Leaking Shower

[LadyArowana]

First of all let me apologise that the problem shower is not in a lovely period property, it's in a concrete tower block, and not even a 1960's modernist one, a 12+ year old one! But it's giving me grief and the people my house agent sends to "fix" it seem to be more than a little clueless so any help from you wise folks would be hugely appreciated.

First the problem..... After the shower had been used, which is most mornings, water would seep out from the grouting between the big marble tiles in the areas where the red lines are and also along the bottom to the floor outside. The first chap who was sent put some silicone seal inside along the bottom, but then noticed the water coming from between the tiles and was worried that there was a leak from the pipework, so we didn't use the shower and after about 3 days of seepage which gradually lessened it stopped. The second chap who came and inspected said the "waterproofing had failed" and that someone else would come to fix that. He ran all the other bathroom fittings and was sure it wasn't a pipe issue.

The fix consisted of, painting a thick layer of what looked and smelled like PVA over all the tiles and everything and then ( yes really !!! ) putting some "grout" in various corners and joins. This was over the top of the layer of silicone applied by the first person in some places and over old silicone in others. The grout doesn't even seem to have been a correct mix as scratching it with a fingernail it turns to powder now.

It will not surprise you that 2 weeks later there is still water leaking out from the bottom right hand side grout where the shower joins the main bathroom floor, although all the other places where water previously oozed have stopped.

I hasten to add that I don't get to choose the contractors for this, the landlord's agent sends "his people", who are perfectly pleasant, but are clearly chosen on cost, not level of ability. Whilst I could easily just show them the problem and let them get on with it again and again, I am becoming a little tired of the pantomime, so I want to make some sensible suggestions. My thought is that what they need to do is to strip off all the grout/ sealant along that side, allow it to completely dry out and then regrout, allow to dry and then put sealant over the top of that? Any words of wisdon? Pretty please

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I would imagine that water is ingressing through the grouting further up, tracking behind the tiles and exiting at the bottom. Regrouting the bottom will just keep it in until it does further damage. You need to find out where it is getting in abd stop that. Perhaps this will mean raking out and regrouting the whole shower. Whick might be quicker than the current palaver. A properly grouted shower should not need silicone on top of the grout though.

The leaks by the bottom of the door are most likely due to the rubber seal on the bottom of the door not fitting well at each corner. We have a similar problem.

After the shower had been used, which is most mornings

Most? :shock: :wink:

 

[LadyArowana]

.

After the shower had been used, which is most mornings

Most? :shock: :wink:

Thanks Mr Wiggs, and yes, just "most" because I use the lovely big bath, so if His Lordship is away on biz all stays dry.

 

[Flyfisher]

I suppose now would not be a good time to mention how much we all like pictures on here? :wink:

 

[DJH]

Yes...pictures please Lady A, ( ) especially of the shower valve which I assume is a built in or concealed type. If water is coming from behind the tiles after the shower has been used then I would suspect that something downstream from the valve may be leaking. In other words the pipework from the mixing vale to the shower head could be leaking and would only be evidenced after the shower valve is turned on.

I see in the first photo that there is a flexible hose maybe with a removable head on it? If you can detach this from the wall, lay it on the floor of the shower with the flow of water directed into the waste not allowing anything else to get wet and then turn on the valeve. If water comes out from the tiles then you have your answer.

Doug

 

[FamilyWiggs]

The threshold and bottom of the door jamb aren't looking too chipper either....

And given the news is full of celebrity leak photos today, can I add my voice to the request for pics? 8)

 

[agbagb]

Without a complete strip out its always going to be a potential problem. If the water is tracking behind the tiles then they have not been applied on a solid bed of adhesive. The most reliable bodge would be to rake out all the grout and really pack or inject the joints with an epoxy tile grout. Assuming of course that the problem isn't caused by leaky pipes.

 

[LadyArowana]

Thanks for all your thoughts, I have found a very suspicious crack in the grouting in the corner and directing the shower directly at it you get a huge puddle emerging about 5 mins later, so I think that's the main source and the other leaks were something similar. The original construction is really not that great. Not a surprise, they bring in loads of workers from Sri Lanka, India, wherever is cheap and they just sort of get on with it as quick as they can. It all looks lovely when it's new but ............. Anyways the agent and contractor come tomorrow so I shall take a punt at mentioning "completely raking out the joints" and "epoxy tile grout". Since I'm a girl and this is Asia I doubt it will make the slightest difference, I may have to go into full on angry foreign lady mode and threaten them with His Lordship, which is usually marginally more successful than trying to actually help :lol:

Oh and since you were all so helpful, I risked taking the phone into the bath to do a photo, I made sure to get the interesting things in the frame

 

[Flyfisher]

Nice reflection from the glass shelves . . .

























(. . . . Only joking :wink: )

 

[LadyArowana]

A little update on this ongoing saga.

I met with the agent and the contractor and the problem was agreed as a combination of poor initial construction and failed grout/ seals. Water getting into a gap behind the marble and then slowly leaking out through whatever route it could find.

Seems the agent's brother has an apartment in one of the other towers of our condo and when he bought it found damaged flooring in the same place, the previous owner had apparently ignored it for ages and it spread over a much wider area, ours is just a tiny bit. Because he wanted it fixed as properly as possible they got a waterproofing co in to drill and inject "something". So rather than another bodge with the grout or silicone the contractor was tasked with getting that done.

They removed a section of skirting ( some with attached plaster ) from the wall adjoining the shower area of the bathroom, drilled a series of holes, and used a contraption to force the goo in.