Tanking & Sealing Kit. Grout tends to be more porous than tile and so provides an easier pathway for moisture to travel beyond its bounds. The question is where did the water enter from when you pressure washed the outside of the house? How To Remove Efflorescence | Tile Your World - John Bridge Call a professional as soon as you see such errors. I suspect that due to all of the rain that the ground is saturated and the water table in the ground has risen. I have the idea vinyl will decrease the price of my house. However on that radiant floor in between some tiles I see the white efflorescence between the grout lines. Hi Or there is a high water table and you dont have a vapor retarder membrane that was installed correctly or is working correctly. We called the plumber and he said that most likely there is a pipe problem in the slab under There is a chance it could be a hydrostatic water leak meaning there is pressure from the water traveling from a higher area to a lower area. On the other hand, you might have a slow leak from the other bathroom or from some other source and the steam cleaning process contributed to the problem that brought your attention to it. Good morning, I have been reading your Q&A on water seeping up through a tile floor and this is the problem we are having. Required fields are marked *. I had a company perform camera inspection on a water drain/sewer line and suspected a leak. The large format tiles (95 x 47 in) were installed with Mapeis Keraflex mortar. Hence it is less vulnerable to cracks and chips. If the water shows up intermittently, then the source of the water could be from the showers or from the toilets. Hidden Shower Leaks: The Dangers & What To Look For Apply the grout. Applying a sealant at the baseboard wont do it, as that is not the source of the water leak. Its supposed to rain tomorrow so Ill check to see how it looks after that. This is a major health hazard. It works great. The most expensive thing is to clean the floor. Although it might not be practical considering the cost and your situation. If you have actual pools of water I would suggest possible sources as: 1. penetrating (as you've mentioned ie. Check your water meter and see if it still shows water flow after everything is off, which would be an indication if it was a water supply line leak. If there is leakage in these places, it will make a running hissing sound. This is more problematic as you could develop microbial growth inside the wall. Can you suggest who should I begin with first? What Is the Best Grout to Use on Bathroom Ceramic Tile? If the tile was damp and then you removed it and the spot dried and did not become wet again, then that source of water stopped for some reason. If it is moving, then you have to investigate to determine where the leak is located. The simple answer is yes. There are plumbers who specialize in leak detentions, but Im not sure they would know how to detect the moisture condition that might not be related to a pipe leak. A squeegee or rubber float can then be used to apply water-resistant grout in small sections. Water seeping or migrating through the grout is normally not considered hydrostatic condition where it creates a pressure greater than the epoxy moisture barrier attachment. They only show up after a rain or some other event that subjected the property to water either by creating a higher water table in the ground or from a source of water from a higher level. or grout? Our contractor stopped at where it seemed dry, but I cant stop thinking about what if there were random spots that we just cant see. If it is too old or rusted, water may seep through the floor. Water is coming from the floor tiles of three rooms at sixth floor. what do we need to do to sort this problem? Water in grout lines of new floor - houzz.com I figure the floor probably has to be pulled up (this is in the basement). There is vinyl flooring. To maintain the integrity of grout, you will have to apply a grout sealer. In between the floors there is the subfloor of the terrace (on which tiles were layed) , expertly applied waterproofing, then a metal layer that covers the entire area,then insulation and lastly plaster board. If there are any warning signs in your home, your shower may be leaking and . A few suggestions: - remove the grout between the wall/floor tile joints and replace it with a silicone sealant. 3) Use a product like Schluters Ditra or another uncoupling membrane, then tile/grout. Suitable for dry and wet conditions. I have been in the floor cleaning business for the last 20 years. Solutions - rake out faulty grout and re-apply a waterproof formulation. I noticed a small spot in the kitchen a few months ago, and figured my children or dog spilled something. The foundation slab appeared to be dry to the naked eye, no cracks observed. If water gets behind tiles then it can harm the adhesive holding the tile to the structure. Notice all the lines and find the wettest part. The grout never dries in the shower area and produces what looks like white salt on the grout if this shower is not used for a few days. If the grout wetness just started a few days ago then it is too soon to see any efflorescence staining. I currently live on one of the keys in Fl in a small unit that might have been a converted carport. I like this post. And who I might contact to find the problem for us. Im wondering if it might be worth a shot. Or, would installing tile over the tile be a potential solution? There is a chance that installing a trench drain might divert the water to the storm drains if done properly. Sometimes it is hard to find a water source because water can so easily travel beneath the floor and show up at spot far from where the source may reside. We assumed it was a leak, but didnt discover one. Purchase a silicone sealant designed for sealing tiles and grout. I dont think it is likely that the source of the water is the AC. If water is coming through the floor tile grout joints on the sixth floor then the water is coming from the plumbing. Is it common for the water to find an opening in the slab such as where the pipes penetrate through? It might be more practical to remove the tile and install an epoxy moisture mitigation system that is recommended for this condition and then install new tile over it. However, depending on the type of leakage, the cost may increase. I have checked the water meter and there was no leaked. Because of the heavy rain that you had it either brought the water table up or water from a higher areas was draining down to your house. Water seeping through kitchen floor tiles at night - DIYnot Locate the Leak. I have ceramic tile. Water coming up through the floor! | The RV Forum Community There was a large black olive tree between my house and my neighbors (north side of the house) where the roots were growing toward my house, and we would cut the roots on the surface to prevent them approaching the house, however maybe some roots underground could have reached the foundation and caused some cracking? It is possible that when they steam cleaned your floor that the steam condensates from the steaming process causing water to collect under those tiles where the grout has remained damp. Because this condition only occurs during heavy rains, this suggests that either the water table rises during these rains that cause perhaps a hydrostatic water pressure condition, or it could be that surface or underground water is draining towards that house during these heavy rains. A buyers inspection and subsequent professional evaluation indicate moisture readings of up to 99 percent moisture in the slab foundation throughout the home. If a pipe is leaking, shut down the main water line to stop the flow of water through the pipe. If it is leaking then it isnt fully waterproof. First that the tile is not bonded and there is water underneath the tile. Look in your outside storage areas close to the leak. But what about the grout? 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Lines in my kitchen common leak spots are at water supply lines under,...