Is Your Shower Leaking? What Do You Do?
As a homeowner, you may have faced shower leaks. The most important thing is not to ignore the leak and have it repaired as soon as possible to avoid extensive damage that can be costly. Once you suspect a leak, you should follow these steps to deal with the issue effectively.
Assess The Source or Cause of the Leak
You need to assess three areas, which include the drain, the shower floor and the grout in the walls of your shower. The purpose of these assessments is to eliminate possible leak sources. To assess the drain, you need to let the water flow out while checking for leakage.
Assessing the shower floor may need some more work. You will have to clean and dry the shower floor, then pour in water from a bucket or another tap. You want the water to reach the level of the threshold and let it sit for a while. The goal is to check for water or watermarks below the shower recess. You will also be checking whether carpets are getting wet or water is penetrating through the wall. If any of these happens, the problem is in the shower base.
The third assessment involves inspecting your shower wall tiles. To achieve this, splash water on the walls as you check for leaks. Conduct this assessment on a per wall basis, meaning one wall at a time. Also, inspect the grout visually. If grout is missing, you need to replace it. When grout begins to allow water to pass through, water gets into your wall cavity and causes damage to your floors and carpets. The internal structure of your property will also get damaged, and you will need to invest in a leaking grout shower repair.
Once you have finished the above inspections, you will have identified the source of your leak. Call your plumber and notify him or her of your findings, that way he or she can visit your home prepared. If you are handy, you can carry out the repairs; if not, it is always safe to let a professional handle the repairs. You might also not know whether a replacement would be better than a repair.
What to Expect
The level of damage the leak may have caused will depend on when you caught the leak. You can expect to either repair or replace a component. If the damage is severe, you may be required to replace instead of repair the shower. Additionally, in some instances, a repair may be considered a temporary fix, and you may be required to replace for a long lasting and cost effective solution.
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