Nothing fails overnight. That is the problem.
Caulk does not break. It wears out slowly, a little with every shower, and by the time you can see it the water has usually found its way in.
Fill a tub and it settles under several hundred pounds of water, then lifts again when it drains. The tile industry's own installation standard calls for flexible sealant at that joint, not grout, for exactly this reason. Every bath flexes it a little.
At the EPA's average of about eighteen gallons a shower, one shower a day puts around thirty thousand gallons against that joint in five years. Flexing, hot water, and cleaning all take their toll.
Mildew-resistant caulk carries a fungicide, and it slowly washes out with every shower. Once it is gone, mold grows inside the seal itself. When researchers tested the black on bathroom sealant they found living fungi, not dirt, which is why scrubbing never gets it out.
The edge lifts, a hairline gap opens, and water gets behind the tub into the wall and subfloor. You rarely see it until there is soft drywall or a stain on the ceiling below. Water damage is one of the most common homeowner insurance claims in the country.
Tub or shower, vanity, and the base of the toilet, sealed at the front and sides with the back left open so a leak can still show. Kitchen backsplashes and baseboards too. A second bathroom in the same visit costs less, and the room looks clean again.
We will tell you whether yours is due. Send a photo, or we stop by on a day we are already in your area. We also check that the bath fan vents outside and not into the attic, which is the EPA's first rule for keeping mold out.
Send us a photo.
A free estimate starts with a photo and a few measurements, so one stain on the ceiling doesn’t cost you an appointment. A bathroom or a bigger scope gets a visit, because that one should be walked in the room. Either way, one price for the job before it starts.