› Flat Chat Strata Forum › Common Property › Why is efflorescence on CP tiles my problem? › Current Page
Efflorescence is caused by the absorption of salt from the sand underneath tiles. One it has started, you can’t easily stop it and all cleaning does is draw more salt to the surface. The reason there is too much salt in the sand is because the committee (in this case) used a cheap contractor who didn’t used treated sand (there’s a chemical you can buy) because … guess what … it’s cheaper. In new buildings, efflorescence is a defect that must be fixed by the developer or builder.
Given that the committee 10 years ago “saved” money on a cheap job, there is no way they are not liable for fixing this now. If they say they need an expert opinion, tell them you will take them to NCAT and they can try to find an expert who says it’s not their problem.
When I complained to my committee about the problem on my balcony, the chairman sent me a long-handled scrubbing brush. It took a team of proctologists 12 hours to remove it from the pompous ass.
But seriously, rather than endure the disruption (not to mention the cost) of digging up the tiles and doing the job properly, we allowed the strata committee to seal the existing tiles and lay new ones on top. It’s a compromise that costs a lot less that a full replacement, is effective and doesn’t require surgery.