The key to finding any leak is to be able to see the leak in action.
Shower leaking behind tile wall.
Leaky tiles can occur anywhere where water is used whether it s a shower a wet room or a kitchen splashback.
They can often cause damp and mould within surfaces behind tiles and can even threaten the structural integrity of walls so it s important to tackle the issue at the first sign of a leak.
A soggy shower wall water stains on the wall behind the shower s faucet or on the wall or ceiling directly below the faucet and musty smells in the shower all can point toward a possible leak in the wall.
Rarely water damage to a tile wall can be caused by leaking pipes within the wall.
If your tile shower is leaking the cause of the leak must be found and addressed as soon as possible and definitely before you take a shower again.
The first step to repair shower tile after a leak is to assess the damage to determine how much of the wall has gotten wet.
If you cannot reproduce.
Starting low on the wall splash or spray water on an isolated area and keep checking for leaks as you work your way up a couple of feet at a time.
The longer the leak has gone unnoticed the larger the repair will be.
One other sign of a shower leak behind the wall is the drywall tile in front of the valve becomes spongy.
In some cases the leaks may dampen the walls of your bathroom even though the actual leakages are located in other specific areas.
If your shower water leak hasn t revealed itself with the above tests then it s entirely possible that water is leaking out through the tile on the shower walls.
Determine where your shower is leaking.
Leaks typically start along the bottom of the wall where the tile meets the top of the tub or shower pan.
Failure to do so puts more moisture behind the wall or under the floor which can cause mold rot in the wood structure or crumbling drywall.
In this instance the damage is usually confined to the wall where the showerhead and faucet is located and it may be found anywhere on the wall not just down near the base.
This is usually cause by water spraying from the leak in back of the wall.
To do this focus on one wall at a time.
Those areas are exposed to the most water so damage tends to spread quickly.
If the shower drains and there is no leak then you will need to examine whether the leak is coming from missing grout between tiles on the shower walls.
In extreme circumstances the leak may even cause the drywall and tiles to come off easily because they have been weakened.
Check that all grout between the tiles is in place not cracked and appears sealed.
Such shower leaks are usually caused by a malfunctioned plumbing structure behind the wall especially near your faucets and shower head.
Is your shower leaking through your tiles.
Do the obvious fixes replacing and or patching if necessary.
