Water Leak In Shower

loco-colo

Shower upstairs over kitchen.

Saw water dripping through ceiling - Coming from shower obviously - Shower floor is sealed so cannot lift to see problem - Just checking if there is anything I can pour down plughole that might seal it or is it a job for a plumber - Don’t really want to be bringing anybody in / even if I can get one - with this Corona Virus - as there is 93 year old in the house - still going. Thanks.

listermint

Shower tray will have to come up and out to check the leak.

The most common leak zones are transition between bottom tile rows and the shower tray.

the seal around the plug hole has shifted

seal in one of the pipe joins has shifted.

All bar the first one the shower tray has to come up for inspection.

Darando

Check the grouting of the lower tiles....can it be easily pushed in or is it cracked?

loco-colo

Thanks for replies - I thought the problem had to be under the tray - maybe it is in grouting or tiles - Am out at the moment but will check later. Thanks.

hesker

loco-colo wrote: »

Thanks for replies - I thought the problem had to be under the tray - maybe it is in grouting or tiles - Am out at the moment but will check later. Thanks.

Good advice above. Can check for cracked tile grout or gaps in sealant around shower tray without removing the tray.

Bear in mind grout is not water proof even when it’s perfect.

DublinDilbert

If the ceiling is wet it will need to be patched up anyway. I would make a hole in the plasterboard, if it’s wet your hand will go through it anyway.

As the poster says above more than likely it is where the tiles meet the tray. I had one last week that looked perfect from the tray side, but about 1/2 way along where the two tiles met on the grout line it was leaking.

loco-colo

Thanks lads - Got a good workout running up and down stairs doing tests.

First poured about 20 litres from sink directly into plughole and then into tray to check seals there or leak in pipe below tray - nothing coming through ceiling.

Then ran shower and pointed at different areas of wall - at third setting - pointed to right corner - was coming down through ceiling - a right good trickle given that most of the water was surely running down into the tray.

The grout looks black in that corner - as it does in other corner that did not leak - but this definitely is a leak spot - maybe there are more.

I have a tube of Tec 7 which says 'sealing' among other things so will try this on that corner - I will let the shower dry out and apply this tomorrow and report back - Many thanks.

Darando

Remove the old grout and re-grout and then seal the grout if just between the tiles on a wall. If in a corner then different, most showers I see tend to have a bead of silicon running vertically in the corner where the two tile meets as it can be difficult to seal up that joint. You can get silicone to match the colour of your grout (if not just white). Tile shops/Building merchants etc.. will have.

loco-colo

Sorry for delay replying - lost a day there - didn't realise I needed gun to apply Tec 7 - thought I could squeeze it out of tube - sad I know.

Anyway got gun and had a go - lucky I wasn't being filmed - nearly impossible to get out through tiny tip of tube - am I supposed to cut that tip off to have a wider nozzle - anyway ended up taking off that unit and squeezing it out directly from tube and applying it with my finger - one ugly looking job but I don't care what it looks like if it seals it - think I have to wait 24 hours to let it dry and then run shower on it and hope for the best.

As if that wasn't bad enough - was down on my knees for 10 minutes ... and it took me about 20 to drag myself back up - knees are bol#*xed too.

And DublinDilbert - unless the kitchen ceiling collapses completely - I won't be going near it - the way things are it will probably see me out ...

I will report back after test tomorrow night - Thanks.

DublinDilbert

Tek7 is a good sealant, My own shower tray is sealed with it. Only thing to remember is that it typically gets moldy, so needs a scrubbing once in a while.

tommyIV

I am a complete novice so please repect the rule "no question is a dumb question".

We have a very small leak under our bathroom sink. Where the pipe goes into wall we get a dribble of water whenever we turn on the tap. When I take the protective metal ring off I see a pipe with a good amount of (what looks like) sealant around it. There seems to be a small gap in the sealant where water dribbles out.

So I won't do much damage if I try and seal that off with sealant will I? The bathroom won't explode or something like that?

Remeber the rule about questions!

Mad_Mike

loco-colo wrote: »

Anyway got gun and had a go - lucky I wasn't being filmed - nearly impossible to get out through tiny tip of tube - am I supposed to cut that tip off to have a wider nozzle

Have a look at this video around the 30 second mark. You cut the tip off the cartridge and then cut the screw on tip to whatever angle or flow you need

loco-colo

Thanks MM - I eventually found out about cutting it - after I had finished.

My test tonight still leaked - but maybe not as bad as before given that I was directing the spray directly into this corner where I think the problem is.

I am going to have one more try now that I am getting better flow from Tec 7 tube and also do higher up the corner joint as Darando mentioned silicon strip which is probably what is in it - I had only come up about 10 inches first time around. Will have a go. Thanks.

loco-colo

Is Tec 7 still meant to feel sticky or soft when it dries - mine does - I assumed it would be hard. Thanks.

OfflerCrocGod

Probably worth watching this and getting the right tools for the job TBH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DI4hfHM_Hg

Idbatterim

aim the spray at the shower doors or side panel if you can for time being and away from grouting, until you resolve this. we had this issue before and the grouting was the issue

loco-colo

Great result eventually / left it two days to dry out - 93 year old not up to using bath and is just after hopping into shower - Nothing coming through ceiling.

I would never have thought the issue could be above the tray - that’s what is great about Boards / A great video link by Offler above even though I had already done almost everything he says not to do - but have learned a lot in this exercise - Thanks everybody.

loco-colo

And just in case anybody else had similar - it was only when I sealed right up the wall in the joint in the corner (which is silicone I think) that I got it totally sealed.