Balcony Water Leakage
Balcony Water Leakage is a high-severity moisture defect SURE inspectors have documented across 8 inspection reports.
Causes
- Debris covering drains in the side utility area and/or insufficient waste opening size for water volume, leading to rising water penetrating tiles and tracking under the wall.
- Misaligned or inadequately sealed storm water pipe connection near the street facing wall.
- Inadequate waterproofing underneath the tiled front area and street facing wall.
- Undetermined, possibly faulty waterproofing or drainage on the balcony
- Leaking shower recess or plumbing from wet areas
Symptoms to look for
- Water flowing into the cafe under the street facing wall, especially after a clean of the spoon drain on the front area.
- Moisture staining noted to the underside of the stormwater pipe connection and to a nearby column in the basement.
- Side utility area fills with water during heavy rainfall.
- Detected water leakage from bathroom/shower recess
- Moisture ingress in garage (mentioned implicitly)
Remedies
- have a building expert investigate the moisture and its cause and determine the full extent of damage and estimated cost of repairs prior to contracts becoming binding
- Install waterproofing to the tiled area, specifically against the affected wall (underneath cement sheet cladding and to the concrete surface/screed).
- Engage a plumber to investigate the storm water connection nearest to the wall to ensure no misalignment or leak.
- Remove small loose debris from the side utility area and install larger drains for storm water collection.
- Monitor during periods of rainfall to determine if leakage or ponding occurs
Get an inspector through this property.
Findings in this category skew high severity. If you are under contract, we can usually book inside the cooling-off window. Every inspection includes 12 months of free advice.
Curated entries in Moisture
- Curated 2–4/5Excessive Moisture Readings
A non-destructive moisture meter has detected elevated readings in wall or ceiling linings at the time of inspection. Elevated readings alone do not confirm the source - they indicate that water is present in a material and that further investigation is warranted to rule out active leaks, drainage failure, or concealed termite activity.
- Curated 1–4/5Deteriorated Splashback Sealant
Failed or missing sealant at the benchtop-to-splashback junction allows water to track behind the cladding and into the wall cavity, leading to substrate damage and potential mould growth. This junction is one of the most commonly missed maintenance items in kitchens across Perth's mid-century and newer housing stock.
- Curated 2–4/5Excess Moisture in Walls Adjacent to Wet Areas
Elevated moisture readings on wall linings next to bathrooms and showers indicate water is escaping the wet area - either through a failed waterproofing membrane or a leaking pipe inside the wall cavity. Left unaddressed, trapped moisture breaks down plasterboard, promotes mould, and can rot the framing behind the lining.
- Curated 1–3/5Tile Grout Deterioration in Shower
Grout failure in shower recesses is one of the most common moisture-pathway defects our inspectors record, present in 9.4% of all reports. Deteriorated or missing grout - including at screen junctions and wall-floor junctions - allows water to migrate behind tiles, saturating the substrate and ultimately causing waterproofing membrane failure, tile de-bonding, and concealed wall framing damage. AS 3740 requires shower wet areas to be fully waterproofed; grout condition is a primary indicator of whether that waterproofing system remains effective.
- Curated 3–5/5Bath Hob and Surround Missing Waterproof Membrane
I inspected the bath hob, step-down, and vertical wall returns and could not confirm a continuous waterproof membrane behind the tiling. Reference: AS 3740. In my experience overspray and splash then tracks into the sub-tile substrate over time. I see this most on renovations completed before the post-2004 tightening, and still on recent unlicensed work.
- Curated 2–4/5Shower Floor Fall Insufficient to Drain to Waste
I ran water in the shower recess and it ponded on the floor rather than draining cleanly to the waste - I measured a fall flatter than the 1:80 reference I work from (AS 3740). In my experience standing water then loads the grout lines, saturates the membrane at the low point, and tracks under the hob into the adjacent room. I often see this where the screed has been laid flat to suit a large-format tile layout.