Moisture that gets behind tiles can cause all sorts of problems. It can destroy the drywall backing, it can cause rot, and it can cause the tiles to begin to fall off if left too long. Worst-case scenario, water damage behind your tiles can lead to mold problems. Mold can be a serious health risk to your family.
Excessive moisture can cause adhesive failure between the subfloor and the tiles, which results in looseness and the potential to shift. The weakened adhesive is dangerous. So if your tiles are shifting but there is no water or flooding on the surface, you should look at moisture buildup as a potential cause.
But, it only takes about an hour for the water to begin causing damage to your home. For this reason, you should contact a water damage restoration company like Steamy Concepts as soon as possible. Another thing to consider is that water damage causes mold the longer it's allowed to sit and spread.
Avoiding water damage to your bathroom tiles
Any spills or leaks that happen over top of your tile flooring should be cleaned up as soon as possible. Even though tile flooring is good for keeping water from leaking through, over time water will seep down into tiles and cause very real damage.
Accelerate drying by opening windows and doors. Use fans to move air around the damp walls. Dehumidifiers can help remove moisture from the air, which indirectly removes it from the walls, too. To speed up evaporation, remove molding and baseboards to prevent moisture from entering behind them.
Identify all tiles with water underneath them, and use your chisel and rubber mallet to remove the grouting. Use your towels to absorb the excess moisture for each tile. Once you're confident that the water is gone, you should clean the area with bleach because water damage is a breeding ground for mould spores.
Depending on the type of materials used, mold growth can occur within the stone / tile itself. The photos below show heavy mold growth in travertine tile, which is very porous. Unless it is properly sealed, the moisture can penetrate the stone, creating conditions conducive to bathroom mold growth.
Moisture that gets behind tiles can cause all sorts of problems. It can destroy the drywall backing, it can cause rot, and it can cause the tiles to begin to fall off if left too long. Worst-case scenario, water damage behind your tiles can lead to mold problems. Mold can be a serious health risk to your family.
If your grout is visibly cracked or crumbling, it's likely going to be letting water behind your tiles. Even if your grout doesn't appear to be damaged, if it's not water-resistant it could potentially be the source of the leak.
It's a common assumption among homeowners that tiles are waterproof and water can't pass through tiles and into the substrate once grout has set. Unfortunately, that's only partly true. While tiles themselves are largely water resistant, tiled areas are fairly porous thanks to the surrounding grout.
Additionally, if left untreated, water damage on walls can cause the surface to crack, peel or buckle. This can create both cosmetic and structural issues. Water damage can also give host to mold and mildew. That's why repairing water-damaged drywall in a timely manner is best.
Replacing Flood Damaged Tile Flooring
How do you know if you should keep or remove tile floors that have been affected by flooding? If your home was underwater for more than 3 days water can soak below the tiles. The best course of action, in this case, is replacing the tiles.
If left unattended, water damage can get worse over time; how quickly that happens varies, depending on how much water is present, in what areas, and the age of the home or business.
The most obvious is a spongy feel or “give” to the affected area. Other signs of water damage include warping in the floorboards of your hardwood floors, loose sections in your tile floor, bubbling or peeling in linoleum, lifting in your laminate flooring, or a musty smell that could indicate mold growth.
Water always travels to the lowest spot it can. This means, even if you have removed excess or standing water from the top of your flooring, there may still be water that has seeped underneath your floorboards into your subfloor. Water underneath your flooring does not dry out as quickly compared to surface moisture.
If the sub-flooring has damage from water, you must remove the floor. You will need to remove the tile in order to thoroughly dry the sub-flooring beneath it and avoid future mold or mildew growth. If you suspect a leak is still in progress, contact an emergency plumber to find the source and stop the leak.
Every time you turn on the shower, the grout gets wet. If you don't dry it off right away (and let's be honest, we aren't exactly wiping our showers down with a towel), the grout absorbs that water. That water then works its way behind the tiles and into the wall.
ANSWER - Water coming up through your tile grout joints is an indication that you have a high water table on your property or that water is being directed towards your house, and you don't have a vapor retarder under the concrete slab to prevent water from migrating through the concrete.
The answer to the question is, surprisingly, no. Tile and grout is not totally waterproof and neither is cement board, backer board, sealers and cement adhesives, they absorb water but do not block penetration.
Hollow or loose tiles – You can check if your shower tiles suffer from bathroom damage by giving them a light tap. If the tile sounds hollow when you tap it, it's likely that water has seeped underneath it and the adhesive has broken down. When tapping the tile, look for subtle movements as well.
It's not all bad news though, and tile grout does serve an important purpose. While grout isn't waterproof, it is moisture-proof so condensation cannot travel from one side to the other. Naturally, this condensation will evaporate throughout the day until the grout is dry.
All cement-based grouts are water resistant so they all allow the passage of water through them without breaking down. The more polymer that is in the grout the greater the resistance to water penetration.
The tiles of you shower stall might feel muddy and the area where you take a shower might be slimy and damp. This can be a sign of black molds growing behind the shower tiles. Keep an eye on the walls of the bathroom. If there is a growth of black mold then the walls will show signs of damage.
Look for physical growth in the above areas. If you notice black, blue, green, or pink growth appearing in water-prone areas (most commonly your grout), it's a sure sign you have mold issues. Mold will also grow under tiles, weakening their hold and lifting them. Loose or uneven tile can be another sign of mold.
mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. Even worse, it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem. Use the diagram on the facing page to assess the extent of mold in your home.