How to Stop Shower Door Leaks

Lets face it. Houses get old. They need a relative amount of general maintenance to keep from falling into disrepair. Water is one of the largest causes of damage to your home. Keep an eye on kitchens and baths, for water leaks and mold. Not to mention a water leak in a pressure line can cost you plenty in utility bills. Lets tackle a common place for water damage, and get this one checked off your list.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Glass of water
• chisel
• straight edge razor
• utility knife
• Basin Tub and Tile caulk of some quality brand
• paper towels or TP

1. 
    
   Tools and Product

   Tools and products: For any home improvement project, have the appropriate tools ready to go. Going back and forth to the work bench is no fun. Like my Dad used to say, "take the tools to the job, not the job to the tools".

2. 
    
   Do the test

   Check and See: Use a cup of water to locate the leak. Pour around the area in question, and look for seepage under the threshold and up the channel a few inches. If you can identify the leak, great. I hope you are not viewing this article if you have a serious plumbing issue behind the sheetrock.

3. 
    
   Don't neglect!

   Investigate the sheetrock, base and floor for damage: This problem, if left alone, could possible multiply to other structural issues. Let's fix it before this happens. If the wall surface has lifted, it might not be too late to repair. Mold is a sign of prolonged ignorance. And a potential health problem. Get professional help if needed.

4. 
    
   Make the job easy

   Make the job easier: Remove the sliding doors to be able to work the caulking job from outside the tub. They lift up and in towards the inside of the stall; pop out of the track at the top and out. There might be a guide at the bottom of the doors. This should slide over and out of the way.

5. 
    
   Slimmy Failure

   Prep the tub and channel surfaces: Use the scraping devices to remove the old caulking, and clean up the mess with the paper towels or TP.
   Note the ugly slime on the caulk that shows age and dysfunction. Make sure of dry base for the new caulking.

6. 
    
   Gaps mean Leaks

   Use your preferred product: There are many caulkings on the market. Use one specifically designed for use around water. Duh. Try to bead the caulking so it fills any gaps in the base plate, while creating a consistent uniform bead. Try not to 'finger' the project, as this only smears the job and makes a mess. The inside is more important than the outside. Don't forget to calk inside the channel at the base where water can wick through the frame.

7. 
    
   Note other places

   Note other places for repair: Check everything and fix what you can. Keep in mind that if you do general maintenance now, it might save money in the long run.

Tips & Warnings

• Why not check all the bathrooms and repair all?
• If you have renters, give them incentive to tell you of disrepair.
• Check the opposite side of the wall for moist sheetrock
• Check the flooring and underlayment for damage and repair soon
• Make sure of the ventilation in bathrooms with open windows and doors.
• clean the dust out of the fart fan cover with a vaccuum hose and brush.
• Anything worse than these pictures requires a pro. Water in situations like this can get into the underlayment and superstructure causing serious damage.
• leaks left unrepaired mean serious problems to the home AND to health. Mold has a chance to fester and create more problems than you care to have.