QUESTION

Hello, I live in Houston and my home flooded with 2 feet of water standing in the home for two weeks (Hurricane Harvey damage). We have Saltillo tiles set on a mortar bed with a tar vapor barrier beneath. I would like to keep the tile floors but I am unsure whether this is possible due to the fact the tile and mortar are porous. Is this tile salvageable with proper drying using fans and dehumidifiers or should it be removed?

ANSWER

ANSWER - Mexican Saltillo tiles are unglazed tiles that are very porous, although they are normally sealed that will help resist moisture saturation.  Often sealers are not reapplied regularly as they should so the sealer's effectiveness is limited.

If the tile was installed correctly in terms of having properly placed movement joints and the tile is bonded as well as it should be, then the flood should not harm the tile installation.  Some Saltillo tiles have clumps of lime in the tile, which when subjected to being wet can expand and cause lime-pops, where it creates a tiny crater on the tile surface.

The asphalt impregnated cleavage membrane paper under the mortar bed is a moisture barrier so it should not be damaged by the flood.  I would use fans and dehumidifiers, but it could take a long time to fully dry out depending on the thickness of the mortar bed.  You might get some whitish efflorescence staining at the tile floor dries.  This can be easily cleaned with a diluted vinegar solution or a efflorescence remover from one of the companies that sell cleaners and sealers.  Don't reseal the floor until it is completely dried or you may trap moisture in the tile floor that can cause a blotchy look. If the tile is installed over a wood substrate, the water can cause the wood to warp that can cause damages. The only way to determine if the floor sustained damages from a flood incident is to perform a forensic investigation, which we often do. Click on "Forensic Services" for more information on our services.

The other concern is the quality of the water that the tile was subjected to during the flood. If the tile is a glazed tile or porcelain tile it should not absorb the water, but a porous tile or porous grout will absorb the water. How much it absorbs depends on how porous the material is and how long the floor was submerged in the water.

If the quality water is: Category 1 water - No problem with Category 1 water which is sanitary water that you can drink and wash with.

Category 2 water is water that is definitely contaminated and unsafe for either contact or consumption. Depending on what the water contains it could absorb into the porous tile or grout joints and be a problem. It can be tested for contaminates by an Industrial Hygienist. They could power wash the tile and grout and then re-test to make sure it was sanitized.

Category 3 water is water that is grossly contaminated and may be highly toxic and called Black Water. It may contain sewage, pesticides and etc. Unlike the first two categories, Black Water will have a foul smell and likely contain pathogenic, toxigenic, or other harmful agents. The water contains it could absorb into the porous tile or grout joints and be a problem. It can be tested for contaminates by an Industrial Hygienist. They could power wash the tile and grout and then re-test the floor to make sure it was sanitized. If it doesn’t pass, then the floor might need replacing.