In this blog we hope to provide you with some information to help you diagnose where your shower is leaking & the best course of action for repairs.
Richard Moyle founder of Moyle Plumbing, has been plumbing for his local community for over 30 years.
Richard has inspected & tested thousands of leaking showers.
With his experience & professional advice, we hope you make the best decisions for your leaking shower.
Leaking Showers
Why do showers leak & how we repair a leaking shower.
You have a leaking shower & you’re looking for some professional advice. You want your shower repaired correctly and at the right price.
You may have noticed that some tiles have become drummy, or the timber skirting boards in or near your shower are starting to rot. Maybe the carpet in the adjoining room is wet, these are all signs of a leaking shower.
You may have had a pest report to say “High Water Reading” in the bathroom.
With so many companies offering different advice on ‘how to repair a leaking shower’, I hope this blog helps you to become more informed so you can make the correct decision for your home and budget.
Water leaking must be attended to promptly. Apart from the visual damage to timber skirting boards, cabinets, carpet, tiles and walls, water leaking behind the wall will cause water damage to the timber structure, causing the house frame to rot. If the timber structure is effected, then this becomes a structural problem & may require additional services of a builder to repair prior to any bathroom or shower repairs.
Moisture in Queensland can invite termites (White Ants that eat & compromise the structure of the building), which cause an incredible amount of damage, and can void your house insurance.
WHY DO SHOWERS LEAK?
Broken or cracked tiles
Tiles are loose
Missing grout
Perimeter seal has become compromised
Water proofing has failed and membrane has been compromised under the tiles
Ground movement
Building movement in walls or floor
Shower rose, hose or rail is leaking
Shower taps leaking behind the wall
Tap & rose penetrations not sealed or sealing has failed
Pipe work behind the wall has failed (Shower combination)
Burst pipe behind the wall
Shower waste broken or failed seals
Shower screen leaking
Vermin have compromised pipe work
HOW DO WE CHECK TO FIND THE CAUSE OF A LEAKING SHOWER?
Firstly, we recommend you call your experienced licenced & trusted plumber who will give you good honest advice. Your insurance company is going to request a plumber to inspect & diagnose, along with a written report, especially if your going to make a claim for water damage.
Visual inspection of the tiles, grout, screen, bath, taps, the water damage to carpets, flooring, cupboards, skirting boards etc
Photographs
Leak detection
Pressure test the shower combination
Flood test the shower tray
Recommendations
Once we have all the above information, we are able to recommend the best & most cost effective way of repairing your leaking shower.
WHY DO I NEED A PRESSURE TEST?
A pressure test determines if the shower taps or the pipe work behind the wall is leaking or not.
Having a pressure test done prior to any shower repairs is essential as it pin points you in the right direction for the correct repairs which can save you thousands of dollars. We see many leaking showers that the owner thought they have fixed, only to find the combination or shower taps are leaking in behind the wall.
Over half of the leaking showers we investigate, are caused by a failed shower combination.
A common mistake is when the shower tiles are broken or the grout is missing and it is assumed that this is the cause of the leaking shower, without also testing the shower combination.
If your shower combination has failed, it must be replaced, it should not be repaired.
One of my strongest recommendations, would be to ONLY use a licensed plumber to repair your leaking shower. By law repair of both waste pipes and water pipes must be done by a licensed plumber. We see too many ‘handy man’ or un-tradesman like repairs that are done incorrectly. Unfortunately, many think they are getting a cheaper job, but in real terms, the leaks have often been repaired incorrectly. This error of judgment can hinder the sale of property and in most instances can cost you hundreds or thousands to be rectified. These un-tradesman like repairs can also devalue the property due to unprofessional finishes.
WHAT CAUSES A SHOWER COMBINATION TO LEAK?
The shower combination is the name used for the pipes behind the wall that join your taps and rose
Age -Older pipe work has braised connections which can fail, crack & start to leak
Fractures in the joints or bends in the pipework
Failed shower taps seats
Failed shower rose connections
Incorrect fittings used behind the wall
Un-tradesman like work performed on a shower or bathroom renovation
We have even seen a builder’s nail lodged into the copper and only start to leak years later
HOW TO REPAIR A SHOWER COMBINATION
The shower combination is behind the shower tiled wall.
To access this combination, the wall needs to be opened to replace the shower combination. Once the shower combination is replaced, the shower wall, tiles, grout and seal are to be re-done.
It is sometimes, but not always, possible to access the shower combination pipework from behind the wall, which may be in a hall way or bedroom cupboard. This is the preferred option to replace the shower combination as it leaves your shower intact with little or no interruption to the shower itself. This is the most cost-effective way to repair a leaking shower combination with minimal disruption to the shower.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SHOWER PRESSURE TEST PASSES?
If your plumber’s pressure test passed, then we know the leak is not from the taps or shower combination pipework behind the wall and we can start investigating the shower leak further.
We continue to investigate the reasons ‘Why showers leak’ list mentioned above.
Broken tiles, loose tiles, missing grout, shower rose, waste pipe, shower screen, and recommend repairs accordingly.
We find that by the time a plumber is called to inspect the leaking shower, the shower cubical is in poor condition, shower screen damaged, aged, water stains and damage to the surrounding timbers, vanity and the bathroom dated.
BUDGET OPTIONS
Re-seal, re-grout the shower and perimeter
New shower screen and shower re-seal
Shower cubical re-build
Bathroom renovation
CAN YOU HAVE THE SHOWER RE-SEALED WITHOUT REMOVING THE TILES?
Before you spend your money on doing a ‘re-seal’, best be sure that this is the actual problem as discussed above. A shower re-seal will only work, if it is the waterproofing, tiles or grout have failed.
Before deciding on a re-seal, continue to read and consider the benefits of a total shower re-build.
SHOWER CUBICAL RE-BUILDS
Moyle Plumbing have been inspecting and repairing leaking shower combinations, taps and waste pipes for over 35 years, and are now offering a re-building of shower cubicles.
🚿 Our shower re-builds are done correctly, starting from scratch, for a comparative price
🚿 Our shower cubical re-builds are a total demolition and re-build - From scratch!
🚿 A shower re-build is a proper repair, not a temporary fix.
🚿 We don’t just remove a few broken tiles and re-seal the shower. We remove all the tiles in the shower cubical, all the wall sheeting, the combination, shower tray, rose and tapware.
🚿 The shower is then replaced - ALL OF IT - including, new ceramic sheeting on the walls, full water proofing of shower walls & floor, new floor and wall tiles, modern waste pipe & grate, new good quality mixer taps, shower rail, soap holder or product shelf and a modern clear shower screen. - This is Great Value
🚿 At this point there is an option to also include a product niche or a shower grab rail or disability shower seat.
🚿 Any cleaning product can be used on the finished shower cubical re-build - Including bleach base cleaning solutions.
HOW MOYLE PLUMBING RE-BUILD YOUR SHOWER CUBICAL
By the time we see a leaking shower, there is a considerable amount of water damage, both what you can see & what you cannot see.
Initial inspection & test.
✔ Quote - A written quote is provided
✔ Approval
✔ Demolition of the old shower. Everything is removed to expose the timber frame behind the shower. Tiles, wall sheeting, shower screen, old taps, old shower rose, shower tray and waste
✔ Old plumbing is removed
✔ Area is cleaned
✔ Materials removed from site & dumped
✔ New plumbing is installed. (Rough-in) Includes a new pipe work updated to suit a quality chrome mixer tap
✔ New shower wall sheeting installed
✔ Shower area both walls and floor is water proofed, guaranteed wet seal installed, with certification certificate Form 16 supplied
✔ Walls are re tiled in plain white or a colour best to match the existing tiles in the bathroom
✔ Product shelf or soap dish tile installed
✔ New floor bedding installed
✔ New floor tiles installed with new waste pipe connected
✔ New clear glass shower screen installed
✔ New quality chrome mixer tap, shower rail, rose & hose installed
✔ Hand over is approx. 24 hours after the new shower screen is installed
✔ Photographs taken of each process
Optional extras –
Extra timbers behind the wall to support a shower wall chair &/or shower grab rail
Product Niche
BENIFITS OF A SHOWER CUBICAL RE-BUILD
✔ New shower tiles
✔ New plumbing behind the wall
✔ Tap ware updated to a new mixer tap with separate shower rail, rose and hose
✔ New soap dish or product shelf
✔ New modern clear shower screen
✔ Complete wet seal on both the walls and the shower floor. (Not just behind the bottom two rows of tiles and the floor)
✔ Improves the look of the bathroom and value of the home
✔ Can be cleaned with bleach based cleaning products
WHY CHOOSE MOYLE PLUMBING TO REPAIR YOUR LEAKING SHOWER?
✔ All work completed by a fully licensed plumber and licensed wet sealer
✔ Experienced
✔ Trusted for over 35 years
✔ All work is guaranteed and warranted
✔ Excellent value for money
✔ Guaranteed Quality tradesman finish
✔ Supporting a local family owned and run business
✔ Over 100, 5-star reviews
Contact Us
📞 0447 671 095
admin@moyleplumbing.com.au
Areas we service - GOLD COAST NORTH - LOGAN - BRISBANE SOUTHSIDE - IPSWICH
Read our reviews
What our customers say about us -
Richard Moyle
In a career expanding over 30 years, Richard has inspected and repaired hundreds of leaking showers.
Licensed Plumber and Gas Fitter
📞0447 671 095
Gold Coast North - Logan - Brisbane Southside - Ipswich
Pressure Test
Shower Combination Repairs
Outside wall is solid block, so we were only able to access this Shower bath combination by removing the shower tiles & wall.
Below are examples of un-sealed shower taps that can cause a shower to leak in behind the wall.
Signs that you have a leaking shower and some of the causes
Leaking shower bath waste pipe
📞0447 671 095
admin@moyleplumbing.com.au
Gold Coast North - Logan - Brisbane Southside - Ipswich
Shower Cubical Re-Build - Daisy Hill, Logan
Shower Cubical Re-Build - Camp Hill, Brisbane
Shower Cubical Re-Build - Algester, Brisbane
Shower Cubical Re-Build, Eagleby, Logan City
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