Water Damage Restoration in Lithonia, GA

On a tile floor, water damage restoration is mostly about what lies under the tile. Ceramic and porcelain hardly absorb water, so a floor can be mopped dry and look finished within minutes. Underneath, though, there are grout joints, thinset or a mortar bed, a backer board and, in many houses, a plywood or OSB subfloor, and all of those can hold water long after the surface is dry. After a supply leak, a toilet problem or a washer overflow in a Lithonia home, Alpha Plumbing and Sewer checks and dries those layers.

How water gets beneath tile

Grout is cement-based and porous unless it has been sealed recently, and even sealed grout lets some water through over time. Water also slips in at the edges: under baseboards, around the toilet base, along the tub or shower threshold and through cracked tiles. Sometimes it arrives from below instead, when a pipe in the floor cavity or a ceiling underneath is the source. Once water reaches the backer board or subfloor, the tile above acts like a lid and slows evaporation dramatically.

Signs water is still under the floor

• Grout lines that stay darker than the rest of the floor a day or two after cleanup.
• Tiles that sound hollow or click when tapped with a coin or a screwdriver handle.
• New cracks running across tiles or along grout joints.
• White, powdery deposits forming in the grout as minerals migrate out with the water.
• A floor that flexes near the toilet or tub, or a stain on the ceiling below.

Measuring through tile

Non-invasive meters can sense moisture through tile, but their readings are rough, and dense porcelain can mask what lies below. Readings are compared with a dry part of the same floor. Where a crawlspace or unfinished basement sits underneath, the subfloor can also be read from below, which is often the clearest picture. In some cases a few small holes are drilled in grout joints to take readings directly, and those holes are easy to fill later.

Drying without pulling up the tile

When the tile is still firmly attached and the water was clean, drying in place is often worth trying. From below, air movers and a dehumidifier can work on the underside of the subfloor through an open crawlspace or basement ceiling. From above, specialized drying panels can draw air through the grout joints, and baseboards can come off so air reaches the floor edges. Progress is slow, and it is tracked with repeated readings rather than a set number of days.

When tile has to come up

Removal makes sense when tiles have loosened or cracked, when the subfloor has softened or delaminated, when the leak source is under the floor, or when the water was contaminated, since a drain or sewer backup cannot be cleaned out from under tile that stays down. If only a few tiles need lifting, the grout around them is cut out first to protect their neighbors. Spare tiles from the original installation are valuable here, so mention them if you have a box in the garage.

Fixing the source

A floor that keeps getting wet will not stay dry for long. Leaking toilet connections and worn shutoffs are handled through faucet and valve repair, while a cracked drain under the floor calls for drain repair. For other floor types and the overall drying process, see how Alpha approaches water restoration across Georgia.

Lithonia permits when tile comes up

Lithonia's Building and Permitting Division issues building and trade permits. Its permit checklist lists fixture work that changes piping among the jobs that need a permit, which can apply if a toilet or tub drain has to be moved or rebuilt while the floor is open. Drying and resetting tile alone is not plumbing work.

Questions about water under tile

Can water really get through grout?

Yes. Standard cement grout is porous, and unless it is sealed and in good condition, it absorbs water and passes some of it down to the thinset and backer board. Cracked grout and gaps at the edges of the floor let in even more. That is why a tile floor can look dry while the layers underneath remain wet.

Why do some tiles sound hollow after a leak?

A hollow sound usually means the tile has lost its bond with the thinset beneath it. Water can weaken that bond, and swelling in a wood subfloor can push tiles loose. Hollow tiles may stay in place for a while, but they crack easily under weight and let more water through, so they are often reset once the floor is dry.

Will darkened grout go back to its normal color?

Often it lightens as it dries, which is one reason grout color is a useful clue. If it stays dark after the floor tests dry, the discoloration may be staining from dirty water or minerals rather than moisture. Cleaning or regrouting usually fixes it, and sealing the new grout helps it resist the next spill.

When the grout stays dark

If your tile floor in Lithonia keeps showing dark grout lines or hollow spots after a leak, call Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448. Mention what is under the floor, a crawlspace, a basement or a slab, since that shapes how the drying is approached.