Leaking shower

[antman]

Hi all,
I have just discovered (much to my disgust!) that the small tiled step in the shower door (Is that the hobb?) appears to have been soaking up water through the grout or something and when I removed the grout from between the tiles last night there appears to be some mould in the hobb. The question I have is: What would normally be the appropriate action for this?

I really don't want to have to pull it all apart but the last thing I want is for me to regrout now and have to redo it again in future....

Any suggestions?
Anthony

[Zed]

I would remove the tiles, put down (paint) a waterproof membrane and retile and grout - in my experience if its leaking in one place its leaking in other places.

tell the missus that its time to update the bathroom - she will then go into a renovating frenzy allowing you to buy more tools and toys.

[George]

Anthony,
It is a bit difficult to give advice without knowing the extent of the problem. Fixes could range from regrouting and putting up with a bit of mould to completely removing the shower base. There is also at least one intermediate option.

Do you actually have a leak or is the hob just damp and supporting mould growth? A true leak can cause serious rot problems if water gets into floors and walls.

Note that grout is porous and is not part of the waterproofing system. There should be an underlying waterproofing system that protects the floor and hob once water passes through the tiles.

A cheap(er) fix for leaking showers is application of a sealer over the tiles and grout. Company called Mega Seal I think.
Cheers
George

[antman]

George,

I think there isn't a serious leak as such, just moisture getting through into the hob, behind the tiles. My initial thought was to clean out the grout, let it all dry for a day or 2 then regrout the area. The local Mitre10 guy suggested mixing some bond-crete into the grout and that would help to waterproof the grout. Is this likely to be the case?

I can't see any evidence of leaks in walls, no wet or damp plaster that I can find. Is a little mould acceptable? I was in a flat once and the mould got to the point where the tiles were 'popped' off the hob.

Any suggestions on how to remove tiles without destroying them? I might remove one and have a bit more of a look.....

Cheers
Anthony

[Markw]

As with George's advice,
I had a similar problem, water soaking into underside of tiles (suspect that I have tiling over the top of old tiles) then welling up on the outside of the hob.

Called in Mega Seal (or similar) who regrouted the entire inside of the shower area after applying some sort of polymer sealant liquid. They give a 10 year warranty on work performed which by that time I'll be ready for a full reno on bathroom.

reasonably priced - couple of hundred

easy short term fix at low cost

best regards
Mark

[soundman]

There is an old saying.

If you dont want to find a problem dont look!


You looked.


I think you are about to find out how big the problem is!



The single largest cause of builders disputes is leak in the bathroom.

[journeyman Mick]

Originally posted by soundman

The single largest cause of builders disputes is leak in the bathroom. [/B]

Actually, Soundman that's no longer true. In Qld ever since records were kept on building disputes wet area leaks were the number one cause for disputes until earlier this year when problems with gyprock (uneven setting & popped screws) accounted for more disputes - at least according to "Building Links" the QBSA newsletter. But given the choice between ripply ceilings or a leaky bathroom I'd rather put up with dodgy gyprock.

Mick

[Dean]

Re: Mega Seal, I did a search fro this on the net and on the BHG forums, it seems some people there who have had that system used are not too happy about it.... Might be worth researching before making the plunge.

[Caliban]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by antman

I really don't want to have to pull it all apart but the last thing I want is for me to regrout now and have to redo it again in future....

You poor bastard
I've just done the same trick. Do not get the missus interested under any circumstances. I did. Bad move. Doing all the work myself and buying discount stuff I'm still five grand out of pocket. That would have bought some really nice toys. Patch it up and shut up about it before SWMBO decides all those pretty magazine bathrooms are the go. Quick.
Believe me, I understand your fear.
Jim