Top 3 Reasons Why Your Kitchen Floor Is Wet

Faced with a mysterious puddle? Dry your kitchen with these tips.

A kitchen floor develops water puddles or a film of moisture when there is an excess of water. The three most common causes include a leaking sink pipe, a high level of moisture in the room and sweating concrete floors.

A wet kitchen floor is a problem in two ways. You can slip and hurt yourself and water damage can also occur. Here is how you can identify where the water came from and how you can fix it.

Read Next: Top reasons why your kitchen floor gets dirty.

The 3 Most Common Reasons Why A Kitchen Floor Gets Wet

Okay, let’s get one cause out of the way. A kitchen floor can of course get wet if there was a spill of some kind. Perhaps your kid spilt water and never said anything (or cleaned up!). This article will focus on true problems that cannot be explained by a one-time splash. Ready? Here we go.

When mysterious puddles or moisture appears, there are 3 common causes. These include:

1. A pipe under the kitchen sink is damaged or leaking.
2. The moisture level in the kitchen is high.
3. A sweating concrete floor.

Read Next: How to easily fix a broken tile floor.

Water Leaks From Under The Kitchen Sink

When a pipe starts to give trouble, it is not always immediately obvious. But there are early signs that your kitchen sink pipe is leaking or damaged enough to spill water. If you find water in your kitchen, have a look at the following signs. If you have one or more, then the chances are that the problem is caused by a sink pipe.

• There is mould under the sink, on the pipes, and cabinet walls.
• Your water bill is higher than usual.
• The area under the sink smells musty - or your kitchen smells musty in general.
• There are water stains under the sink.

Read Next: This is why your kitchen floor is raised .

How Do I Fix A Leaky Kitchen Sink Pipe?

Most leaks are due to loose coupling nuts (those big rings that can be turned to remove sections of a pipeline). Very often, when you see that the water is leaking from a coupling nut the problem can be solved by simply tightening the ring. But sometimes, the fix is not so easy.

Before we look at other scenarios and their remedies, always remember to switch off the main water valve before you do any repair work on the sink’s pipes. This will prevent your kitchen from getting flooded in case something goes wrong! Also, place a bucket under the pipes just in case (it is normal for a small amount of water to slosh out when you disconnect the p-trap or another part of the pipes).

• If you are an experienced DIY person, then you can check all the washers and water-tight seals for damage. Should you find faulty or worn items, then that is likely the source of the leaking. Replace the damaged part.
• If the pipe is metal, check for rust or limescale damage. If the pipe is plastic, check for fractures, no matter how small. It is also best to have the damaged parts replaced.
• You can also use plumber’s gum to patch cracks and leaks temporarily.

Need some light to see under that sink at night? See the best head torch reviews .

The Moisture Level In The Kitchen Is High

You might be wondering how this works. Well, think about your bathroom. After a shower, all the wall tiles are probably slippery with moisture. This is caused by an excess of water vapour in the air due to the shower’s steam and the closed door (no air circulation keeps the moisture inside). The same thing can happen in your kitchen.

What Can Cause High Moisture In A Kitchen?

There are several bad guys here. Some factors are environmental, like high humidity. If you happen to live in a region where the humidity is high, then you might notice more wetness on your kitchen floor and wall tiles during a particularly muggy day.

READ NEXT: How to remove green mould on skirting boards.

But cooking is sometimes the most common cause of too much water vapour in the kitchen. Things like boiling water in pots or kettles can cause moisture to appear on smooth surfaces, especially wall and floor tiles. Another thing that can add water vapour is the steam from ironing your clothes in the kitchen.

How Do I Get Rid Of Excess Water Vapour Or Humidity In The Kitchen?

Look at the things that produce steam. For example, perhaps you can iron your clothing in another room that has better air circulation than your kitchen. It is not really prudent to move your kettles and pots and use them elsewhere in the house, so what to do with these steam-bugs?

• You can try to keep the kitchen windows and door open to encourage better air circulation in the room. This will lower both the water vapour and high humidity in the kitchen.
• Add a dehumidifier to the kitchen to control high humidity and the amount of moisture in the air. This is one of the best ways to keep a kitchen floor dry as a cork. Find the best mini-dehumidifiers.
• Remove any carpeting or rugs you may have in the kitchen. They collect moisture and turn into breeding grounds for bacteria.

READ NEXT: 3 Ways to fix a bouncy kitchen floor.

A Sweating Concrete Floor Can Also Be Behind Your Wet Kitchen Floor

Concrete is a popular choice as flooring in kitchens. The material is superhero-tough and low-maintenance. Some kitchens have beautiful, colour-tinted concrete floors without tiles while others are topped with tiles. Either way, concrete is here to stay.

However, the material is not perfect. Besides being prone to cracks and making your feet feel cold, there is the issue of moisture. When concrete and moisture joins forces, that is when things go wrong.

What Makes Concrete Flooring Retain Moisture?

One of the biggest issues starts even before you ever set eyes on your home. Unfortunately, many builders rush the construction process of a home. Whether they are behind schedule or the owner is breathing down their neck, they fail to let the concrete cure until it is completely dry. Although the floor appears dry, there is still moisture within the concrete and eventually, this causes problems like cracks and sweating.

Other problems include a layer of tiles or stones that are not properly laid. Moisture then gets trapped between the tiles and the cement which can cause sweating as the problem gets worse.

Read Next: This is why your kitchen floor is hot .

How Do I Recognize A Sweating Cement Floor?

Once you have eliminated all other possibilities, it is likely that you are dealing with a sweating concrete floor. Some of the signs include loose tiles and dark patches on the concrete (these are the concentrated moisture areas). If you are unsure, contact a professional who can assess the situation and recommend how to fix it. Unfortunately, correcting a sweating floor is a big job and best left to a reputable builder.

Read Next: How to fix a leaking soil pipe.

A Quick Summary On Why Kitchen Floors Can Get Wet

• There are three main causes for wet kitchen floors including high humidity, a sweating concrete floor, and leaking pipes.
• Leaking pipes and high humidity can be sorted at home with a little DIY knowledge and encourageing better air circulation in the kitchen.
• A sweating floor needs to be repaired by a professional company.