Water Under Tile Las Vegas
Water under tile in a Las Vegas home is particularly difficult to detect because the tile surface gives no visible indication of the moisture below. Tile does not absorb water the way carpet or hardwood does, so the visible surface can look completely normal while the mortar bed beneath is saturated and the slab or subfloor below the mortar is elevated. The moisture stays hidden until it migrates far enough to produce a symptom a smell, a lifted tile where the mortar bond failed, or a soft spot in an adjacent area where the moisture reached a different flooring material.
In slab construction, which is standard in Las Vegas, water under tile migrates laterally through the mortar bed following the path of least resistance. A water event in a tiled bathroom can produce moisture under the hardwood flooring in the adjacent bedroom if the water reached the transition and found a pathway below the hardwood. I map this consistently with thermal imaging and moisture metering the source is in the bathroom, the elevated moisture readings extend into the next room.
Can Tile Be Dried Without Removal
In some cases, drying equipment placed in the room and operated continuously can extract enough moisture from the mortar bed and slab to bring readings to standard without tile removal. This depends on the extent of saturation and the elapsed time since the event. After approximately 48 to 72 hours, mortar that has been fully saturated begins to lose bond strength and mold begins to establish in the slab surface below. At that point, tile and mortar removal is typically required. We assess the timeline and saturation level and give you an honest recommendation.
What We Do
We map the full moisture extent, assess whether in-place drying is viable, and provide a written scope. Read more about our structural drying and water damage restoration services. Call (702) 442-1126.