Termites Behind a Leaking Shower Wall

Showers can leak from many places -- loose tiles or tile grout, a leaking faucet or pipe, a faulty seal around the faucet, a leaky showerhead arm. A leak in the wall behind a shower can go unnoticed for weeks or months, causing a great deal of damage to the walls and floor around the shower. While mold is expected with water damage, moisture problems can also bring an unexpected termite infestation.

Wet Wood Attracts Termites

Long-term leaks in the walls behind a shower provide the perfect conditions for a termite colony to survive. Termites like wet wood and a colony can quickly spread into the studs and beams around and under the shower. Because termites can be particularly difficult to detect in the walls behind a tub or shower, serious structural damage may have occurred by the time they are discovered. Structural damage in the walls and floors surrounding a shower can be very difficult and expensive to repair. For this reason, action should be taken immediately upon discovering a leak in the shower wall.

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