Fix your leaking shower and save money
Shower leaks can occur for many reasons and any water leaks on your shower can turn out to be catastrophic in your bathroom and other areas of your home. Apart from causing serious structural damages that can require expensive repairs and renovations, leaky showers can cost you hundreds of dollars per year due to rising water bills as a result of water wastage. Keep reading to learn more about our services, fix your shower leaks and save money.
What are the common signs that my shower is leaking?
If you see any of the following symptoms then it is a clear sign you’re dealing with a shower leak.
- Mildew or mould outside of the tub or around joints in grout or caulk
- Damaged bathroom flooring
- Warping, staining or bowing on bathroom walls
- Damaged or stained ceilings in the room below your bathroom
- Musty or earthy smells
Why is my shower leaking?
Here are some of the reasons why you may have a leaky shower:
- Leaky shower heads. A leaky shower tap or showerhead can cause water to drip from the showerhead. This is usually an indication that there is a problem with the shower tap or valve. In most cases, the inner parts of the tap such as the seals can become worn out due to minerals in the water causing build ups or corrosion. Repeated use of the tap over time can also wear out the gaskets and the rubber o-rings which seal the tap, causing water to drip or squirt out.
- Leaking shower mixer. A shower mixer tap works using a sealed cartridge inside the handle. Repeated use over time can wear this seal out, causing the mixer tap to start leaking water.
- A leaky shower base. Shower base leaks are generally caused by ageing or damaged grout or caulk, which enables water to seep through and get into the wall behind the tile. This can lead to all sorts of serious damage to the tiles, wall structure, ceiling, or even the subfloor below.
- Leaking drains. When you see a stained floor or ceiling, it’s a clear sign that you have a leaking drain. The “P-trap” – the connection between the shower and the bathtub – can leak, especially where strainers are not properly connected to the drain or as a result of small cracks and breaks at the bottom of the fixture. This is common with fiberglass or plastic shower pans and tubs when the seal around the drain is broken. A leaking drain can rot floor joists, or damage the ceiling below. In certain buildings the leak might also damage the flooring in the bathroom itself or nearby rooms.
- Water pipe leaks. While rarer, these occur when the pipe connections to the shower are not properly installed or when they get old or rust.
How does a plumber check for shower leaks?
A plumber from Absolute Plumbing Solutions will use plumbing cameras and video inspection tools to find the exact source of your shower leaks and use this visual aid to evaluate different repair options on your shower.
Other techniques include filling the shower hob (the small curb at the base of the shower which stops water from exiting the shower) with water, blocking the drain, and waiting to see if the water level drops. We’ll then find out where the water is leaking from.
How can a plumber fix a leaking shower?
We will employ various fixing techniques to stop a leaking shower based on the type of leak.
- Fixing leaking shower heads. Our plumber will use the requisite tools and equipment to unclog your shower holes, replace worn-out rubber washers in your tap or showerhead, clean or replace malfunctioning valves and reassemble your tap handle and showerhead together.
- Fixing leaking shower mixers. To fix the leak our plumber will replace the rubber seal on the mixer cartridge with a new rubber seal.
- Fixing leaking shower bases. Armed with a grout saw and other important tools, our qualified plumbers will remove all the old grout and apply a new flexible grout with a low absorbency rate such as Megagrout MG11. This is more waterproof than many other grout products and has a lower chance of grout cracking. After re-grouting your tiles our plumbers will also apply a sealant to your entire shower unit to guard against any further leaking or water seeping through any pinholes.
How do you fix your leaking shower without removing the tiles?
It’s possible to waterproof your leaking showers without the need to remove the tiles. After assessing and identifying all leaks and plumbing issues, we’ll strip the mouldy and deteriorating sealants, remove existing or damaged grout out of the walls, floor area, around the drain section and remove all vacuum excess dust and waste material from the prepared areas.
Then we re-grout the walls and the floor as required, apply a sealant to all junctions and drain, silicone the internal areas of the shower screen and finally use a special sealant on the floor and walls to waterproof your leaking shower.
How much does it cost to repair a leaking shower?
Basic repairs such as installing a new shower head, new mixer, base seal, shower tray seal or leak detection will cost anywhere between $250 to $800. However, serious bathroom leaks call for more serious bathroom repairs and renovations. If this is your case, don’t worry. Absolute Plumbing Solutions plumbers can repair or even fully renovate your bathroom. Just give us a call or email us for a free quote.
Frequently asked questions about leaking shower repairs
Does homeowner insurance cover water damage from a leaking shower?
Homeowner insurance generally covers sudden water damages relating to broken pipes or a plumbing malfunction which occur unexpectedly. Any gradual damage resulting from poor maintenance such as a slow, constant shower leak is generally not covered by your homeowner’s insurance, but you’ll want to check with your insurer to find out.
How can I tell where my shower leak is coming from?
You can splash water against the shower screen when closed to see whether water shows up outside the shower. Also check for signs of water outside the shower which may be seeping through the rubber or caulked areas around the bottom of the shower. You can also spray water around the shower and check the shower tray or drain for leaks.
Can cracks in my grout lead to leaks in my shower?
The grout and other sealant materials keep the water inside the shower and flowing towards the drain. If there’s damage or cracks to your grout, water can seep through it.
Get a quote to repair your shower leak from Absolute Plumbing Solutions
When left unattended, shower leaks can lead to structural damages on your floor and walls and also lead to timber swelling and expensive repairs and renovations. Don’t wait for the worst to happen, get the issue resolved before it can cost you a lot of money and serious headaches. To check any plumbing issues in your home reach out to the plumbing professionals Absolute Plumbing Solutions via 0421714322 or email for a free quote.