David Schwartz
Every homeowner’s worst nightmare is a leaky shower. It leads to water wastage, increased bills, and major household damage.
When not addressed properly, such leaks become a recurring issue. Taking care of it becomes a costly and time-consuming matter.
So, if you want to end this neverending cycle of shower leak repair, here’s everything you need to know!
Exploring Shower Leak Causes & Temporary Fixes
Shower leak issues in your home can be caused by several reasons. Most people try to fix them with inefficient temporary shower leak repair. So, let’s know them all here.
Plumbing Issues
If the pipes, fixtures, and faucets are faulty or worn out, there’s a high chance of leaks. It can happen from cracks, loose connections, or internal component degradation.
For trivial pipe leaks, people conduct a simple shower pipe leak repair. They only change the entire plumbing for major leaks.
Worn Out Sealant
Caulking is applied around faucets, plumbing joints, and the shower pan. It prevents water from escaping through gaps in the structure. The caulking wears out with time and creates obvious holes and cracks, which lets water enter.
Homeowners buy caulking from the hardware store and apply it themselves as a solution. However, with time, the new caulking shrinks and cracks, causing repeated leaks.
Grout and Tile Concerns
Another major cause is broken and missing tiles and grout. If you’re unaware, grout is a porous substance. It weakens from regular exposure to water and humidity. This creates gaps and channels for water seepage.
Homeowners regrout as a quick fix. If you get it done by a professional, it’s pretty expensive. However, this doesn’t hold up for too long.
Shower Door Issues
If the shower door or curtain gets damaged, it results in water seepage and damage beyond the bathroom. People patch the damage with DIY fixes or replace them with a similar door/curtain model, but the issue recurs.
Failed Waterproofing
Any shower needs waterproofing to prevent water seepage into the floor or walls. With time, the waterproofing membrane breaks down and causes leaks. This might be due to natural wear and tear, installation issues, or maintenance neglect.
Most homeowners apply waterproof coating on walls and the floor to deal with it. These don’t last long enough.
High-Flow Showerhead
If the water from your showerhead has a high flow, the water pressure can stress even the most modern plumbing fixtures. It’s especially a concern if there’s an existing weakness in any component.
Further, water from high-flow shower water is also challenging to keep in the shower space. It can seep out of the bathroom and damage the exterior.
Homeowners can hardly guess this cause, so they usually don’t focus on it.
Note:
With time, houses settle downward. This leads to slight shifts that can crack your home’s structure or even separate strongly adhered materials. The natural process can break the seal around tiles, grout, and other shower elements. This creates a gap, and water seeps into it.
Impact of Repetitive Shower Leaks
If you rely on temporary fixes, your shower leak will return again. You might think that this only leads to regular repairs, but it also causes serious damage like the following:
Structural Damage
When water seeps into the home’s structure, it weakens and breaks down the concrete and corrodes iron bars (the skeletal of your home). This can reduce your home’s durability.
Mold and Mildew Growth
Regular exposure to moisture from leaks makes your home the breeding ground for mold and mildew.
These damage your home and make your home’s air and environment toxic. In fact, there are several health risks of mold exposure, including allergic symptoms and increased sensitivity to mold.
Expensive Shower Leak Repair
Repeated leaks and temporary fixes are often a sign of major unnoticeable damage. If you continue with temporary fixes, you’ll land a huge repair bill later.
High Water Bills
Regular shower leaks cause unnecessary water consumption. Thus, you also pay more water bills over time.
The Perfect Solution List: A Leak-Proof Shower System
The best way to end the story of regular shower leak repair is to upgrade it to a leak-proof shower design, as follows:
Professionally Retouched Waterproofing
Reinstall the waterproof membrane with the help of a professional. Place a high-quality, modern, waterproof membrane under the tile, including the floor and walls, to create an impermeable obstruction and prevent moisture seepage into the structure underneath.
Avoid traditional membranes as they are too thin and get damaged easily. On the other hand, modern membranes are thick and durable. They also come with a lifetime warranty.
Seamless Wall and Floor Panel Installation
In the shower room, most homes used tile and grout. They are practical and aesthetic, but their seams are leak-prone. Thus, you have to fix them quite often.
Instead, use a seamless shower wall and floor panel. These have larger interlocked panels, creating uniform waterproofing throughout the floors and walls. There’s no weaker area that’s more prone to leakage.
Besides being waterproof, this system is also easier to clean and maintain regularly.
Low-Flow Showerhead
If the leakage is due to a leaky shower head, you must also prioritize fixing the leaking shower head. So, switch to a low-flow fixture for your shower head.
However, there’s a high chance someone or the other at your home might take off the fixture. So, consider installing modern plumbing fixtures like a tamper-proof shower flow controller. This is easy to install, so you don’t even need professional assistance. You can attach it to the shower fixture behind the wall.
The Shower Scrooge™
If there’s any pressure variation, its O ring serves as a regulator. So, during high water pressure, it contracts to reduce the water flow. If the pressure is too low, the ring expands to compensate for the low pressure.
The device also has auto-clean technology, so you won’t have to worry about any clogging or maintenance.
Special Drains and Pans
To make the shower even more leak-proof, opt for a modern system where the pan and floor are inclined toward the drain. This helps the water flow out instead of pooling on the shower floor.
You can also check out special drain designs that have additional features to effectively trap water and prevent seepage. Make sure you get durable shower drains and pans made of corrosion and cracking-proof materials.
Sealed Shower Doors
If the seepage is due to shower door cracks, poor sealing, or misalignment, install a leak-proof shower door. This kind of door comes with a special design that reinforces the sealing factor and prevents water splashes beyond the shower room.
Moreover, these doors have a water-repellent coating, which prevents mineral deposits and water spots or streaks.
Plumbing Overhaul
Completely redo the plumbing lines with the help of professionals. This will prevent any major pipe leakage or bursting later on.
Conclusion
Shower leaks are a frustrating concern of all time. So, if you’re tired of repetitive small fixes, embrace a leak-proof solution as mentioned and end regular shower leak issues for good.
If you’re curious about more water-saving solutions and technologies, we at TheWaterScrooge offer a range of efficient and patented devices. So, consider trying them out and save more money!