How to Fix a Leaking Shower Door

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Things You'll Need

  • Duct tape

  • Razor knife

  • Needle or small finishing nail

  • Silicon caulking

  • Rubber door seal

A leaking shower door almost always leaks from the bottom trim or seal.

Most people have encountered a leaking shower door. A puddle of water located beneath the shower door on the outside of the shower is usually an indication that something is wrong. The water may take a few minutes to pool outside the door, so you may not notice it upon exiting the shower. If after 20 minutes or so, you return to find water on the floor, you must examine the shower door.

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Step 1

Apply duct tape over your shower drain. This will help keep out old caulking and debris you scrape from the shower door.

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Step 2

Examine the inside of the shower door frame for old caulking material. It is likely that the builder applied caulking to seal the door frame to prevent water from leaking. When the entire lower part of the door frame is sealed, the drainage holes become blocked and the water begins to leak from other areas of the door.

Step 3

Remove the old caulking material from the inside of the door frame with a razor knife. Scrape out as much as you possibly can.

Step 4

Locate the drainage holes and drainage channels at the bottom of the door frame. You may have to scrape out all of the caulk covering the bottom part of the frame first, as described in the previous step. Use a needle or small finishing nail to poke out any dried caulk inside the holes and channels. The holes should now drain properly.

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Step 5

Check the rubber seals around the outside edge of the door frame. Pay close attention to the seal, or sweep, at the very bottom of the door, which seals it to the rest of the shower. Examine the seals for signs of wear or cracking. Replace the seals if they are worn or damaged.

Step 6

Remove any caulking material on the outside of the door frame. Use your razor knife to help lift and pull up the caulking material. Use 100 percent silicon caulking to seal the outside of the door frame. Do not just cover any existing caulking. Remove it before applying the new caulking.

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