Bathtub Water Damage

Water damage can occur in virtually any area of the home, but is most common in the bathroom, especially around the bathtub. Bathtub water damage can be difficult to fix and costly to repair, but there are ways for a homeowner to avoid the headache and hassle of bathtub water damage in their home.

By following a few simple tips, the homeowner can ensure that the risk of water damage to their home is greatly reduced and if the unfortunate occurs, the resulting damage will be easy to repair.

1. Bathtub Water Damage Can Be Prevented With Routine Checking

With just a few minutes of checking each week, many cases of bathtub water damage can be detected in the early stages before it turns into an expensive problem to repair. Take the time to examine the area around the bathtub for signs of water that cannot be explained away by routine usage. If the bathtub is leaking around the seal of the tub or near the faucet, there will be a telltale puddle of water near the source of the leak.

Another way to tell whether there is water leaking from the bathtub or attached faucets is to check for discoloration in the caulking around the bathtub or on the floor and walls near the bathroom. In some cases, the leaking water will create a soft spot on the floor that is very noticeable when stepping on it or pressed with a hand. These are the first signs of water damage and indicate the need for repair work to be done to stop the leaking water.

2. Mold Can Be An Indication Of Bathtub Water Damage

If there is an area around the bathtub that is growing mold, it may be a sign that leaking water is causing damage to the area. Mold attributed to running the shower generally occurs higher up on the walls, but mold indicating leaking water from the bathtub will typically form lower on the walls and floor in very close proximity to the bathtub. This mold is typically dark in color and may start as a few dark spots that begin to spread and connect into a bigger spot over time.

Mold that is growing within the walls as a result of leaky pipes leading to the bathtub or from the drain will be harder to detect and the homeowner may not even know that the mold is forming from these sources until the damage is extensive.

To ensure that the pipe leading to the tub faucet is not leaking, turn off everything that uses water in the home, including the refrigerator, the dishwasher, and the air conditioner, for one hour.

Record the reading on the water meter at the beginning and the end of that one hour period and if there is any change in the reading, it may be an indication of a leaking pipe somewhere in the home.

3. Ensure That The Grout Around The Bathtub And Shower Is Clean And Whole

Areas of missing grout around the bathtub or the shower can allow water to seep into the walls where it can cause damage undetected for a long period of time.

If the shower or the wall behind the bathtub is tiled, the entire wall should be checked on a regular basis to ensure that none of the grout is missing and water is not leaking behind the tiles every time someone in the household takes a bath or a shower.

Replacing grout is a quick and easy job and the supplies that are needed to complete the job can be found in any neighborhood home improvement store.

Photo by drcorneilus, Creative Commons Attribution License