Read on to find out why showers fail..

Below you will learn the effects and common cause of shower failure.  It’s not all pretty but needs to told!

How do I know if my shower is failing?

Great question! In fact, that is an excellent question! I’ve seen thousands of showers and have learned where to look for signs of shower failure. First let me tell you why it’s important to understand if your shower is failing. Basically, shower failure causes the water to go where it shouldn’t be going!  When this water is not headed down the drain it’s causing trouble for you!  Some of the problems I’ve seen from shower failure include; termites, tiles falling off the wall, rust, structure damage, ugly discoloration, a bad odor, and of course mold.  And, I think that last one is the worst, because it can cause; sinus trouble, headaches, and sickness.

The biggest clue that you have moisture behind your tile is rusty corner bead and bubbling paint on the outside corners of your shower. I used to think it was because of a leaky shower door, it’s not!

Some of the damage caused from failing showers.. Rust

…Rotted floors..

…Rotted and destroyed lumber…

… And all this moisture invites termites and it smells real bad too.

The cause of this trouble is usually in the shower floor construction.

The most common method is to install a shower pan liner at the framing stage. It holds water! Yay! Now the plumber and inspector are happy.

… And then drywall over it, or cement board or something.

However, in this picture and the next there are a few errors in this construction, can you spot them?

This video illustrates how the damage occurs, check it out..

Some more of the symptoms include, discoloration around the bottom of the shower,

What can be done to cure Shower Failure?

These shower failures are why we have embraced Schluter Systems for waterproofing your showers.  It is the best way I know to provide waterproofing and vapor management to keep the water where it belongs.

The idea is to have nothing that is moisture sensitive or that can feed mold between the shower and the rest of your house.

We perform shower redo’s and tub-to-shower conversions as well as new installations of showers.. Schluter Systems allows us to provide you with a 10 Year Material and Labor Warranty.

This is an illustration of a barrier-free shower to provide great wheelchair access.

How about a free estimate?