The “Singapore winter’ probably played a part but there are other factors contributing to the popping tiles issue.
If you’re renovating your house soon and replacing your floor tiles, remember to choose good quality tiles and make sure your contractor doesn’t do a sloppy job.
We’re not joking.
In the first half of January alone, there were already 700 reported cases of popped or dislodged tiles in HDB flats.
This figure is a third of the total reported in the entire year of 2016.
According to HDB, they receive 2,000 of such cases every year in the past two years.
Houses with tiles originally provided by HDB are protected under the one-year defect liability period. HDB will also offer goodwill repairs for dislodged tiles for up to 15 years.
That means, if your HDB flat is more than 15 years and the tiles happen to pop, you will have to bear the cost for the replacement of tiles. But HDB will help inspect the house and help owners to remove and dispose the affected tiles.
A few reasons why tiles in flats may pop:
- Weather changes can cause expansion or contraction of tiles and this can lead to a loss of adhesion between tiles
- Poor construction – cement base of floor was not mixed properly so the bonding between the tiles and cement base is not complete
- Tiles may be of poor quality
- Wear and tear – tiles deteriorate over time
- High moisture absorption can cause tiles to swell, expansion could create pressure and cause the tiles to pop
By the way, popping tiles didn’t only happen in HDB flats. Last week, a condominium in Balestier also experienced the same thing.
According to home owners, it sounded like explosion when the tiles pop in the house.
So if you’re replacing your house tiles, don’t compromise on the quality of tiles and speak to your contractor about this issue.
If you’ve done everything you can and the tiles still pop, then it’s really the “Singapore winter”.
Featured image: Goodyfeed
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