Help! My Shower is Leaking.

Leaking shower recesses are one of the most common building faults and complaints in Australia. When water leaks from a shower it can lead to structural damage and expensive repairs. With modern waterproofing systems now available, and tough building codes that we have in place in Australia, a shower recess should never leak. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case and actually, showers often do leak. At My Shower, we are a specialised shower leak repair service in Perth. Let’s have a look at the possible reasons your shower may be leaking and what can be done to fix it.

What Are the Common Causes of Leaking Showers?

There are many potential culprits that can cause a leaking shower, and often a leak may be due to a combination of factors. Finding the cause of a leaking shower should be treated as a process of elimination and an exercise in patience. The main reasons are:

Structural Movement
It’s inevitable homes and buildings move over time. As a building settles into its foundations or as a building moves naturally with hot and cold weather, joints may come loose, cracks can appear, floors may shift out of level and doors may no longer be square. Even very subtle shifts can cause damage. The joints that come apart may be in or around your shower, causing the seals to weaken or crack and water to penetrate through.

Cracks and Gaps
Materials can also move and change over time. When bowing, warping, twisting, thinning or any other degradation of materials occurs, gaps can appear and these gaps can allow moisture to leak through. Cracked tiles and cracks in the grouting between tiles can allow water to seep below the tile surface. A hairline crack in the grout may be largely invisible to the naked eye but is a major issue from waterproofing perspective. Cracks and gaps, no matter how small, can allow water to permeate.

Inadequate or Damaged Waterproofing Membrane
Tiles are not waterproof and neither is grout. Each has its own degree of water permeability, but none is entirely waterproof. As bathrooms are wet areas, the design and construction of a wet area and installation of a shower must comply with both the relevant Australian standard and the Australian Building Code. A waterproof membrane provides an essential backup layer designed to keep water from leaking from a shower. A shower may leak in situations where:

  • The waterproof membrane was poorly installed, or not installed at all.
  • The waterproofing has become damaged over time.

Poor Shower Drainage
Blocked or inadequate drainage pipes can also lead to a shower leak. Hair and soap build-up can overload the pipes and lead to blockages, and if blocked drains occur on a regular basis, other parts of the shower that would not normally be subjected to a constant flow of water can be exposed to its damaging effects.

Inferior Quality Materials
If quality materials were not used in the initial construction of your shower, undoubtedly this will cause you issues later.

Poor Plumbing
Some of the plumbing for your shower runs behind the wall. If a plumbing joint comes loose or springs a leak, it can cause water damage. A qualified plumber would be able to assist with any plumbing issues.

Shower Leak Repairs

While it might be tempting to try a DIY fix, leaking shower repair really should be left to the professionals. There are many different ways to repair a shower leak and there are various methods of sealing and waterproofing, so it’s best to call in a specialised leak repair company that can assess your specific situation and provide a tailored and long-term solution. Seeking the services of a professional company to do the work for you will save you time and money in the long run and you will be guaranteed the problem is fixed and you will face no further leaking in the future.

There can be many reasons why your shower leaks. It is important to identify the root of the problem and undertake repairs quickly. If the source of the problem is not identified, it can go on to cause significant damage to other parts of your home which may be expensive to repair.

If you are in need of shower leak repairs in Perth, then contact the friendly and experienced team at My Shower today. A WA owned and operated specialised leak repair and waterproofing service, we use world-class Epoxy products for long-lasting and cost-effective solutions. Call us today on 1300 055 088 or contact us online.