It's never good to ignore water leaks in a bathroom, as any such leak can mean mould and mildew forming along the home's framework, and damage to the materials that make up the home's frame. In turn, you might wind up having to replace wall studs and beams, or pay for costly mould cleanup. To avoid these leaks and this risk of water damage, note a few simple tips that will make your home's bathroom more watertight overall.

Silicone

Adding a layer of clear silicone over the tiles and grout in a shower can help to protect them from damage, and especially from bleach cleaners. Bleach kills mould and mildew, as you may know, but it can also damage the grout between shower tiles, seeping into the porous surface of the material. This damage can then cause grout to break down so that it doesn't stop water from seeping through to the building materials behind the shower tiles. A layer of silicone will stop this damage, while also giving the shower and grout a shiny coat that makes the tiles look fresh and new. Reach out to a company that offers leaking grout shower repairs if you have other questions.

Plumber's tape

If you want to replace the showerhead in your home's bathroom, you typically shouldn't just unscrew the current fixture and then screw on the new one. Instead, the connection should be surrounded by a layer of plumber's tape. This very thin tape is sticky on both sides, and helps to seal the connection between the pipe and the showerhead. Without this tape, water can easily drip down from the showerhead and into the pipe behind it, and then make its way to the walls and building materials. If you're not sure of how to apply this tape, have a plumber install a new showerhead for you.

Ventilation

If water collects and sits on the bathroom's floor tiles, or clings to the shower walls, it may eventually seep into exposed drywall or other such areas of the bath. To avoid this, consider your bathroom's ventilation. Upgrade to a stronger exhaust fan if the room always seems to be steamy long after you finish your shower, and be sure you keep that fan running for however long is needed to remove steam. It's also good to ensure you're using an absorbent bath mat that captures water from your feet when you step out of the shower to keep water from collecting on the floor's tiles and then seeping through the grout or baseboards, causing water damage to the home.