3 Types of Damage That Can Occur Thanks to a Cracked Shower Floor Tile

A cracked tile along the floor of your shower can be fairly easy to ignore, especially when you can only spy a small and seemingly insignificant hairline fracture. However, it's best not to take chances if you want to avoid the possibility of causing damage to the bathroom, the surrounding area, and even to yourself.

Here are just three types of damage you can avoid by fixing a cracked shower floor tile as soon as possible.

1. Water Damage  

The most important reason to have cracked tile repairs is that you'll help prevent any water damage. Yes, a small crack running along the surface of a tile may not seem to present much of a problem, and it may be that the back of the tile is still structurally sound. However, water is one pesky and persistent element. If there is the potential for water intrusion, you need to address the issue as quickly as possible. Your shower obviously produces quite a lot of water, and even a small amount of that water can cause a significant degree of damage if it seeps beneath the tiling. Think mould, rot, and mildew.  

2. Damage to Underlay

Your tiling isn't just going to see right on the ceiling off the floor below. In fact, there are several other layers that protect the rest of your home, including a waterproof underlay that is meant to hold the tiles in place and act as a secondary moisture barrier. That's all well and good, but a cracked tile can also cause damage to the underlay. Why? Because that tile will no longer be properly distributing your bodyweight when you stand on it. When a tile cracks, much more of the weight it holds will run right down the centre, which is why cracked floor tiles often seem to sink as time goes by.

3. Damage to Your Fee

Finally, you'll want to consider your own personal well-being, not just the health of your shower and the surrounding area. Though a small crack might not seem to be anything to worry about, that small crack can eventually cause a complete fracture, and then individual shards of tiles may come loose. Since only a select few shower with their shoes on, and since hot water naturally makes the skin much softer, this makes cuts much more likely to occur. Given the unexpected stab of pain, a very small cut on your foot could cause you to lose balance and suffer a nasty fall.