Why does water appear away from the leak?
The stain on your ceiling is where the water comes out, not where it gets in. Finding the way in is what fixes a leak.
Water takes the easiest path
Once water gets under a tiled surface, it moves through whatever lets it: the bed under the tiles, gaps along the membrane edge, joints between parts of the building or the top of a slab. It often travels sideways before it finds a way down.
Common ways water travels
- Along the bed under shower tiles, showing at the skirting or doorway
- Across a balcony slab to its edge, showing as white deposits or drips underneath
- Along a slab and down at a light fitting, crack or pipe in the ceiling below
- Down a wall cavity from a window, sill or roof junction above
Why it matters for the repair
If only the area where water appears is treated, the real way in stays open and the leak carries on. That's why we inspect above and beside the damage before we quote.
Clues that help find the source
- Timing: water after the shower above points to the shower. Water after rain points to a balcony, window or roof. Water all the time points to plumbing.
- Direction: stains that spread from one point, or tide marks along a joint
- What's above and beside: bathrooms, balconies, planter boxes and window sills
- Past repairs: a repair that didn't hold may have treated the way out, not the way in
What you can do
Photograph the damage with the date, note when it appears and book a free inspection.
Every property is different. This guide is general information, not a diagnosis of your leak. Book a free inspection for advice on yours.
Leaking shower or balcony?
We'll inspect it and quote for free, anywhere in Sydney. If the tiles are sound, we can usually stop the leak without lifting them. The sealing product we use carries a manufacturer's product warranty of up to 25 years, under the manufacturer's terms.