Ceramic Tile Water Damage

Posted in homeowners insurance.

Ceramic tile water damage.

Sometimes it is easy to tell if your tile flooring has been harmed from water damage. If your home has suffered flood damage floor tiles generally come loose. There is no way the water could have migrated 10 15 feet below the tile and slab surface. If the tile was not installed per industry standards then it is possible that the tiles could have been damaged to some degree from the water loss event.

These walls are susceptible to water damage if the tile s grout joints develop gaps. However it damages the grout between the tiles loosens tile adhesive and saturates the subfloor. Unlike ceramic tile concrete will shrink back to its original size as it dries. Damage may not become evident for several.

Standing water does not damage ceramic floor tiles. However this also presents an opportunity to install new waterproof flooring in the area. This means in a water damaged tile situation involving ceramic tile installed over a concrete slab both the ceramic tile and the slab will expand. The tile itself may not allow moisture to penetrate but the grout or thin lines of mortar between the tiles is susceptible to water damage.

Ceramic floor tiles are not harmed by standing water but it can damage the grout between the tiles and detach the adhesive. When dried the slab returns to its original size but the ceramic tiles do not shrink back to their original size. Water intrusion at a home can often result in floor tiles becoming loose. Other times it may be it bit more difficult to determine.

Water damage to tile floors. By mark nation on november 29 2011. The subfloor may be particle board or plywood sheet. Note that underlayment and padding are particularly susceptible to water damage and must usually be removed.

In older homes ceramic shower tile was often installed directly over drywall. This makes porcelain tile an excellent choice where you want the look of wood without wood s susceptibility to water damage. The wood soaks up the water and expands causing the tile floor to buckle or tiles to become loose. Answer answer if the tile was installed correctly it should not be harmed by a flood caused by a water heater failure.

In modern construction shower tile is generally installed with a moisture barrier under a base of waterproof cement board so water damage is somewhat less likely. While ceramic tile generally has solid color and pattern porcelain tiles are available that are remarkably good at mimicking natural stone such as marble or even wood grains. The technical term for this is debonding of the floor tiles.