How to stop Bathroom Wet Floor?? Ideas???

[joanmc]

If water is dripping through the downsatirs ceiling, it may be worse than they are just not drying off fast enough. Have you considered a leak in the pipe? Turn off all your taps and go out and check the water metre- if the numbers are still spinning with all the taps off, you have a leak. Is it a shower over a tub or just a cubicle with a tiled floor? In this case maybe one of those waterproofing companies can help (I've not used one so can't say if they are good or bad).
I guess no matter what it is it will cost you money at some point (hopefully not your life savings). good luck.

 

[fullylucky]

If water is dripping through the downsatirs ceiling, it may be worse than they are just not drying off fast enough. Have you considered a leak in the pipe? Turn off all your taps and go out and check the water metre- if the numbers are still spinning with all the taps off, you have a leak. Is it a shower over a tub or just a cubicle with a tiled floor? In this case maybe one of those waterproofing companies can help (I've not used one so can't say if they are good or bad).
I guess no matter what it is it will cost you money at some point (hopefully not your life savings). good luck.

no, water is due to wet floor.

in the day the bathroom floor is bone dry.

also just want to remind everyone that i clearly said 100% sure. if i was 80% sure I would have said 80% if I was 99% sure I would say 99%.

i know how to check for leaks. turn off all taps and wait 4 hours or a long time and see if the meter/number has changed.

 

[fullylucky]

That's an interesting question, I'd like to know why you asked it.

I've been following your other adventures as posted to the forum and this leaking bathroom and your suggestions for fixing it (towel hooks on back of bathroom door etc) does not surprise me in the least.

I look forward to more in the future.

Thank you for following, I'm honoured to share my adventures with you my friend.

 

[turk]

no, water is due to wet floor.

in the day the bathroom floor is bone dry.

also just want to remind everyone that i clearly said 100% sure. if i was 80% sure I would have said 80% if I was 99% sure I would say 99%.

i know how to check for leaks. turn off all taps and wait 4 hours or a long time and see if the meter/number has changed.

Glad you know it all, down to the exact %, but how does turning off the water meter show you whether the wastepipe is leaking or not?

 

[fullylucky]

Glad you know it all, down to the exact %, but how does turning off the water meter show you whether the wastepipe is leaking or not?

You don't turn off the water meter. (you can't turn it off if you could you would get free water.)

you turn off all the taps and look at the meter, if it spins it means somewhere it's leaking.

*newer meters have numbers. wait a few hours and make sure you don't use any water and look at the numbers and see if they have moved if they have it means you got a leak.

 

[turk]

You don't turn off the water meter.

you turn off all the taps and look at the meter, if it spins it means somewhere it's leaking.

*newer meters have numbers. wait a few hours and make sure you don't use any water and look at the numbers and see if they have moved if they have it means you got a leak.

Yes in a rush and mistyped there.

Meant to ask, how does turning off all taps and waiting 4 hours and seeing if the meter number has changed tell you whether the wastepipe is leaking or not?

 

[Lil Skater]

Have you had a builder/plumber look at the situation?

I had one in a two story town house where the upstairs bathroom had water marks to the tiles, found out it was due to small cracks in the grout used which was causing the floor underneath the rot.

The tenants didn't really notice, and honestly if I wasn't a real estate agent and was taught to be aware of these types of scenarios I probably wouldn't have noticed either.

I think it's a bit extreme telling your tenants how they should act in the bathroom, also I don't know about the majority but I usually dry myself out of the shower and use just a normal bath mat that isn't water proofed underneath. Oh, and I also don't hang it off the bath to dry after every shower, it just sits there and dries during the day. I'm sure not vandalising my property, and I don't think not using a bath mat is taking the property for granted.

 

[fullylucky]

Why you guys like this? it's not a leak!!!

It's like I'm standing here and there is blood on the floor and I saw my lamb getting eaten by a wolf, there's wolf footprints everywhere and bite barks on the dead lamb and you are going oh... maybe... maybe Roland McDonald killed your lamb and used it to make a lamb burger. Maybe it's not the wolf, the wolf is innocent. You should get a CSI detective and investigate.

(instead of helping me come up with ideas to the exact problem you are saying the problem isn't there...)

I'm going on a business trip, i will post photos later when i get back of the wet floor...

Hi Lil Skater, yeah i feel the same as you, telling them is just a band aid solution and too awkward.

In the law enforcement there is a thing called crime prevention through environmental design (CPRED) google it.

i'm trying to do that basically eg. put in the 2 hooks behind the door -> long term fix.

 

[fisherman]

Have you had a builder/plumber look at the situation?

I had one in a two story town house where the upstairs bathroom had water marks to the tiles, found out it was due to small cracks in the grout used which was causing the floor underneath the rot.

Someone is having you on. The grout isn't intended or designed to waterproof. That is the purpose of the membrane installed below the tiles.

No tiled surface is intended to withstand water saturation/pooling without a professionally installed membrane. 'Water resistant' or 'waterproof' relating to grout means it will not be damaged or deteriorate from contact with water. It does not mean it provides a watertight barrier to the passage of water.

BTW, none of the aftermarket treatments will do instead.

Where the membrane isn't installed the tiled surface is not rated for wetness. Superficial damp and wiped up quickly, but not splashing and pooled water.

If tenants are ignorant of this the PM has a duty to inform them accordingly. That is not telling tenants how to live.

Equally owners would hope that PMs advise tenants that toilets are not receptacles for rubbish and only toilet paper is designed for sewage.

Perhaps PMs should have a brochure to advise tenants so they can do the right thing. It cannot be expected that people would always know how to manage property and the very minor steps and considerations that can prevent a host of problems, some embarrassing.

 

[Doovalacky]

Why you guys like this? it's not a leak!!! .

Maybe because the bathroom is a wet area? The floor should be sealed enough to handle water. It should have a drain.

If you are so sure its the tenants in the shower I suggest you install a glass screen door.
I certainly don't stand in a cramped shower and try to dry off.

 

[Lil Skater]

Someone is having you on. The grout isn't intended or designed to waterproof. That is the purpose of the membrane installed below the tiles.

No tiled surface is intended to withstand water saturation/pooling without a professionally installed membrane. 'Water resistant' or 'waterproof' relating to grout means it will not be damaged or deteriorate from contact with water. It does not mean it provides a watertight barrier to the passage of water.

Sure tiles aren't meant to be waterproof, but it was an older town house and the grout had started deteriorating therefore causing the problem as it wasn't fully water proofed. In the end the bathroom was completely replaced (landlord was moving back in) and it was tiled floor to ceiling and water proofed.

Fullylucky, I understand you're sure there is no leak, however have you had a professional look at it? Also saying you are trying to prevent a crime is insane, it's a wet area, it gets wet which is why you don't put carpet there. Maybe they forgot their towel and did a nudey run.

 

[depreciator]

If you have any luck training your tenants to dry themselves before stepping on the bathroom floor, can you come round to my place and teach my kids?

 

[fisherman]

Lil Skater,

Thank you for your reply.

In new houses the wet areas, laundry, bathroom and toilets have to be waterproofed and the proofing lapped to walls. A drain is required. The work has to be certified.

That was not required for properties previously, where the waterproofing was to the actual hob of the shower and to problem areas of the enclosure. The surrounding floor was not included.

In the OP's case, the stated absence of a drain (and the probable age of the property) should indicate caution with water spills. It is unreasonable to spray or pool water and find out later that damage has been done.

There would be few houses to rent if all were to be retro-fitted to meet new regulations, and then it would be inequitable if the same requirement was not applied to private residences as well.

The poster has said that the shower is enclosed and has a glass door. Just a bit of care and a towel on the floor would solve the problem. Otherwise tiles will likely lift, the floor will rot and the ceiling and lights power could be affected.

 

[Peterw]

From my understanding of the building code in qld, there should be a floor drain in the bathroom, however I am not aware that the floor needs to be sloped to the drain. When I lived in NSW, it did need to be sloped to the drain. We have a drain in the middle of our handicap wc at the office, fully approves/inspected etc, and the floor does not slope to the drain.

 

[fisherman]

From my understanding of the building code in qld, there should be a floor drain in the bathroom, however I am not aware that the floor needs to be sloped to the drain. When I lived in NSW, it did need to be sloped to the drain. We have a drain in the middle of our handicap wc at the office, fully approves/inspected etc, and the floor does not slope to the drain.

Qld Code
What would generally apply to new houses is that fixtures like the vanity, shower and toilet share a common gully and in that case the sloped floor is not mandated. Because the gully is not seen as a drain. A pity, for obvious reasons. Obviously, flat floors are not going to drain spills.

Anyhow, that is what the revised building code stipulates. The advice I gave earlier stands for old and new houses. It is only reasonable and simple enough not to splash water onto wet area floors and to ensure that pooling of water does not occur. Use a mat and take some care of the expensive asset. Why would anyone seek to do otherwise?

 

[fullylucky]

Maybe because the bathroom is a wet area? The floor should be sealed enough to handle water. It should have a drain.

If you are so sure its the tenants in the shower I suggest you install a glass screen door.
I certainly don't stand in a cramped shower and try to dry off.

it is a glass screen door.. not a slide one but open and close out one.

 

[fullylucky]

If you have any luck training your tenants to dry themselves before stepping on the bathroom floor, can you come round to my place and teach my kids?

kids are kids you can't expect them to learn if they are under the age of 4... often with kids around age of 4-6 they will do opposite of what you say eg. you say don't go there or don't eat that they will just do the opposite just to p*** you off... that's normal.

my tenants are adults also understand when the first person gets out of the shower... can't expect the second person (still showering) to turn off the shower, so the frist person drys off and then second person turns the shower back on again sooo the first person getting out there will be water on the floor i know that.... but the amount of water is astronomical. do you understand what i mean???

 

[fullylucky]

The poster has said that the shower is enclosed and has a glass door. Just a bit of care and a towel on the floor would solve the problem. Otherwise tiles will likely lift, the floor will rot and the ceiling and lights power could be affected.

There is a large mat / towel there already. it's not a weak hydrophobic towel that doesn't suck up any water.

 

[fisherman]

fullylucky,

I don't know what the story is but the end of the lease always provides an opportunity for both parties to find alternatives more to their taste: fully soaked tenants with fully soaked owners who are also into water lilies in the bathroom (and fungus sprouting below), and the dries with the dries.