Tile and Grout Cleaning in Hull

Where the problem is

• Grout. Cement grout is porous. It lets water through and soaks up dirt, and after sewer or flood water it holds contamination.
• Tile adhesive and screed. Water trapped under tiles on a concrete floor takes a long time to come out, because the tiles stop it evaporating.
• Timber subfloors. Tiles on plywood over joists, common in bathrooms and some kitchen extensions, can hide a soaked subfloor that starts to swell and crack the tiles.
• Shower surrounds. Failed grout and sealant let water into the wall behind every time the shower runs.

What we do

1. Take readings through and around the tiles to see whether water is trapped underneath.
2. Clean and sanitise the tiles and grout, which matters after flood water in Hull, where it is usually mixed with sewage.
3. Dry the floor or wall from above and, where possible, from below.
4. Rake out and regrout, or lift and relay tiles, only where the readings or damage show it's needed.

Slow leaks behind tiles

Many shower and bath leaks are slow seepage through old grout and sealant. They damage the wall or ceiling below over months. Insurers usually treat that as wear and tear rather than escape of water, so regrouting and resealing a shower every few years is cheap protection. If a ceiling below a bathroom has started staining, see ceiling leaks.

Kitchens in back extensions

Many Hull terraces have a tiled kitchen floor on a concrete slab in the back extension. If a washing machine or dishwasher floods it, the tiles can look fine while the screed underneath stays wet for weeks. We measure the slab before anyone relays a floor. See concrete floors.