When building or completing renovations, “waterproofing” and “bathroom” should go hand-in-hand and it’s important to waterproof a bathroom to Australian Standards. A bathroom without quality waterproofing is almost guaranteed to lead to disaster.
When waterproofing doesn’t exist or isn’t working, water can damage the building, not to mention the wet provides the perfect environment for mould and termites to thrive. That’s why it’s crucial that when renovating, or doing a general check of the home, you should check your water proofing status. Here’s what you need to know.
This may go without saying, but if you’re just conducting your very first bathroom build and are renovating a bathroom that may be from an older home, or even installing a whole new bathroom yourself, you need to know what needs to be waterproofed in a bathroom in Sydney.
There are a few key signs to look for when figuring out if you need to re-waterproof your bathroom during a bathroom renovation.
Funny smells – if you’re noticing a funny smell in your bathroom, it might be time to look for mould and mildew build up. This can be caused by poor waterproofing of sink and bathtub areas. This can also be caused by poor plumbing when installing your toilet.
Apparent mould and mildew growth – Sometimes mould and mildew growth is readily visible. If you see any mould and mildew, you should wipe it clean with a bleach cleaning solution, and then if it reappears, be sure to contact a mould and mildew removal specialist.
Floor bulging – If you notice that your floor is starting to bulge in certain areas, such as near the toilet, sink or bathtub, you may have an incomplete water barrier in these areas, and may have made a mistake (or your contractor did) when installing your flooring. This has caused water to seep in under the flooring and caused the flooring to expand. Please note that this is less common with vinyl and tile flooring, so if you’re looking for waterproof options for flooring, those are two of your most reliable.
While it may not be your first choice due to the expense involved, there may come a time when your bathroom’s lack of waterproofing simply cannot be patched up any more. This will demand you spend some money and perform a bathroom renovation to ensure that waterproofing is installed correctly and up to the standards of various national and local building codes.
One of the key things when conducting any bathroom renovations in Sydney is to ensure that your bathroom renovation will meet the building code guidelines. You may not be able to DIY your bathroom’s waterproofing – that will depend on your locality’s regulations. In New South Wales, waterproofing materials must be installed by a licensed waterproofing technician.
If you’re not sure how to waterproof your bathroom, it is imperative that you spend the money and get a licensed professional to perform the task for you. Keep in mind that in Australia, it’s the law that your waterproofing complies with Australian Standards AS3740 and AS4654.
As professionals in bathroom renovations, we ensure that all of our waterproofing is done in accordance with national and local standards. If you’re looking to renovate your bathroom to ensure it is watertight – let us know and we’ll send in our professionals to assess, quote and then perform the renovations.