Does your shower door or corners of the glass enclosure leak every time you take a shower? If so you may have noticed water damage on the Sheetrock or baseboards outside the shower. The problem and solution to the problem may be less complicated than you think.
I have responded to a lot of calls to look at leaky showers over the past 13 years. Almost all of the showers that I have inspected have leaked at the door or metal track that holds the glass. The leak itself is not always noticeable but the damage it causes over the years is obvious. The result is rotted baseboards, water damaged Sheetrock, and mold where the shower meets the floor just outside the glass door. The good news is that when faced with signs of water damage isolated to outside the shower door, almost all leaks have been the result of an original installation error. The error is in the way the shower trim was sealed with silicon caulk. The mistake is compounded over the years by handymen and DIY’ers adding more caulk to the inside of the shower as a repair or part of home maintenance. Don’t worry, it is a common impulse to keep adding caulk to the shower in anticipation that the leak will eventually stop. Not only is this installation error common, I have witnessed it in 100% of showers with the same water damage pattern.
The most important lesson when sealing with caulk is “less is more”. As it is very important to thoroughly caulk the outside of the metal shower trim, it is equally important not to caulk over the “weep holes” inside the shower. These are little drain holes in the bottom of the metal track inside the shower and on pre-made acrylic shower pans. These holes allow the condensation and water inside the metal track to drain back inside the shower instead of being trapped and eventually finding an alternative escape route. For the system to drain properly, I also suggest not caulking inside the track at the corners. The faster the water can flow down the track and out to the shower drain, the quicker the shower will dry. This reduces the chance of mildew and mold growth tremendously.
The type of caulk you use is also key to a long lasting sealed shower trim. 100% silicone caulk is the only caulk that has stood the test of time for me. It doesn’t shrink or crack unless it is in direct sunlight, and it stays flexible for a long time. Acrylic caulk hardens, cracks, and is less successful in keeping out mold and mildew. As a rule of thumb, it’s easier to match clear silicone to the metal trim and plumbing fixtures while white or grout color matched silicone is easier to match the corners of walls, shelves, and benches inside the shower.
Last but not least, check to see if all of the rubber seals are still in place and in good shape around the glass, the sides of the shower door, and the sweep at the bottom of the shower door. These are there to help shed water down the inside of the shower and help keep splashing through any gaps in the door to a minimum. These items can be inexpensively replaced at a glass supply shop.
Chad Walker – Texas Shower Company
Hello,
My name is Chad Walker and I am the owner and founder of Texas Shower Company and this is the official Texas Shower Company blog. Each week I will try to bring you the latest in custom bathroom design ideas, the newest and most popular product information, and best practices when installing bathroom remodeling materials for the do-it-yourself-er. Best of all, I will explain how to troubleshoot and fix common problem areas in your bathroom including leaky shower doors, broken floor tile, and dripping faucets. When tackling more severe plumbing problems, I always suggest contacting a licensed plumber.
This week I would like to take the opportunity to tell you a little bit about myself. I’m not a native Texan, but I’ve made Austin my home for over 13 years. I was born and raised in Machias, Maine, a picturesque coastal community of about 2,500. My wife has always lived in Austin, Texas and we can’t think of a better place to raise our three children. People often ask me how long Ive been in the remodeling business and I usually give them the short answer which is that I’ve been a remodeling contractor in Austin for the past 13 years. The long answer is that I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. I started by helping my grandfather who happens to be the most knowledgeable and hardest working man I’ve ever known. I was his shadow and apprentice for many summers and weekends passing him tools, digging post holes, carrying lumber, and picking up loose nails off the ground. By the age of 15, my long apprenticeship was over and I started getting a regular paycheck working along side my grandfather. I continued to build additions, garages, remodel exteriors, and renovate kitchens and baths for the next 8 years.
Remodeling in Machias, Maine 20 years ago is quite a bit different than remodeling in Austin, Texas today. In Maine I received an education in ground-up construction using only hand tools and good old fashioned problem solving. We did everything ourselves including framing, roofing, plumbing, painting, and trim carpentry. Now we have nail guns of every shape and size and there are contractors who specialize in just installing mirrors. I finally left Maine at the age of 23 for greater opportunity and a warmer climate. I brought with me a sound education in remodeling construction, good work ethics, and great problem solving skills. Since arriving 13 years ago, I have worked hard to learn everything there is to know about bathroom remodeling. Bathrooms, especially showers, require a special set of skills to ensure a long lasting and beautiful renovation. I would like to share some of that knowledge with you.
Chad Walker