Why It's Important to Re-Caulk Your Bathtub, Sinks & Faucets

The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in every household. However, necessary maintenance and general upkeep can be easily overlooked even though it can save you money and protect your home from potential damage.
 
An often-overlooked form of maintenance is caulking the bathroom sinks, faucets, bathtubs, and showers. Caulk is an adhesive material that seals gaps and seams around pipes. It serves multiple purposes and failing to re-caulk your bathroom can allow future problems to pop up. Ideally, your bathroom should be re-caulked every five years to keep potentially dangerous issues from arising.  
 
Why You Should Re-Caulk Your Bathtub, Sinks & Faucets
 
Here are three reasons why re-caulking your bathroom is highly important.
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#1 Preventing Mold and Mildew  
Due to its adhesive nature, caulk is an excellent sealant that prevents water from leaking through gaps and seams in your bathroom pipes. After five years, caulk can begin to peel and crack, allowing water to leak into your bathroom.
 
Even the smallest leaks can result in mold, mildew, and serious water damage. Re-caulking your sinks, faucets, bathtubs, and showers ensures that all seams are filled, leaving no room for water to leak through. When re-caulking, be sure to use a caulk that is specifically mold and mildew resistant.
 
# 2 Avoiding Damage to Walls and Tiles
Cracked or peeled caulk may result in mildew around your sinks and faucets, but it can also cause further damage to your bathroom walls and floor tiles. This is mainly an issue with bathtub and shower caulk.
 
When the caulk begins to crack, water can leak through and flow directly into the vanity cabinets, wall and even underneath the floor. Serious damage can occur, depending on the age of your home and the materials behind the wall.
 
Wet drywall, for example, may lead to extensive repairs for you down the road. Similarly, if there is no waterproof layer underneath your flooring, you may be forced to rip up and replace your entire floor.  This could be very costly depending on your insurance coverage.
 
#3 Protecting Your Health
When moisture leaks through old caulk, mildew and mold are sure to quickly follow. Not only are they unpleasant to look at and difficult to clean, but mold and mildew can both be damaging to your health.
 
Mold colonies quickly form and are often difficult to see when behind walls or tile. These colonies are challenging to fully clean and remove, and they also cause health-related concerns such as respiratory issues, throat, skin, and eye irritation.
 
Generally, the cause of these health issues is difficult to determine, and the source of the mold can be even more challenging to discover. Keeping your sinks, faucets, bathtubs, and showers freshly caulked every five years will help alleviate concerns regarding mold.
 
Experiencing Water Damage?
Have you found water damage in your home? Are you unsure how to move forward with repairs to your home? We are here to help!
 
At Reliant Insurance Adjusters, we offer a wide range of services, including property damage claims. Our licensed team is experienced in property damage claims, and we are ready to assist you. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation and policy review.