Expert: Stephen Hayes - 2/24/2010

Question
I have recently done some renovations to an existing house and 12-18 months later the floor tiles in the original part of the house are lifting it is deffinately moisture but how is it getting there

Could it be coming below the slab or through the wall

Answer
Hi Graham;To give you some possible answers to your question, I would need lots of additional information including what type of tiles, what was on the floor before the tiles were installed, what type of underlayment is being used directly under the tiles, what type of preparation was done to that underlayment to get it ready for the tile installation, how do you know the problem is moisture related, was the house fully enclosed & was the HVAC system on 24/7 at the same temperature, how long were the tiles in the home to acclimate before being installed, since flooring MUST be the last thing to be done in new construction or a renovation, were the tiles the very last thing to be installed or were other tradespeople still in the home after the tiles were installed, was the underlayment and walls tested for moisture before the tiles were even delivered, and, if so, what type of moisture testing was done, are there any signs of moisture in the walls, either inside or outside the home such as mildew stains and/or mildew type odors and/or mold type growths on the walls, any odors coming from the walls or floor, have you checked all appliances and fixtures such as toilets, sinks, washing machines, etc., for leaks (since moisture will seek low points, the actual area from where the moisture is coming, may be many feet away from where you see the problem), in what rooms are the tiles installed, when did the renovation start and end, in what part of the World do you reside, when were the tiles installed and how soon after the installation did you detect problems, etc.

Since I can't see your installation, I can only guess, but if you will get back to me with answers to those questions, I will glady give you some very educated guesses.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Cordially,

John Michaels