Shower Leaking into the kitchen

[Sarah Wykes]

We moved to a new house a few months ago and recently the ensuite shower started leaking into the kitchen. My husband had started to take away the sealant and noticed that the shower tray is not flush with the tiles, so that's likely to be where the problem is but obviously need to ensure that's the only area as there two areas of staining on the kitchen ceiling. My Father has told me that you are meant to fit a shower tray and then tile, not the other way around and we will continue to have leaks unless this is rectified. I do not really want to start looking at re-tiling though and was already considering getting an electric shower fitted as currently there's an electric pump in an upstairs cupboard which gives the shower it's water pressure but it's temperamental and sometimes doesn't work. So wondered what your thoughts were of fitting an electric shower and new shower tray and shower doors, I have attached photos of the current shower, pump and enclosure and what I thought of replacing the enclosure with and also having and electric shower fitted, as the suggested enclosure has a low tray (there may be more ultra thin corner trays available?) would the tiles still need to be disc cut and then the tray inserted?

On another note the main bathroom for some reason the previous owners installed a new bathroom without any extraction fan. I have attached a photo of the bathroom and the light fitting and was wondering whether the light fitting can be changed for an extraction light fitting (as we have one in the ensuite) and then it possibly be fitted up to the other extraction and out of the house?

View attachment Current shower and tray.JPG

View attachment Current Shower.JPG

View attachment Main Bathroom light.JPG

View attachment Shower Pump.JPG

View attachment Shower Sealant.JPG

View attachment 34745

 

[Ben-gee]

I really think that if you have to ask this, the chances of you ending up with a leakfree shower are slim. Best to get someone competent in to do it, shouldn't cost too much and won't leak.

 

[Sarah Wykes]

I really think that if you have to ask this, the chances of you ending up with a leakfree shower are slim. Best to get someone competent in to do it, shouldn't cost too much and won't leak.

I am happy to get someone in, just want to understand what's involved, I also appreciate that a lot of plumbers probably don't want to get involved with taking off tiles and retiling etc and just want to do the plumbing part, so we may have to do this.

 

[Jim Goodenough]

I do really want to have a long term fix to the problem leak though and not have to reseal every 6 months whilst keeping my fingers crossed that water isn't slowly leaking somewhere without me knowing.

Sarah,

The resealing every 6 months is incorrect advice, may be every few years.

If you employ a competent person and they use a good quality sanitary silicone you really won't have any further issues. Your suggestion as to removing the tray and bottom row of tiles, however it's a big job. It involves removing and re-fitting/sealing the cubicle and will affect your flooring to a certain degree (what flooring do you have.

ATB

 

[Sarah Wykes]

Sarah,

The resealing every 6 months is incorrect advice, may be every few years.

If you employ a competent person and they use a good quality sanitary silicone you really won't have any further issues. Your suggestion as to removing the tray and bottom row of tiles, however it's a big job. It involves removing and re-fitting/sealing the cubicle and will affect your flooring to a certain degree (what flooring do you have.

ATB

I appreciate that it's a much bigger job to remove tray and refit it, but the tray isn't flush with the wall and the gap is quite large, so I would be worried that once it was resealed that water would be slowly getting into that gap. So I want peace of mind and although it will mean more work, I think in the long term it will be for the better. There are tiles on the bathroom floor.

 

[Jim Goodenough]

It's your call, that's fine.

From your pic https://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/attachments/current-shower-and-tray-jpg.34738/ it looks like the trap can be unscrewed from the top, often there is a special tool that comes with the trap. You may be able to unscrew it by hand.

As mentioned the seal to the cubicle will have to be cut, at the wall and at the tray. Dismantle the cubicle in as few pieces as practicable. Cut out the bottom row of tiles and remove grout / sealant where the tiles abut the tray.

 

[Sarah Wykes]

It's your call, that's fine.

From your pic https://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/attachments/current-shower-and-tray-jpg.34738/ it looks like the trap can be unscrewed from the top, often there is a special tool that comes with the trap. You may be able to unscrew it by hand.

As mentioned the seal to the cubicle will have to be cut, at the wall and at the tray. Dismantle the cubicle in as few pieces as practicable. Cut out the bottom row of tiles and remove grout / sealant where the tiles abut the tray.

Thanks, do you think many plumbers would do the whole job, or would want us to retile etc, if so we can sort this? Any ideas of what a plumber would charge? I am based in Coventry West Midlands.

 

[Jim Goodenough]

Thanks, do you think many plumbers would do the whole job

Some will some won't, find a good bathroom fitter and they'll do both, best that one competent person does the whole job.

I estimate it's about 2 days work in total, as to rates phone around in your area.

 

[Sarah Wykes]

Some will some won't, find a good bathroom fitter and they'll do both, best that one competent person does the whole job.

I estimate it's about 2 days work in total, as to rates phone around in your area.

Thanks

 

[Welder]

Sarah,

The resealing every 6 months is incorrect advice, may be every few years.

If you employ a competent person and they use a good quality sanitary silicone you really won't have any further issues. Your suggestion as to removing the tray and bottom row of tiles, however it's a big job. It involves removing and re-fitting/sealing the cubicle and will affect your flooring to a certain degree (what flooring do you have.

ATB

Apologies Jim but what you have not mentioned is the potential damage to the substrate (plasterboard or whatever). If the shower has not been watertight for a while then the bond between the tiles above and the substrate will be compromised. In my experience this can be up to 1.2m above the tray. If that is the case, and the only way to know that is to take a few off, then they all need redoing as will the substrate. Anything else will be a form of temp fix so it WILL start again.

BEFORE doing anything else Sarah, might I suggest you take a good read through your insurance documents. However, DO NOT, talk to your insurers UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

What you are looking to see, is if you have a claim for 'consequential damage' i.e. damage as a consequence of a slow leak. Many insurers now actively exclude these from their policies which is why you must check first before contacting them.

IF you decide you can, and wish to, go down that route then get a pro in to write you a report on the whole thing and detail what needs to be done to put you back to the position you were in prior to the event.

Have fun.

 

[rpm]

Have seen cases where the last row of tiles are angled out towards the shower tray. Never thought much of it until now, maybe they had the same problem?

 

[Welder]

Have seen cases where the last row of tiles are angled out towards the shower tray. Never thought much of it until now, maybe they had the same problem?

It's called a bodge 😛

 

[rpm]

Only said I'd seen it a few times, struck me as odd, now there might be a reason why it was done, so the tiles reach the tray rather than move the tray.

 

[Vicdiy]

Vicdiy, your user name says a lot, just about every point in your reply is diy.
ie Check and reseal every six months? Are you for real? 😡😡😡

Thanks for the patronising reply when I was just trying to be helpful. Maybe I should have called myself something else rather than Vicdiy to avoid such an unfair comment. I may not be a professional but I have done loads of jobs at my own house and relatives ( for no charge) and they have all been done to a high standard. Tell me what is wrong with checking and replacing sealant every six months when it can leak and cause all sorts of damage. One of my daughter's recently moved into a new house and had a wet patch in the hallway, although the sealant around the shower looked fine this turned out to be the problem,it took me about an hour to rake it out and reseal what is unreal about that!

 

[Welder]

Thanks for the patronising reply when I was just trying to be helpful. Maybe I should have called myself something else rather than Vicdiy to avoid such an unfair comment. I may not be a professional but I have done loads of jobs at my own house and relatives ( for no charge) and they have all been done to a high standard. Tell me what is wrong with checking and replacing sealant every six months when it can leak and cause all sorts of damage. One of my daughter's recently moved into a new house and had a wet patch in the hallway, although the sealant around the shower looked fine this turned out to be the problem,it took me about an hour to rake it out and reseal what is unreal about that!

Please read my comment Vic.

We do this as a profession. We take full responsibility. We can be taken to court if it is not correct. How many more reasons do you need? They, among others, are some of the reasons we do it correctly and to formal standards where they exist and industry best practice where they don't. Please don't go there.

 

[Vicdiy]

Please read my comment Vic.

We do this as a profession. We take full responsibility. We can be taken to court if it is not correct. How many more reasons do you need? They, among others, are some of the reasons we do it correctly and to formal standards where they exist and industry best practice where they don't. Please don't go there.

We are talking about sealing a shower tray aren't we ? I wouldn't dream of commenting on anything requiring professional knowledge.

 

[rpm]

Thanks for the patronising reply when I was just trying to be helpful. Maybe I should have called myself something else rather than Vicdiy to avoid such an unfair comment. I may not be a professional but I have done loads of jobs at my own house and relatives ( for no charge) and they have all been done to a high standard. Tell me what is wrong with checking and replacing sealant every six months when it can leak and cause all sorts of damage. One of my daughter's recently moved into a new house and had a wet patch in the hallway, although the sealant around the shower looked fine this turned out to be the problem,it took me about an hour to rake it out and reseal what is unreal about that!

Hi vic, I was going to say post #23 puts it better but Dave has replied whilst I was away.

 

[rpm]

We are talking about sealing a shower tray aren't we ? I wouldn't dream of commenting on anything requiring professional knowledge.

Hi again vic, do it right once and it will not require checking every 6 months bud. That was the main stand out point and hence my post.

 

[Vicdiy]

Hi again vic, do it right once and it will not require checking every 6 months bud. That was the main stand out point and hence my post.

I really enjoy reading the posts and comments on this forum as I like to pick up knowledge from those that know better. I think in future I will just read and not bother commenting. I was a senior project manager involved in multi million pound projects but I do realise that there is no substitute for hands on practical experience.