5 Telling Signs of a Hidden Water Leak in Your Bathroom
A hidden water leak is more dangerous than an obvious one, since it can cause damages you can’t see. There are several signs you should look out for that may indicate you have a leak hidden in your home.
Damaged Floor by Shower
Curling vinyl flooring or loose tiles next to your tub are signs of a hidden water leak. This type of damage is from a splash leak, which occurs when water slips past a shower door or shower curtain. To fix this, make sure sliding doors and the shower curtains close properly when the water is running. You can also caulk around the frame.
Loose Tiles
Loose tiles in your shower and persistent mold indicate a tile leak. This type of hidden water leak occurs when water seeps through damaged caulk or grout and penetrates the wall. You can fix this problem by removing the damaged caulk, tiles and grout and reattaching with fresh elements. If the wall is damaged, you might need a new backer board.
Wetness Inside Cabinet
When there are puddles or water stains visible in your cabinets, this may indicate a water supply line leak. To fix this, try tightening the packing nut, but if that doesn’t work, you may need to replace the entire valve.
Rocking Toilet
It’s never a good feeling to sit down and have the toilet move. This issue is a sign of a toilet flange leak, which means the wax seal has been broken. To fix this, you might need to replace the wax ring and use toilet shims to even up the floor and prevent future rocking.
Loose Faucet
A loose faucet can indicate a hidden sink rim leak. This leak lets water seep under the base of your faucet. An easy fix is to tighten the faucet base from underneath and re-caulking around the unit.
At Sobieski Services, Inc. our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.
Photo Credit: Kristin “Shoe” Shoemaker via Compfight cc
