QUESTION

Moisture Problem in Tile Floor - We have a problem with our 2 year old house. The tile is coming up in places. The contractor tested for moisture in the slab because I wanted to see if we could put down hardwood. How do we get the moisture in the slab fixed. The tile contractor says that if we put down a barrer that he is afraid the moisture will go up the walls and creature a mold problem. We are going to put the tile down, but have to fix this problem first. The contractor must fix it. I am just trying to see what can be done. After a meeting this morning, I feel the contractor does not know what to do. Our general Contractor is no longer in bussiness. The registra of contractors says the tile contractor must make it right. I am just looking for answers. No other house in this community seems to have this problem. My dream house seems to be evaporating. Any help will be appreciated.

ANSWER

ANSWER - There is no simple answer to your question without thoroughly investigating your situation, but I will make some general comments to help you to decide how to proceed.

There is an ASTM F-1869 Calcium Chloride Vapor Transmission test that can be performed by a qualified third party to determine how much moisture vapor is coming through your concrete slab floor.  There is also an ASTM F-2170 Relative Humidity (RH) test method that can be performed to determine how much moisture is in your slab.  This information will tell you if the level of moisture is acceptable relative to the installation products and methods you are using.

Moisture by itself normally does not harm ceramic tiles, particularly if it was installed per industry standards.  Depending on how the tile was installed and with what materials, the moisture can affect the components that can lead to problems.   When there is a tile failure, such as the tiles coming loose, it is normally due to multiple factors rather than one problem such as moisture.

You need to determine if the moisture is excessive or not.  Ceramic tile can take a lot more moisture than hardwood.  If the moisture is excessive then you need to know where it is coming from to minimize it. Maybe from the landscape adjacent to the house or? There are moisture barriers that can be installed to minimize moisture depending on what type of moisture condition you have.  The moisture problem can be fixed if the source of the moisture is found.

For information on having a forensic investigation performed go to our website at www.CTaSC.com at Job Problem Services. Good Luck!