I Found Bathroom Water Damage…What Do I Do?
By: 911 Water Damage Experts
Out of all possible rooms to experience water damage, your bathroom is at the most risk.
Think about how many times in the average day you wash your hands, use the toilet, and wash in the bath or shower.
Without your knowledge, those fixtures could be leaking or not working at their best.
The result? Water damage.
You may only notice a musty smell or visible signs of mould or mildew, but these can be enough to signal an even more major problem like warped flooring and damaged walls.
If you suspect water damage in your bathroom and want to know what to do next, we’ve included plenty of helpful information below.
Understand What Water Damage In A Bathroom Looks Like
Before you call in the experts to tackle water damage that may not exist, it’s a good idea to know what it looks like.
There are several ways to know with certainty that you’ve got a leak somewhere, and it’s causing chaos.
Firstly, you might notice a musty smell that never goes away.
This can indicate mould growth in flooring and walls. Sometimes, there actually is visible mould.
Even after you clean it away, it may just come back time and time again.
If you have noticed bubbles in your drywall, loose tiles, or warped walls or flooring, these signs can also indicate water damage in your bathroom.
An even more serious sign is spongy flooring. Rotting plywood can make the floors feel softer than they should.
The signs can even be more subtle, such as damaged caulk or grout.
It just looks like ordinary damage, but this damage has essentially ruined the water tightness of your bathroom.
Left to its own devices, it can cause significant damage to your walls and flooring that comes with a hefty price tag to repair.
Get An Idea Of The Costs
Water damage can be stressful for any homeowner, particularly when you know water is slowly damaging your home and costing you money.
Experience peace of mind by knowing how much bathroom repairs and renovations cost.
Depending on the extent of the damage, it may cost you anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.
Your chosen water damage restoration company can give you a more accurate idea when they visit your property to provide a quote.
Book A Mould Inspection And Mould Remediation
If your bathroom looks okay on the surface, but you know you’ve got water damage and even mould, book a mould inspection and remediation.
The inspection part of the service involves identifying where mould could be hiding.
At this point, you can set about fixing the leak and then having a mould remediation specialist eradicating the mould.
This process can involve removing porous materials like drywall.
Remove Damage
A water leak can cause significant damage, and not all the building materials in your bathroom will be salvageable.
Turn off your water, remove the toilet to allow for more room, and start taking out fixtures and building materials affected by water.
Often, cabinets, wood subflooring, and tiles fall under this category.
Tackle The Drywall
For this task, we recommend contacting the professionals.
Removing and replacing drywall can be a complex undertaking if you don’t know what you’re doing.
However, suppose there is only a small amount of damaged drywall.
In that case, you may be able to remove it yourself with a keyhole saw and hammer.
Cut out a rectangle or circle, clip the new piece of drywall into place, use joint compound, and sand it until it’s flush with the undamaged wall.
You can then prime and paint to help it blend in with the rest of your bathroom.
Fix The Flooring
If your toilet, shower, or vanity has been leaking, gravity will make sure that your flooring is damaged as a result.
Now is the ideal time to remove all damaged flooring and fixtures, along with baseboards.
Use the exposed joists as your guide for placing new subfloor material.
This is easy enough to do by drawing a line through the center.
You can then cut out the subflooring and allow the joists to dry. Use wood screws and adhesive to put your new plywood in place.
Put Your Fixtures Back In Place
Now’s the time to reinstall your toilet and any other fixtures that weren’t damaged by the water damage.
Anything that was damaged should not go back into your bathroom.
Instead, it’s a good idea to purchase new or good quality secondhand vanities and other fixtures.
Make sure your bathroom is thoroughly dry before you start putting things into place.
Know How To Prevent Future Water Damage In The Bathroom
After what was undoubtedly quite a stressful process to fix your bathroom after water damage, you likely want to know how you can avoid it in the future.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to limit or even eliminate the risk of damage in the future.
First and foremost, never ignore any signs of discoloration you notice on walls or floors. This can be a sign of early water damage that can lead to significant damage if you don’t take steps to fix it.
It’s also important to be on the lookout for damaged caulking or grout that affects the waterproofness of your bathroom.
If any appliances are slow-draining, have someone inspect this potential problem as soon as possible.
You can also prevent water damage by replacing any leaky showerheads, overflow tub drains, and toilets, as well as using an exhaust fan to control humidity.
Make sure this exhaust fan matches the size of your bathroom so that it can do its job correctly.
If you notice any significant and sudden water damage, such as a burst pipe, act fast.
Turn off your bathroom water supply and call an experienced water damage company for assistance.
You may never be able to prevent water damage from happening every time. However, with some of the information above, you can be in the best possible position to look out for it, identify it, and take steps to fix it.
If you have any questions about bathroom water damage feel free to call us at 1-833-WE-DRY-IT anytime 24/7/365 or chat with us in near real-time on our Facebook fan page.
