What Causes A Shower Door To Leak?

Bathrooms are one of the places that are often cleaned and for a good reason. They could get from the cleanest part of the house to the dirtiest quickly. The germ and bacteria build-up happens fast, especially when water leaks are left all over the place. But one area we often forget to see or at least think of is the walls. If there are leaks in your shower area, you might not notice the leaks reaching within your bathroom walls. Doing repairs for your walls and other leak-damaged spaces could be pretty expensive, so it’ll be better to find the possible problems to prevent them.

What Causes the Leaks?

If you want to know the leading causes of door leaks, you must first understand a few things. First off, ask yourself.

  • What type of shower door do you have: Several shower doors are available on the market; framed shower door, sliding shower door, and a frameless shower door. All of which can contribute to the leaks if not correctly installed.
  • Where is it leaking: Leaks could be coming from different areas on your door. It could be from the top, side, or on the door.
  • What type of shower base: Precast shower or is a tile base installed in your shower?

These are some common questions that need addressing if you want permanently avoid damages to your shower door.

Primarily, shower areas with leaks have a common denominator. It’s either coming from the door or the metal piece that holds them together. It may not be visible at first, but the damages will become evident over time if left unfixed. It could also lead to other bacteria and mold build-up that could cause unwanted sickness; The place becomes unsanitary and a health hazard due to those circumstances.

Common Leak Issues

When water damages within your shower area or by the door, it’s most likely due to an installation error. The shower door wasn’t correctly sealed, causing leaks to nearby spaces. Finding the solution for the leaks is good, but it’s not ideal if you can’t properly get it done. Typically, we would tend to add more sealant to seal the gaps causing the leaks, it’s good, but if it’s not done correctly, leaks could be prevalent, leading to significant damages.

Caulking Sealant

Caulking, as far as we know, is the most used sealant for gaps. It’s only logical that we tend to put more caulk to seal the cracks fully, but it’s good to know that there are times that “less caulk is better.” There are holes and gaps that we want to seal off without knowing it could not be beneficial. The holes at the bottom of the metal track allow condensation and draining capabilities back in the shower. If those gaps are sealed, it’s equivalent to removing those capabilities in your shower.

Sealing those holes could also mean you are trapping water inside them, then eventually finding a different route to escape. Primarily, it would help if you focused on the water flowing down the drain so the shower could dry up much faster.

It would be best if you considered the caulk you are using. If you’re planning to purchase caulk, make sure to check if it’s 100% silicone; it’s the only one that worked perfectly against gaps. As much as possible, avoid caulk that’s made from acrylic – it hardens and eventually cracks, thus making it less efficient in sealing gaps.

Tips When Purchasing Caulks

There are few things you need to check when buying caulks. You may need to consider these to make sure efficiency in sealing gaps.

  • Don’t get hyped with the name of the product. See to it that you’ll be reading where it’s made off. Some companies would often excite their target audience by naming their products with exaggeration.
  • Keep an eye out for additives. Some products would contain mold resistance. You could use this marker to compare different products.
  • Choose colors wisely. Ensure to match the colors of your caulk to the tiles or spaces. Otherwise, it could become less aesthetic to see; however, it’s still your choice if you want to match the tile and the caulk.

Leaks and Fixes

Dealing with leaks could be troublesome, mainly if left unnoticed. Ensure to check the gaps and possible leaks beforehand. Like what they say, prevention is better than cure; it’s also good to know that fixes and damages could be costly. So, either check it correctly or have a professional help you in analyzing the possible problems. Preventing such cases could help you have a more efficient and comfortable shower room, avoiding problems and accidents in the future. 

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