5 Construction Errors That Will Give You A Leaky Shower

Generally, it is everyone’s goal to hire an installer that will make their shower room appear aesthetic. For what it’s worth, aside from the physical appearance, how sure are you that your shower is thoroughly waterproof? Before constructing your shower, know that waterproofing is one of the major factors to consider to have a room that can suppress moisture and block leaks. 

However, not all homeowners can distinguish a good quality from a below-minimum constructed shower. Just because you hire contractors, doesn’t mean that their final product would be of good quality. Some are not rich in experience and cannot guarantee the output you deserve, urging you to be strict when inspecting their work. After all, you wouldn’t want to spend much money on a poor-quality shower right? 

This guide aims to uncover five different construction errors that you should look out for when building your own shower room. 

1. You have the corners of your shower liner cut instead of being folded

The common misconception of inexperienced installers is that they tend to have the corners of shower liners cut instead of being folded. This gives way to the risk of having fluids drip on the floor and simultaneously contributes to the emergence of molds/mildew and rots the floor. 

If you are going to set up the shower pan liner, make sure that its inside corners are folded to ensure a good coverage. Although you may opt to just cut the liners’ corners and mend them properly, it is still preferable if you just fold the corners so that no water can leak. 

 

2. Your shower liner must not be so high

Many issues related to the height of your shower liner have something to do with the curb’s waterproofing. Take note that the pan liner in your shower must elevate 7cm to the wall and over the framing of your curb. Similarly, your liner should also be above the curb having its front side (dry area) folded.  

When you reach for the corners of your curb, you have to cut it before folding it onto the framing. Currently, there are many shower liner industries who are producing ready-made corners for this difficult task. Just be certain that your installer properly builds your pan liner as this can cause water leaks. 

3. When the nails in your shower room are attached too low

What is the use of following the proper installation of a pan liner that is 7cm higher than the curb if your nails are beneath the curb level? Once you notice nails attached below your shower room’s curb level, approach your installer and make them realize their error. 

This is also applicable to any conventional shower building. If the products used in building your shower are made up of Schluter Kerdi or Custom Redgard, having your nails built under the curb level is totally considerable. However, if your installer created a mud pan having a liner under the mud, you should definitely avoid nailing under the curb. 

Don’t forget to check on the curb if any bumps occur on the surface of the inside. Certain materials that you can use to place the liner over the dry area of the curb (front side) are nails, glue and stapler.

 

4. When the installer uses cement board on your shower curb

Not everyone knows that making use of cement boards in building your curb makes your shower more prone to leaks. The best alternative is if your installer will use mud and metal lath to guarantee that there will be no puncturing or penetration in the curb. 

Although, how do the installers place the cement board safely to the shower curb? Obviously, they are not allowed to operate with screws or nails as it has the tendency to nudge on the waterproof liner and damage the seal.

The appropriate step to address the issue is through the use of sand-cement mixed together with a metal lath that is assumed to be the components of the shower pan. 

5. Your installer did not perform any flood test

Only professional installers are brave enough to test the quality of their work. After the whole process of constructing, your installer does his work by performing a flood test.

Although conducting flood tests do not instantly detect leakage, it can track down warnings and hints of low quality work. Flood tests can be performed through blocking the drain and letting the curb be filled with water. 

Once your water has filled the curb area, it is supposed to remain with the same volume unless it can escape through any holes in your shower liner. Let the water be stocked for 24 hours and have markings on the wall to determine the height of the water. When you return on the next day and notice that the water is below the mark, then there is a leak that needs to be covered. 

The aforementioned tips can accommodate homeowners in deciding what’s best for their shower. Make sure that you have a highly waterproof shower and never settle for less. You always have an edge if you choose to hire a shower repair company in Perth that can give you excellent outputs. So if you are wanting to build your shower room near Perth, hire a professional installer from GIB Tiling Perth.