Common Causes of Water Damage in a Bathroom

Water damage can appear virtually anywhere in your home, but bathrooms and basements are the two most common areas. It’s easier to spot causes and signs of water damage in an unfinished basement, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less severe to have water damage occur in your bathroom. 

Spotting Signs of Bathroom Water Damage

The bathroom is probably the most common place where you’ll use water in your home. Because of this, there’s a relatively high risk of sustaining water damage. The longer water damage goes untreated, the worse it can get. Therefore, you need to know what signs to look for and deal with any damage as soon as possible. 

There are often items like rugs, bottles, towels, and so on crammed in every corner of the typical bathroom, which can trap moisture and hide budding problems. But what usually causes the most water damage in a bathroom? How can you spot it, especially with so many items in the way? This article addresses several common ways to notice, prevent, or fix bathroom water damage. 

A Recurring or Persistent Musty Odor

Wherever there’s water damage, you almost always find small spots of mold, or even a full-blown infestation. When you leave mold to thrive and grow, it creates a stinking, musty odor that’s pretty hard to miss. Don’t leave musty smells unaddressed—try to find the source so that you can have it repaired before more damage occurs. 

Damaged Grout or Caulk

When these sealing agents fail, virtually nothing prevents water from seeping past the barrier, causing water damage and mold growth underneath wall and flooring tiles. Damaged showerheads, spigots, grout, or caulking, combined with excessive moisture, create the perfect environment for mold to thrive.

Loose Tiles or Spongy Floors

Moldy and water-damaged walls make it more difficult for tiles to stay in place, which can cause them to become loose. In addition, persistent moisture on a bathroom floor can result in water damage to the subflooring layer, causing it to degrade, lose integrity, and feel spongy.

Stubborn Growth

If there’s visible mold in your bathroom that you’ve removed more than once, the most likely reason it keeps coming back is a deeper infestation in the walls or floors. It’s critical to deal with this problem immediately to prevent further damage and new or worsening health issues. 

Common Causes of Bathroom Water Damage

Since bathrooms have so much exposure to dampness, there are many possible causes of water damage. Every time you take a bath or shower, you fill the air with steam. Without adequate ventilation, the water condensates, beading on colder surfaces, and can even form puddles on any flat surface. This moisture can seep into walls and flooring or pool into specific areas, providing mold with the standing water it needs to thrive. Standing water can also cause wood to warp, weaken, or even rot.

Another widespread cause of water damage in bathrooms is a leaking or broken pipe. There are a lot of pipes connecting to your bathroom plumbing because of the sink, toilet, and shower or bathtub. It can often be difficult to notice when a leak has started, which gives water time to collect where it doesn’t belong and cause damage.

A broken pipe is a bit more noticeable and also significantly more detrimental. If one of your pipes breaks or bursts, turn off the water to the room immediately and get a plumber and water damage expert to help you as soon as possible. 

What Can I Do to Prevent Water Damage?

The first step to preventing water damage and mold growth is to familiarize yourself with the early indications. Black spots, recurring fungus, spongy floors, mysterious stains, dripping sounds, and musty smells are all signs that you may have a problem. 

Check your bathroom for any visual signs of mold on a regular basis. Move stored items and supplies frequently to make sure puddles haven’t formed behind or beneath them. Take a look at your toilet, showerhead, grout or caulk, and faucet to make sure everything is sealed correctly. If you have loose or damaged seals, this could cause leakage issues, and you need to get them fixed as soon as possible. 

Make sure your bathroom has proper ventilation, and try to minimize the amount of excess moisture that accumulates on the walls and ceiling. Avoid leaving towels or other absorbent items lying around, especially after use. Hang towels on hooks or rails so they can dry quickly, or they’ll retain moisture long enough to get moldy. Hang up any wet soaked bath mats after every use to keep water from seeping into the floor.

Contact AdvantaClean Today

Contact professionals like those at AdvantaClean if you think you may have mold or water damage in your bathrooms and for regular checkups. While it may seem expensive to pay for water maintenance and repair services, it’s actually a lot cheaper in the long run than having to repair and replace severely water-damaged items.