Shower door leaking? Fix it before it’s too late with these easy tips.
It may seem obvious, but make sure your shower cieling is tight and waterproof.
If you have water seeping through gaps around the edges of your shower cieling, then there are two things you can do to fix this.
The first thing you can try is putting silicone sealant onto the areas where water leaks into the ceiling. You can also put teak wood polish onto the joints between the tiles.
What Causes Shower Door Water Leaks?
There are many reasons why a shower door may leak, from damaged gaskets to broken hinges or sealants that have worn out. In order for us to help you determine what is causing your shower door water leaks, learn how a door functions, then look at it carefully.
A doorway is just a rectangle with two edges; one edge has a hinge that allows the rectangle to close. When the rectangle closes, there are two gaps between them-one at the top and another at the bottom.
The top gap is where the door swings into the frame. The second gap is where the lower lip of the door meets the sill (the area surrounding the opening). This is where the door seals in order to prevent people or things from coming inside the room.
The problem most people run into when they try to stop a shower door from leaking is that they don’t take into account the fact that the door also needs to be able to open. If the hole in the upper edge of the door is too large, when the door opens it will no longer fit through the framing materials, making it impossible to keep the door closed.
This happens because the top edge of the door doesn’t come together with the rectangular shaped window at the top. It seems obvious now, but if the door was cut down to size it would go better than having an oversized hole.
Another common mistake is putting caulking in the
Broken or improperly installed shower door seals
Photo by Max Vakhtbovych on Pexels
If your shower doors leaks have been repaired recently, then there is a chance that their seal may be damaged and need to be replaced.
If you know how to fix this yourself, it can be done quickly and easily.
However, if you do not, then this should be fixed by a professional. There are two types of shower door seals; spring loaded valves and polymer gaskets.
The former is simple to replace, but the latter will provide better protection against water leaking out of the shower.
Also, although this product does not seem to matter as much, but the type of shower rod/shower chain used matters.
Rod systems were developed in the 1980s when showers had fewer features and less technology. They work well because they are easy to install, and because water flows evenly from the rod into the bathtub.
But they cannot prevent water from entering the bathroom through hidden holes in the wall or floors. Also, depending on where you live, there are laws regarding plumbing fixtures (faucets, toilets, etc.) that require them to be properly plumbed and sealed.
By having an expert installer make these changes for you, you can save time and money.
Broken or improperly installed shower door sweeps
If your shower door is leaking, then it’s likely that its frame is made of thin metal instead of water-resistant wood. Although this method is cheap, you will need to replace both the shower curtain and the frame together if there is any leakage at all.
If you are worried about cost, note that these two items (the shower curtain and frame) also can be bought separately.
When purchasing either item, make sure the quality is top shelf. There are many companies that create inexpensive products that cannot withstand the pressure of the hot water heater.
Also consider buying an adjustable frameless glass shower door. This way you can save money by not having to purchase a new frame, but you can adjust the level of transparency of the shower door to let more light in.
These transparent shower doors are expensive, but they are made from durable, high quality materials.
Unslanted shower curbs
If your shower door is leaking, it may be time to get a new one. There are many different brands on the market, but they all come with specific instructions regarding how to install them.
The first thing you should do is determine which type of shower curb is best for your situation. Let’s take a look at some common ones shall we?
Regular curb: This is probably the most common one that you will see. It comes in two versions: angled and un-angled. The un-angled version requires no extra space, so it can be installed very easily.
Angled curb: This curb runs parallel to the wall, and has grooves on either side. It connects directly to the wall without leaving room for a shower curtain or bath mat.
Lazy susan curve curb: This curved curb starts off as straight as an arrow. However, when water flows out from behind it, it becomes slightly rounded. When put in place, there is less chance of water escaping outside of the drain.
These are just examples, though. You need to assess the leak pattern and shape of your shower walls to figure out what type of shower curb you want to use.
You also have to consider whether you like the looks of any of these showers. They are pretty obvious, so if you feel uncomfortable with them, then you might opt to replace the shower curtain or bath mat instead.
How to Fix a Shower Door Leak
Photo by Max Vakhtbovych on Pexels
There are two types of shower doors that can leak water:
Closed-panel door: This is the most common type of shower door. It has one or more panels that slide open to let in plenty of air. When they’re closed, there’s no way for water to escape if they’re leaking.
Open panel door: With this type of door, water can slowly seep through an opening in the glass when it’s not installed properly. Sometimes this happens because the locking mechanism holding the shower door in place becomes disengaged over time.
To fix this issue, have your customer take off the sliding glass door and see what’s going on inside or outside their bathroom. If they don’t already have a fixing tool, you could buy one at their local hardware store.
They then need to install a brace between the frame and the wall surrounding the bathtub or shower. The purpose of this is to keep the shower door from moving while maintaining pressure to prevent leaks.
Shower Leak Along the Wall
If you’re experiencing a shower leak along the wall at home, there are several things that you can do to fix it. You will need to assess the damage and determine what needs to be done.
If water is leaking from between the tiles in your shower or bath, then the issue is usually related to grout and/or tile. The first thing to do is measure the gap between the tiles.
You should be able to see where the drain pipe is located underneath the surface (see photo). Once you identify this location, use a tool like an expandable handle to open up the hole so that you can check the depth of the sink.
Once you have checked the depth, close the handle and start removing the tiles around the area. It also helps to soak them in hot water to soften the grout before pulling out the tiles.
It doesn’t cost much time or money, but it does require some effort on your part. The good news is that once you remove the old grout and cement, you’ll have new material to put down.
This process may seem complicated, but it’s really just steps with simple tools. For example, get yourself a plastic bucket with a lid. Fill it with grout and cement and mix until they’re well blended.
Then set it aside for when you need it. Use a spatula to scrape any remaining bits
How to Locate a Shower Door Leak
There are several ways to detect if you have a leak in your shower door. If you notice water seeping through the frame, there is a good chance you will find some leaking elsewhere in your bathroom.
The next time you’re looking for places where water may be leaking, pay attention to how wet the floor is. You can also tell that it is raining outside or if you open a window and check outside.
If you live in an area with lots of rain, make sure you do not install your shower without a drain plug. Any hole large enough for a person to enter through should be covered up before installing any bathtub. Also keep in mind that even if you close the window or turn off the faucet, there could still be leaks coming from beneath the wall tiles or around any pipes running under the sink.
