After living in our new house for 7 years, we have now noticed fine hairline cracks in the grout lines between the tiles on the back wall of our shower (not in the silicone). This affects 3-4 grout lines stacked vertically below the fixtures.
Behind the tiles is drywall enclosing the vertical shaft to the ground floor.
The tiler who worked on this initially is currently very busy and has been slow to come by and take a look.
Whether he can identify any issues without removing the tiles is another question.
In principle, everything under the tiles should be waterproofed. This was thoroughly checked by our building surveyor at the time.
Now there are two options:
1.)
If the waterproofing is not damaged, the hairline cracks should not be a problem.
If I expose the grout and regrout, there is a risk of damaging the waterproofing.
2.)
If the waterproofing is damaged (e.g., by the shower fitting above) or something is leaking, the drywall could swell or move, which would cause the hairline cracks.
I am uncertain about the best course of action going forward.
What would be a reasonable approach, especially considering the possibility that this could be an insurance claim?
Should I have our original building surveyor (also a construction expert) take another look, just have a tiler repair it, or involve the insurance company, which might send their own expert?
Behind the tiles is drywall enclosing the vertical shaft to the ground floor.
The tiler who worked on this initially is currently very busy and has been slow to come by and take a look.
Whether he can identify any issues without removing the tiles is another question.
In principle, everything under the tiles should be waterproofed. This was thoroughly checked by our building surveyor at the time.
Now there are two options:
1.)
If the waterproofing is not damaged, the hairline cracks should not be a problem.
If I expose the grout and regrout, there is a risk of damaging the waterproofing.
2.)
If the waterproofing is damaged (e.g., by the shower fitting above) or something is leaking, the drywall could swell or move, which would cause the hairline cracks.
I am uncertain about the best course of action going forward.
What would be a reasonable approach, especially considering the possibility that this could be an insurance claim?
Should I have our original building surveyor (also a construction expert) take another look, just have a tiler repair it, or involve the insurance company, which might send their own expert?
So the insurance probably won’t get involved at this point since there is no actual damage yet. At least, none that you know of so far, because the damaged joints are not yet considered an insurance claim. I would most likely try to have the same or another good tiler come by to inspect and provide a quote for repairs. Alternatively, you could consult an expert, but they probably won’t offer much more information and will charge you for confirming that repairs are needed.
So look for a tiler, have them assess the situation, and then proceed with repairs based on the quote.
So look for a tiler, have them assess the situation, and then proceed with repairs based on the quote.
@cschiko
Thank you for your opinion.
In another forum, I came across a post showing exactly the same cracks. The pictures posted there could just as well be from our property.
The general consensus there was that it’s not a problem as long as you don’t direct a water jet at it. Joints are never completely waterproof anyway. The waterproofing behind them provides the actual seal. That sounds reasonable, provided the waterproofing itself isn’t cracked or damaged.
However, I might be a bit biased.
Our neighbors currently have a major insurance claim due to water damage in their bathroom and surrounding rooms. Over the years, water gradually leaked from their drainpipe. Now everything down to the concrete slab is saturated.
They had to move out for three months, and after drying, the bathroom floor will be completely redone from the screed up.
It’s a small relief that the insurance is covering the costs.
Thank you for your opinion.
In another forum, I came across a post showing exactly the same cracks. The pictures posted there could just as well be from our property.
The general consensus there was that it’s not a problem as long as you don’t direct a water jet at it. Joints are never completely waterproof anyway. The waterproofing behind them provides the actual seal. That sounds reasonable, provided the waterproofing itself isn’t cracked or damaged.
However, I might be a bit biased.
Our neighbors currently have a major insurance claim due to water damage in their bathroom and surrounding rooms. Over the years, water gradually leaked from their drainpipe. Now everything down to the concrete slab is saturated.
They had to move out for three months, and after drying, the bathroom floor will be completely redone from the screed up.
It’s a small relief that the insurance is covering the costs.
What is true, however, is that joints are never completely watertight. The sealing is always done underneath, but professionally executed joints are naturally more "tight" compared to partially crumbled joints. Water tends to remain (more) in those areas and then finds its way through!
What I see as a potential risk is that when joints are removed using a multi-cutter, plunge saw, or similar tools, the waterproofing layer and the drywall underneath might be damaged. In my opinion, that would be disastrous.
I have personally experienced how drywall can gradually swell, because the plaster profiles for the exterior plaster were fixed during repairs with gypsum-containing material. Our home builder had to replaster our entire house during the warranty period due to cracks in the plaster that were sometimes 1-2cm (0.4-0.8 inches) thick. The subcontractor responsible for the poor work was already insolvent at that time, as their work was consistently substandard. This then broke the general contractor’s business in a second step.
I have personally experienced how drywall can gradually swell, because the plaster profiles for the exterior plaster were fixed during repairs with gypsum-containing material. Our home builder had to replaster our entire house during the warranty period due to cracks in the plaster that were sometimes 1-2cm (0.4-0.8 inches) thick. The subcontractor responsible for the poor work was already insolvent at that time, as their work was consistently substandard. This then broke the general contractor’s business in a second step.
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