Shower Screen Leaks and Bath Problems

[Listless]

Hi all, 

 

I have searched through the forums and read various posts with issues similar to mine. This has allowed me to identify previous issues and address them but unfortunately I’m still having problems.

 

Issue 1 - leaking from the shower screen. I have attached images for reference. So after realising my dad had fitted the hinge backwards initially (gulp) we refitted the screen yesterday and made sure to seal up with silicon the tile edge before putting the screen back up. We have no siliconed the inner screen as instructions. However, I’m finding water is pooling in this corner and seeping out from the gap between the rubber edging strip and the little hinge/bracket. Watching YouTube it appears that you can cut the rubber strip in such a way that you can slide it further towards the wall. Would this help reduce water getting in?

 

As for the bath itself we have tried to support the sagging corner using a bit of timber to support the inner wooden frame of the bath but I’m still not super impressed with how water doesn’t seem to naturally drain into the bath. The bath itself doesn’t suggest or allow from what I can see you the chance to level it using batons against the wall. The bath was levelled prior to tiling but i noticed while grouting it appeared to sink in one corner. Hence the need to support it with a bit of wood. I don’t think the leak from the screen is entirely related but I suspected water pooling next to the seal isn’t ideal as it gets swept up in the screen when you swing it towards you and throws it on the floor. 
 

issue 3 I have also noticed some water ingress into the underside of the taps where there is a thin bit of wood to help hold it’s shape. I think silicon is not needed here so is it a case of tightening the bolts? Water seems to be hanging around the taps so I wonder if by supporting the frame in one corner it has damaged the seal between the taps and the bath. 
 

Honestly, this is a nightmare!

[Listless]

Example attached for leak under taps 

[Temp]

40 minutes ago, Listless said:

Watching YouTube it appears that you can cut the rubber strip in such a way that you can slide it further towards the wall. Would this help reduce water getting in?

 

I doubt it. That would only extend the deflector towards the wall/hinge. The deflector only really helps if it causes water to drip into the recessed part of the bath/shower tray rather than on the flat top. 

 

The water proofing is mostly provided by vertical vanes on the bottom of the door seal. Check these go as far towards the hinge as possible but I thing it might still get under the rectangular chrome block that moves with the door. 

Edited July 4, 2021 by Temp

[Listless]

Thanks Temp. I have attached another image and circled the bit in question. The little leg that comes down should that be pressing onto the rubber trim? As you can see it doesn’t extended that far and so leaves a natural gap. Now that I think about it water running down into it should be channelled into the main part of the screen or the hinge and therefore out. So is the issue the water pooling?

Edited July 4, 2021 by Listless

[Temp]

As for the taps.. It's near impossible to run sealer around after the taps are fitted as the wall is too close. I would have them off, sealer on bottom of taps and refit. Wipe off any that squeezes out from under them.If you go easy on the sealer none may squeeze out but depends on the design.

 

 

[Temp]

17 minutes ago, Listless said:

Thanks Temp. I have attached another image and circled the bit in question. The little leg that comes down should that be pressing onto the rubber trim? As you can see it doesn’t extended that far and so leaves a natural gap. Now that I think about it water running down into it should be channelled into the main part of the screen or the hinge and therefore out. So is the issue the water pooling?

 

 

Not quite sure what that "leg" is doing but yes thats the area the water is probably getting under.  In earlier photo the gap looks small so perhaps something like waterproof grease on the underside of the chrome block/leg would be enough. 

 

Edit is the leg sprung loaded so it presses down?

Edited July 4, 2021 by Temp

[Listless]

11 minutes ago, Temp said:

 

 

Not quite sure what that "leg" is doing but yes thats the area the water is probably getting under.  In earlier photo the gap looks small so perhaps something like waterproof grease on the underside of the chrome block/leg would be enough. 

 

Edit is the leg sprung loaded so it presses down?

Yes it presses down when the screen is put into place. But not to any extent that I can imagine it would create a waterproof seal. Whether this is necessary or intentional I have no idea.

[Ferdinand]

We need a couple of overall pics.

 

(Or I do; I'm thick.)

[Listless]

10 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

We need a couple of overall pics.

 

(Or I do; I'm thick.)

Not sure if this is helpful? 

[Ferdinand]

My 2 suggestions:

 

1 - Get a longer shower head. That bath plan is not ideal.

2 - If you don't actually need to open the screen, fix it in place. That could be something as simple as a big bead of silicone after you have cleaned the surface with something like surgical spirit. I'm tempted to say acetone, but I am not sure how that would react.

[ProDave]

If the bath is sagging, you do not "fix" it by securing the edges, you look at the feet, make sure they are properly supported and the board they are standing on is not flexing, if it is you insert some kind of batten under them so spread the load.

 

A lot of these bath screens are notorious for leaking.  Just plain poor design.  It helps if you have a bath actually designed for a shower with a small slight upstand to prevent any water that gets past the poor seal to at least not spill over the edge of the bath.

[Listless]

30 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

My 2 suggestions:

 

1 - Get a longer shower head. That bath plan is not ideal.

2 - If you don't actually need to open the screen, fix it in place. That could be something as simple as a big bead of silicone after you have cleaned the surface with something like surgical spirit. I'm tempted to say acetone, but I am not sure how that would react.

Not sure what you mean by longer shower head? The screen has to move to make room for bathing the children. It’s a small bathroom so there is limits to where and how big the screen can be unfortunately. 

[Listless]

24 minutes ago, ProDave said:

If the bath is sagging, you do not "fix" it by securing the edges, you look at the feet, make sure they are properly supported and the board they are standing on is not flexing, if it is you insert some kind of batten under them so spread the load.

 

A lot of these bath screens are notorious for leaking.  Just plain poor design.  It helps if you have a bath actually designed for a shower with a small slight upstand to prevent any water that gets past the poor seal to at least not spill over the edge of the bath.

Thanks Dave. I see what you are saying. Bath was levelled using legs and screwed in. The baton under the right side was put in to try and sort out the sag in that corner. The other corners were all correct from what I could measure. I think it happened when I stood on the bath during grouting. A gap opened up between the tiles and corner. This image was taken before screen was removed as I read on this forum about using silicon for edges before putting the panel and frame on. 
 

I have considered that the bath being on the cheaper end might just be bad for this purpose but it was sold to us with screen, sink etc so I would hope the shop wouldn’t knowingly sell us a bath that isn’t fit for the purpose we intended. I can’t imagine many people would want a bath that can’t also be used for a shower also? 

[Onoff]

Ref that last photo, rather than grout you ideally want to half fill the bath with water so it "sinks" down with the gap open as wide as it'll go. Then fill with CT1, wipe flush and let it go off for 24hrs at least. (That can obviously be a problem if you want to use the bath). You then go over the CT1 with a silicone bead of your choice that you replace when grubby. 

[Temp]

Sometimes the weight on the bath feet cause the OSB flooring to bend. It only has to bend a little for gaps to open up around the edge. To prevent this you can put a sheet of say 18mm WBP under the feet. 

[Onoff]

Edit: Checking back and it appears I gave the wrong advice above!

 

You half full the bath then GROUT. Once dry, empty the bath & go over it with silicone.

 

 

 

[Gone West]

14 hours ago, Listless said:

However, I’m finding water is pooling in this corner and seeping out from the gap between the rubber edging strip and the little hinge/bracket.

On the last one I fitted I trimmed the rubber/plastic seal strip on the bottom of the door so it also went under the hinge filling the gap.

[Ferdinand]

13 hours ago, Listless said:

Not sure what you mean by longer shower head? The screen has to move to make room for bathing the children. It’s a small bathroom so there is limits to where and how big the screen can be unfortunately. 

 

What I mean is that your bath has a very wide surround, which makes it catch water very easily if the shower head is "on the wall" not "in the hand", which water then leaks out.

 

So if you get a showerhead which sticks out further, it will be more over the bath than over the surround, which will make more water go into the bath.

 

Normally they just screw off at the point where it joins the flexible pipe; get one that pokes out further.

 

Alternatively you could try one with a narrower fan of water, as they seem to have in Hilton Hotels for doing your feet.

 

Or they even do "extension arms" for shower heads.

 

eg (illustration not a recommendation)

https://www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/160mm-angled-chrome-extension-shower-arm-for-handheld-shower-heads?

 

I appreciate the point about the screen.