shower leaking behind wall

[dan_the_plumber]

Hello all.

I have a problem with a shower.

The tiles behind the shower all blew

Customer had them taken off and retiled.

Then they blew again and there was a discolouration of the ceiling in the kitchen below

Customer had tiles replaced a second time.

Then I was called in, I ran shower with cover off and found samll leak inside the shower which i PTFE taped which fixed the problem in the shower.

The wall was then retiled by the tiler.

I then camed back fully sealed where the electrical cable come through the wall with silicon.

I also covered the back of the shower unit in silicon and screwed back to the wall

All the tiles have now blown again!!!

I'm at a loss......Anyone suggest what the problem might be please?

Dan

 

[wigz]

still a leak is my guess . is it damp behind the tiles when they come off or bone dry?

 

[dan_the_plumber]

still a leak is my guess . is it damp behind the tiles when they come off or bone dry?

I'm not sure if wet or not. L

ooks like it's my turn to do the tiling this time though so I guess I'll find out

 

[PlumbBobBob]

was the wall rebuilt when retiled? because if the wall was left it may be the reason why the tiles came off again.

 

[dan_the_plumber]

was the wall rebuilt when retiled? because if the wall was left it may be the reason why the tiles came off again.

No the tiles were stripped off

a heater was left in the cubical over night and then tiles reaplied the next morning.

I've suggested we strip the tiles off and leave wall breath for a week with a heater as and when customer can supervise, before retiling.

Customer has told me theres a leak but logic is telling me that there is no leak.

even if shower unit was leaking (which it's not) how would it get into the wall?

Thanks Dan

 

[spanner]

Instantaneous works on mains.. so it really sounds like a pinhole..! Also, if its a "SOLID" wall the pipe should have a protective sleeve wrapped over, ie denso tape, plastic or somthing to prevent oxidation and corrosion where as concretes, bricks, screed will eventually corrode copper in their elctro motive series.. Well I hope you never have to call out tiler again and you find where that LEEks coming...BE lucky ;0D

 

[Paulus]

What is the wall made of, is it plastered, more importantly was it ever sealed prior to tiling?

 

[glenno1]

Was tiling done right ie was wall sealed,was wall spread with adhesive and not dot and dabbed and was it left a day before grouting

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i agree it must something to do with the wall.

 

[dan_the_plumber]

What is the wall made of, is it plastered, more importantly was it ever sealed prior to tiling?

When you say sealed before tiling what exactly do you mean?

Cheers...Dan

 

[PlumbBobBob]

tanking. usually you paint or roller it on, although you can get sheet tanking which you apply with cementious(powdered) tile adhesive. which makes the wall waterproof. it may say on the pack that grout is waterproof but it isn't 100% and water will always soak through.

 

[dan_the_plumber]

tanking. usually you paint or roller it on, although you can get sheet tanking which you apply with cementious(powdered) tile adhesive. which makes the wall waterproof. it may say on the pack that grout is waterproof but it isn't 100% and water will always soak through.

Agh ha tanking is it ? Sounds good to me mate!

So plan of action is

take tiles off, leave for about 5 days with heater on as often as possible.

when dry, apply tanking

Retile then next day regrout

refit shower with as much silicon as i can get on there

Dya recon that sounds about right?

Thanks very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PlumbBobBob]

yes sounds right, although you may find that the plaster has gone. is it a solid wall? or stud

 

[glenno1]

Ye sounds good to me but if its stud wall make sure plaster board is good and solid

 

[Guest123]

The only real way to solve a problem like this is open up a good size of the wall and thoroughly look for the problem.

Be careful with silicon as some kinds of tanking like Tile Safe react with it.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Agh ha tanking is it ? Sounds good to me mate!

So plan of action is

take tiles off, leave for about 5 days with heater on as often as possible.

when dry, apply tanking

Retile then next day regrout

refit shower with as much silicon as i can get on there

Dya recon that sounds about right?

Thanks very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You'd do better using a dehumidifier than a heater. Unless the area is well ventilated the wall may end up re absorbing the moisture.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

if it is stud replace the plasterboard with hardy board it doesn't blow if it gets wet

 

[dan_the_plumber]

Ye sounds good to me but if its stud wall make sure plaster board is good and solid

Yeah solid wall

 

[gravytrain]

if the walls wet, you should leave it til its dry, not just 5 days.
if they've got a water meter check its not going round with everything turned off!!

make sure tiler uses proper quality adhesive and grout not cheapo from you know where

 

[PlumbBobBob]

tiler should use powdered adhesive and grout otherwise it's going to pop again

 

[spanner]

Prior to the wall being a solid or stud wall, its important to seal pipe, would be good to let us all know if its a solid or stud wall though budd..!!

 

[spanner]

So solid walls then!!!.. The problem sounds like a pin hole. If the feed pipe to the shower is "mains fed" , which they normally are, and the pipe is "copper" consealed in a solid wall without the "LAG" i.e denso tape or plastic protective sleeving, would look like you'll have to disconnect it from point of where FEED enters the solid wall to shower unit, cap it, and start another entry to the instantaneous unit.. Concrete ,sharp sand, ballast, cement, they cause copper to ROT... Well Dan it sounds like it to me if the the unit IS mains FED! Good Luck and hope its sorted soooon. What is the unit. 8.5 9.5 10.5Kw???

 

[Whn1]

The only real way to solve a problem like this is open up a good size of the wall and thoroughly look for the problem.

Be careful with silicon as some kinds of tanking like Tile Safe react with it.

I'd agree with this, the tiles are screwed anyways, expose everything you can. And then work from there.

 

[dan_the_plumber]

Hello again.
I went to tiling merchants and found that a tanking kit was about £75 quid!

Now for a shower room I would definatley by a kit and do it right.

But for this job it's just a wall inside shower cubical.

I know you can use just ordinary PVA the seal before tiling.

I just wondered if anyone knows if this is a good idea or not?

It's certainly a lot cheeper!!!

Cheers...Dan

 

[MattWeth]

Screw fix do the mapei tanking kit for about £35