Bathroom damp? Fungus!

moneysaverz83

I've been in my topfloor apartment for 3 years. About that time, I had the old vinyl floor removed and tiled, and fresh splashback sink tiles and tiles from bath/shower to ceiling put in. Also a new powerful ceiling extractor since I don't have a window in the bathroom.

A while ago, I noticed a small patch of black mould just outside the tiled shower area, where the chrome strip covers the edge of the tile, near to where the curved shower screen is.

Now, I can't remember if this was an issue before the re-tiling was done?

But everything seemed fine, sealed and flush at the time?

The rubber under the shower screen needs replacing I guess, but I don't think that much/any water is getting under it, to the wall?

Anyway, I've put filler into the area, but every few months, it needs doing again, Its a small few cm square area.

Today, I noticed a single mushroom out of it?!

So I guess it doesn't look good?

Which tradesman do I call and what probably needs doing?

moneysaverz83

I should add I own the property and not rent and it's leasehold

moneysaverz83

I'm getting quite worried having seen the mushroom

Tomorrow I'm going to bleach the area. I'm.goung to try fit another rubber seal under the shower screen which I bought ages ago..but because the seal is straight and screen curved, it's a pain to bend and I end up giving up.

Been reading horror stories about taking need replacing, wood need replacing

Hoping it doesn't come to that.

What shall I do once I've bleached and sealed?

Do I watch and wait? Call management company? Sort myself by calling a plumber?

The shower/bathroom area backs onto a storage cupboard in living room. There are no wiring/electric nearby

VfM4meplse

In my limited experience, a single mushroom comes from a long term slow drip. Probably a worn seal as you say.

moneysaverz83

I had a plumber round. He seemed in a rush. But said drill a few holes in the stud wall in the storage cupboard where it backs on to to let it dry out and put silicone seal where the shower screen is to stop water moving out of the bath area. He said short of moving toilet, shower etc round there's not much else. He said it appears to just be a small area, though didn't remove the bath tub panel to check underneath

moneysaverz83

Really don't know what to do. This is a bigger problem I think.

So I bleached that mould wall area, drilled a few holes in the storage cupboard that backs onto it, and applied some antifungal seal.

That area looks ok but there's a brownish steak on the outside of the wall there?

But today, I noticed 3 tiny mushroom heads about 5 mm in the actual shower/tiled area, from the bottom tiles where it meets the bath.

So this is more than a drip around the shower seal and seems that whole back wall where the shower is, is probably suffering.

Very stressed about it and the potential costs involved.

Will the whole tiled area need removing, drying out, then re tiled? It will cost 300-400 pounds I'm guessing.

Aylesbury_Duck

There's no point sealing anything until it's all dried out properly, you'd only be sealing in moisture and it will escape somewhere.

Yes, the whole area will need drying out. There's no point keep bleaching and sealing. Treat the cause, not the symptoms.

moneysaverz83

Just to clear up, the 3 single mushroom I noticed today for the first time, 3 weeks after resealing the area between tile and bath, which was not the initial problem area. I had not bleached that area before, just the adjacent wall outside the cubicle.

How do you 'dry out' an entirely tiled area without taking the tiles off? What exactly am I supposed to do having realised it's probably that whole area of the shower that has an issue not just the small initial area outside the shower?

moneysaverz83

I messaged my tiler who did the job and he said remove the bath Panel and if there's a leak I should be able to see it. So do I remove it and run the shower and see if water drips out? Seems hard to remove does it just pull off

JohnB47

First you get a mushroom and now

moneysaverz83 wrote: »

.......there's a brownish steak on the outside of the wall there?

You'll never need to buy food again!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

JohnB47

moneysaverz83 wrote: »

I messaged my tiler who did the job and he said remove the bath Panel and if there's a leak I should be able to see it. So do I remove it and run the shower and see if water drips out? Seems hard to remove does it just pull off

It could be held in place using just sealer round the edges. Or maybe just bent into place (if its plastic) - locating in grooves at top and bottom. Can you see any screw heads or more likely, screw heads covered by little plastic round covers? Mine is tiles stuck to plywood and held in place with both sealant and two screws.