No More Moldy Showers!
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation says that one in four Americans are affected by asthma and allergies, with the main culprits are dust, mold, and mildew. Mold can grow anywhere there’s excessive moisture and it can grow on virtually anything in and around your home. Moisture doesn’t only lead to mold problems, it can also attract insects and severely damage your home’s building materials, such as the walls and foundation. The only effective strategy to control mold is to control moisture, so if your current shower consists of old, moldy materials, it’s time to replace them with ones that are mold- and mildew-resistant.
Waterproofing 101
The most important thing to consider when installing a tile shower in your bathroom is waterproofing. Cement board and backer board offer dimensional stability in wet areas but aren’t waterproof. Sealers maintain your tile and grout’s appearance, but they aren’t waterproof, neither are setting mortar, tile, or grout. But the worst mistake regarding waterproofing occurs when the shower pan is installed. The framer should install 2” x 10” wood blocking between the studs in the shower pan area to prevent the shower pan liner from flopping between wall studs. Then the plumber should properly install the two-stage drain and vinyl pan liner over a bed of pea gravel in the mud set around the drain…never directly over the subfloor! Your tile setter will install the wall board and mud pan over the vinyl liner without puncturing the liner below the curb line inside the shower pan. If your shower isn’t constructed with 1.5” or more of deck mud under the shower floor, your shower floor tile and grout will appear to dry in 24 hours, but the tile will never dry and eventually, the moisture will climb the walls behind the tile and become moldy.
New products on the market
There are new products on the market to make shower waterproofing much more effective and they can even completely eliminate the mud pan and cement board. Some are complete shower systems that include a drain, that when properly installed, create a 100% waterproof, moisture proof, and vapor proof envelope between the mouth of the drain and the shower head. With these new products, you should basically never have to replace your tile unless you’re tired of the color and the style.
Quality tile and plumbing contractors partnered with top of the line materials are the keys to successful bathroom renovations. That’s why you need to call us today to find out why Green Remodeling is smart remodeling!