Shower leaking into wall downstairs

[fango7]

Hi all.

Shower is leaking into downstairs when water is being aimed at wall .

All sealant has been redone on outside and between shower tray and wall at the bottom on inside , can’t spot any leakages here.

It runs down the wall downstairs beneath shower in lines , when water is sprayed at the wall.

Have a feeling it could be related to the screw holes not being siliconed before screws went into vertical rail, and it is letting water into them , then going down the wall?

Is the fix to take shower rail out and fill holes with silicone?

Or can I just put a thin line of silicone vertically up the inside rail, to prevent leakage through the screw holes.

I know you’re not supposed to silicone vertically inside due to water being able to drain back into tray, but would a thin line be okay?

I have attached the pics of corner where I think it is leaking through drill holes and also the leak into downstairs under shower

Any advice would be much appreciated

 

[murraymint]

Hi, you say you siliconed the outside of the vertical enclosure channels (and so you should), and you say you siliconed between tray and wall (and so you should). BUT, and this may seem like a tiny detail, did you silicone the bottom of the vertical enclosure channels where they abut the tiled wall. It's easy to forget this little detail ! But its an important detail .. after all, when you are aiming the shower jet at the vertical channels (or when someone is in shower and water is bouncing off them toward the vertical enclosure channels) then this water will inevitably tickle down behind between the channel and the wall and end up at the bottom of the channels .. and if there is no silicone there .. BOOM .. that's where it has the opportunity to get between tray and wall, and thence on downwards toward the room below.

If you are able, by means of making yourself an inspection hole let's say in the room below, to see exactly where the leak is coming from, you might be able to see which part of the shower assembly is the weak point.


Assuming the leak is caused by a lack of silicone at the base of the enclosure channels then my solution is two-fold.
1. dismantle the shower enclosure so that you can apply some silicone at the base of the channels before re-mounting the channels back on the wall
2. build yourself a permanent (neat!) inspection door in the ceiling of the room below, so that you easily check where future leaks are coming from.

Good luck sorting it !
Murray

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tbh would seal the wall channel on the inside as tbh water shouldn’t be getting behind

 

[murraymint]

Tbh would seal the wall channel on the inside as tbh water shouldn’t be getting behind

You say 'water shouldn't be getting behind ..' but IT IS getting behind. Only you know whether you siliconed the base of the wall channels! It's tempting to 'throw' silicone at the problem (by for example putting silicone up the channels on the INSIDE of the shower enclosure) but this may not solve the problem long term .. and it may actually 'trap' water and prevent water from the channels and base assembly from returning safely into the tray. Anyway good luck, tbh. )

 

[murraymint]

You say 'water shouldn't be getting behind ..' but IT IS getting behind. Only you know whether you siliconed the base of the wall channels! It's tempting to 'throw' silicone at the problem (by for example putting silicone up the channels on the INSIDE of the shower enclosure) but this may not solve the problem long term .. and it may actually 'trap' water and prevent water from the channels and base assembly from returning safely into the tray. Anyway good luck, tbh. )

Look at the post 'Is this a weep hole?' .. the responder is saying the same thing as I've said here. Very common problem.