The Greater Los Angeles area’s warm weather isn’t enough to prevent water damage from leaky pipes and fixtures. While signs you have a water leak somewhere in your bathroom aren’t always obvious, they’re rarely hard to find.
Damaged Surfaces
Normal heat and steam from hot water shouldn’t damage your ceiling, walls, and floors. Water from leaks, however, can. A leaking pipe behind a wall can cause your paint or wallpaper to blister and bubble. Eventually, the paint will start to chip or the wallpaper will peel. Wood walls can warp. Drywall develops brown water stains and becomes soft.
If a pipe under your floor is leaking, the water can cause your wood flooring to warp or buckle or loosen your floor tiles. This kind of damage can also come from water escaping from a fixture such as a leaky toilet. A leak in a bathroom on an upper floor can leave brown or dark stains on the ceiling of the room below it.
Mold Growth
Mold thrives in damp, warm places, so a little mildew in the corners of your shower is usually nothing to worry about. The appearance of larger mold patches, however, is among the signs you have a water leak. This is especially true if the mold forms on walls and ceilings that aren’t near the shower, or if it grows in a line following a pipe behind the wall. Mold in your bathroom also suggests a possible humidity problem. A plumber can help you get to the root of the problem and solve it.
Musty Odors
Mold growth in the bathroom isn’t always visible. Mold can form behind the walls, under rugs, inside cupboards, and in other hidden places. While you may not see this mold, you’ll usually notice the musty, earthy odor it produces. If this smell lingers even after you thoroughly clean the whole bathroom, there’s a good chance your bathroom has a leak that’s somewhere out of sight.
If you notice any signs you have a water leak in your home, contact us at Reliance Home Services in Greater Los Angeles for help.
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