Calling FBG plumbers/tile guys (1 Viewer)

[DallasDMac]

My shower has been leaking around the base, above the shower pan. At first I believed my wife was just leaving the door open when she got out and water was draining. But I know now that is not the case.

Today, I got down on my hands and knees and really looked. The leak occurs on the front of the shower where it meets the wall separating the shower stall from the tub. I could see on the outside that the caulking was pulling away from the stall. When I put pressure on the caulking with my finger, I noted there was nothing behind it. I was expecting grout. So I went inside the shower and found the same thing. There is probably a quarter inch between the tile ending and the drain pan. There is no caulk in that gap. It is just caulking, which has also pulled away from the pan inside the shower. So the water is getting out through that gap that exists on both sides of the shower stall.

Is this right? Should that gap just be filled with only caulking? Or should there have bee grout also? Other?

I am trying to figure out what I need to do. If the tile needs grout, I'll call the people that tiled the shower. Or do I just need to remove and replace the caulking?

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Pics would be helpful.

 

[DallasDMac]

Not exactly sure how to attach a pic?

 

[comfortably numb]

Not exactly sure how to attach a pic?

Go to imgur.com upload it and the use the link you have created.

 

[avoiding injuries]

Tear out old caulk, re-caulk. Common occurrence.

 

[DallasDMac]

http://imgur.com/M6LQl0x

http://imgur.com/DwYSfhb

The first one is from inside the shower, the second outside. In both cases, I can push the caulking in underneath the tile.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Mortar doesn't go that far down. It stops where the lip of the shower base starts and the last half inch or so of tile should overhang the lip of the base. If there is a gap between the base and the tile and you can touch the board behind it, it is done wrong.

From the looks of it, you can just caulk it and it should be fine.

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

What's on the other side of those walls? You likely have mold back there.

 

[DallasDMac]

What's on the other side of those walls? You likely have mold back there.

The tub. And yes, worried about mold.

 

[DallasDMac]

Mortar doesn't go that far down. It stops where the lip of the shower base starts and the last half inch or so of tile should overhang the lip of the base. If there is a gap between the base and the tile and you can touch the board behind it, it is done wrong.

From the looks of it, you can just caulk it and it should be fine.

Okay, so you are saying that, if I remove the old caulking, I will likely find the lip of the drain pan back behind there running up the wall a half inch, correct? If so, I feel better.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Mortar doesn't go that far down. It stops where the lip of the shower base starts and the last half inch or so of tile should overhang the lip of the base. If there is a gap between the base and the tile and you can touch the board behind it, it is done wrong.

From the looks of it, you can just caulk it and it should be fine.

Okay, so you are saying that, if I remove the old caulking, I will likely find the lip of the drain pan back behind there running up the wall a half inch, correct? If so, I feel better.

Behind the caulking on the outside, there will likely be nothing. Water shouldn't be getting to that point.

On the inside, you should not be able to see the top of the lip if you peal away the caulking. If you can, it was done very wrong.

 

[DallasDMac]

Mortar doesn't go that far down. It stops where the lip of the shower base starts and the last half inch or so of tile should overhang the lip of the base. If there is a gap between the base and the tile and you can touch the board behind it, it is done wrong.

From the looks of it, you can just caulk it and it should be fine.

Okay, so you are saying that, if I remove the old caulking, I will likely find the lip of the drain pan back behind there running up the wall a half inch, correct? If so, I feel better.

Behind the caulking on the outside, there will likely be nothing. Water shouldn't be getting to that point.

On the inside, you should not be able to see the top of the lip if you peal away the caulking. If you can, it was done very wrong.

Thanks. I'll tear it away and see what I got. Appreciate the info.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

No problem. FYI, not a pro tiller. Have done three showers with the first being with a guy that does it for a living.

 

[belljr]

What cliff is saying is the tile should come down "onto" the pan. Not behind it

 

[Cliff Clavin]

What cliff is saying is the tile should come down "onto" the pan. Not behind it

It should overhang the lip on the inside and sit flush to base. Hard to explain this stuff. Best bet is to watch a couple YouTube videos on how to do it.

 

[DallasDMac]

What cliff is saying is the tile should come down "onto" the pan. Not behind it

It is in front, that part I'm sure of. But there is still that quarter inch gap between where the tile stops and the pan base.

 

[belljr]

What cliff is saying is the tile should come down "onto" the pan. Not behind it

It should overhang the lip on the inside and sit flush to base. Hard to explain this stuff. Best bet is to watch a couple YouTube videos on how to do it.

Yeah I understand. It shouldn't be behind it. Although there should be a small space for grout. No?

 

[Cliff Clavin]

What cliff is saying is the tile should come down "onto" the pan. Not behind it

It should overhang the lip on the inside and sit flush to base. Hard to explain this stuff. Best bet is to watch a couple YouTube videos on how to do it.

Yeah I understand. It should be behind it. Although there should be a small space for grout. No?

Not where the tile meets the base, no. Just caulk.

 

[DallasDMac]

So re-caulked it today. I posted on a plumbing forum and read that, given the gap size, I likely should have put backer rod in there first. So next time, I'll be ready to really do it right. But in the meantime, the leaking should be stopped. I'll know tomorrow at noon once it has cured the required 24 hours.