When renovating the bathroom, some people don't consider how much weight the floor needs to sustain in order to remain intact. This is especially true when considering large tubs or hot tubs. Gallons and gallons of water used to fill these comfortable additions can weigh quite a bit, and an older floor may be too degraded to sustain the weight.
Water Damage from the Past
Hiring a bathroom renovation specialist can help you determine if the support beams for the floor are sound enough to sustain additional weight from a tub upgrade. Over time, water damage can rot support beams reducing the capabilities of each one. This damage could have come from overflowing toilets, water from the shower, bad sink drains and much more. Until you tear into the floor itself, you may never know just how degraded these beams can be.
When installing new fixtures, it is important that the edges be sealed with a waterproof substance. This is usually done with a sealing calk that prevents water seepage under the floor. Over time, this sealant can be compromised leading to the water damage of floor boards and support frames. Even a few droplets of water each day from each shower taken in the home can eventually lead to rotten wood or mold growth.
Before you put that larger tub in the bathroom, seek the advice of a professional. Without proper support, the extra weight from the additional water could cause your bathroom to cave into the space below. While this might not be a overly damaging prospect in a single level home, multiple levels houses could have a great deal of damage done from an upstairs tub sinking into the floor.
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