Leaking shower cubical

[jgharston]

The shower in the upstairs flat is leaking, where the base joins the wall. I need to stop it leaking short term, (eg a few months) long enough so I can get the bathroom in the downstairs flat plastered and installed. I can't plaster it while there's water running through the ceiling, and I can't just rip it out, as that would leave my tenants with no bathroom.

I put self-adheasive flashing tape all the way around the base, in vertically overlapping strips, but the damn thing still leaks, The flashing tape is ungluing itself. The stuff's meant to withstand outdoor weather on a roof, how come it can't cope with a shower? Grrr.

Anyway, what can I do to effect a leakproof seal around the shower base?

Thanks.

[Slider]

Is this a trick question or am I missing something here? Just put sanitary silicone sealant around the join of the wall and shower base

[jgharston]

I have done when originally installed. The sealant just pulls itself apart, and has been replaced four times in the last year so far. I'm going to rip it out and have it replaced, but I can't do that until there's another bathroom available, and I can finish the other bathroom until this one stops leaking through the ceiling.

[Slider]

Is the shower tray on legs (raised). If so, make sure it's secure before applying silicone. Clean all areas with white spirit before applying silicone and it should last. Don't use cheap silicone, get some Dow Corning clear.

[sm_jamieson]

Put in a shower curtain for the time being ? Hole for the shower pipe ? A bit of polythene ? Depends how accommodating the tenants are ! Simon.

[Phil L]

And this is why I don't use silicone for this type of thing - it's good for filling small gaps, but where running water is expected, forget it.

What it needed to begin with was an L shaped plastic moulding sticking over the gap between base and wall prior to tiling - silicone can be used for this because it's protected from running water by the wall tiles and the bottom flat part of the moulding, relying on silicone alone is asking for trouble.

[Lobster]

Continual dowsing in hot water for a start, I suppose

Agreed! I have succesfully 'cured' a leaky shower very effectively in the past by lining out the whole thing with a single large sheet of polythene (DPC membrane) which overlapped the rim of the shower tray. Looked the pits though of course and I don't think it would be reasonable for a tenanted property for as long as several months (unless you made it worth their while, maybe!)

But what's stopping you doing a proper job on this shower now, rather than doing a bodge just so you can plaster downstairs?

David

[John Stumbles]

First find out where it's leaking!

Is it from the waste/trap? Try running water directly into the waste grill and see if it comes through downstairs. If not that it's getting past the sealing of tiles to wall or tiles to tray (or the tray itself is cracked). It takes a surprisingly small gap in grouting or sealing to let a surprisingly large amount of water through. Play a jet of water over various parts of the shower enclosure and see what causes rain downstairs.

Personally I'd get a tube or two of Stixall from Toolstation and get out my Bosch Fein-multimaster-knockoff and dig out the existing sealant and any dodgy grouting on lower rows of tiles and go over it all. Stixall sticks in the wet (I think it's a Sticks-like-sh*t knockoff - you could use that but it's dearer and if you're a landlord I'm sure you're a tight bar steward ;-)) so it's a lot better than silicone for dealing with dodgy existing bath & shower sealing.

[John]

Stand in the tray and move about - see what is happening. Fix any movement and then you stand a chance of curing the problem.

[Arfa Daily]

You missed an important step there ... Put sanitary silicone sealant around the join, and then pray ...

In my experience though, it still won't last longer than about 2 days, before it's leaking again !

Arfa

[jgharston]

Read previous message. That would leave the tenants with no bathroom facilities. I can't fix /this/ bathroom until I've > First find out where it's leaking!

It's leaking from the join between the shower tray and the wall.

-- JGH

[Slider]

Buy good quality silicone sealant. if it's only a temporary repair but loads in the joint. Is the tray secure? If not, you need to ensure the tray is firmly fixed in position otherwise you will never cure the leak

[Lobster]

So it's a single property with two bathrooms? My reading of it was that you had two separate flats one above the other?

David

[Huge]

The only solution I've found which works is to tear the whole lot out, clean it up and redo it....

[John]

Hi,

I also am fixing up my bathroom and fitting a shower valve and shower head im not sure if this helps but i got a great deal on a bathroom suite from

they offer free UK delivery.

Hope this helps,

John.