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I've discovered a leak coming from the drain plate on our balcony. I'm 99% sure the water is coming in from the surrounds of the plate where the grout has eroded a little (very slow leak). What's my best solution here, do I need to re-grout the area or could I apply some clear silicone around the drain plate? Thanks in advance.
Attachment 490445
Not sure if this helps but grout is porous, so water will track through grout.
from the photo what are you trying to fix? Is the water coming from the left of photo towards the grate the problem?
cheers
What sort of balcony construction is it, concrete or timber framed with FC sheet?
The tiles and grout should have nothing to do with the leak and the problem is typically at the membrane ( if it has one) under the tile bed.
If it is older construction the grate could be connected to the grate but otherwise it is just there for aesthetics and will be sitting loose in the tile bed
What is immediately adjacent to the left hand vertical(relative to photo) joint.
The plastic grate is offset to the drain and is centred to the joint in the tiles for aesthetics
Can post another photo with a larger field of view with the drain in the centre of the photo.
Here are some wider shots, the tiles are in good condition...the leak is exceptionally minor and relates to a spot around the plate which I have marked with an arrow.Attachment 490474Attachment 490475Attachment 490476
To be clear there is a small leak coming from the balcony and we are getting a very very small trickle into the garage below (on heavy rain days only a small drops appear) but I’ve run a number of tests with the tiles and have found the issue appears to be around the drain plate itself. Thinking it needs new grout around the surrounds or a silicone or something?? Not sure that’s why I’m asking the experts on here
Is the wall adjacent a planter box, external wall or just a dividing dwarf wall with an adjacent balcony.
The workmanship of the tiling is very ordinary to say the least.
The floor waste is not very big and has been fitted off centre to the drain as I said previously. I suspect that it is fitted hard to the concrete sub base and half of it mid air over the drain. This will effectively impede the transition of the water into the drain on the wall side causing retention in the tile bed. It also appears that the tiles between the wall and grate appear to slope slightly to the wall or below the top surface of the grate which is retaining surface water. In addition, the holes in the grate on the wall side have been filled withy the mortar of the tile bed which is also creating a retention of the water in the joint and bed.
Is your place part of a unit complex?
The water in the shot is just me running my water test. The water is leaking below not on top.
Gee, wish you had said this earlier plus about leak in garage under!!!!!!, completely new dynamics of problem now.Quote:
Originally Posted by mreddie
Please answer questions in my 2nd reply
The wall is just the balcony wall that sits on the upper level, nothing over the other side of it but the lower level. It’s a double storey townhouse (not part of units). I don’t know what the wall is constructed of.
The short answer is get a qualified builder (preferable someone who is a member of the HIA, contact them to recommend a couple in your area) to come and investigate.
Far too many variables to accurately diagnose remotely on this forum.
Get some Bond crete (or PVA glue) and mix it with a tiny bit of water to thin it, then paint it around the outlet and the grout. Do all the grout because it could be tracking from anywhere. Or there’s a product called “mega seal” which they use for showers but pva is basically the same
If it were my property I would want to know the source of the the water before I did a bandaid job
I've done a number of tests and it's just coming from the drain plate only.... I don't need to rip the entire balcony, I'm just after suggestions to properly seal around the plate again.... eg. Bondcrete, Epoxy grout or something else.