CHRIS: Well, in the first-floor bathroom, I noticed a little while ago that there were some water spots and they got bigger and they actually bored small holes. And the ceiling is right below the second-floor bathroom where the kids on, unfortunately, more than one occasion have splashed a bit of water out of the tub. I tried sealing around the water line but is there a way to seal around the toilet flange as well?
TOM: This is a children-training issue, Chris. (Leslie and Chris chuckle)
CHRIS: Yes, there is that, too.
TOM: OK? No, you cannot …
LESLIE: But that would take all the fun out of bath-time.
TOM: Yeah, exactly. Your floor is not designed to act like your tub, in terms of holding water. If the water goes over the tub in any type of quantity, it will leak down into the ceiling and eventually show across that area.
LESLIE: And it will leak through the grout as well, right?
TOM: Yeah, it’ll go through everything. So I mean when we caulk – say, between a floor or a wall and a tub – it’s really for cosmetic issues. Sure, if you get a little bit of water splashed there it makes it easier to clean up but it’s not going to stop the water from actually going right through the floor.
Now, if it only happens occasionally – you get, you know, the occasional water stain – it’s not going to cause structural damage; it’s not going to cause the drywall to sag or anything like that. It’s mostly a cosmetic issue, Chris.
CHRIS: OK. Thank you very much.
TOM: You’re welcome. Thanks so much for calling 888-MONEY-PIT.
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