My shower drain is leaking around the flange. Does it look like tile will have to come up to fix this. The PVC connections all seem to be tight, so I'm assuming the water is getting by around the flange, but not really sure how...


Thanks



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assuming you have ruled out a perimeter caulking issue (which should not have made a leak in any event)

yes, tile will have to be removed (probably a total re-do)

either:

no, or improperly installed, membrane

or

membrane leak

the leak-free way:


ps. if it had been done right the first time you would not need to do it again

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.

well I was afraid of that.

so is the water most likely coming in where the top of the flange meets the grout?

your only hope:

dry out the shower COMPLETELY for at least 96 hrs

clean and/or wire brush ALL the grout COMPLETELY

seal/reseal the grout THOROUGHLY ~ then seal it again

this has a SLIGHT chance of solving your issue TEMPORARILLY

this is LABOR INTENSIVE 'GRUNT WORK"

best of luck

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.

Ok thx. Will possibly try that

We bought the house new so I'm 99% sure that the grout has never been sealed. Does sealing the grout make the grout waterproof.

Sealing the grout will accomplish nothing(except wasting time and money). At a minimum, the tile surrounding the drain needs to be removed, to repair the membrane to flange seal(if there is a membrane). A properly constructed shower floor will not leak water, even if you don't install any grout.

It is getting IN there, but the real problem is that the membrane which should catch it and send it to the drain is NOT working so it is either damaged or improperly installed.

DITTO

if you bought the house new, is there a chance of a warranty ?

can you locate the builder ?

the seller ?

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.

Ok. Might try that. Are these showers usually built with shower pans or built from scratch. Or is there really no way of telling....

IF it is tile, it was built from scratch. It would have a monolithic floor if it were a pan.

Something is cracked in that area and letting water in. Those are mighty big tiles for a shower floor too. Susceptible to cracking cause of the slope required in that drain area. I use smaller tiles on a shower floor for that reason right there.

Even if the tiles were cracked, the water should not be able to make it down thru the subfloor around the outside of the drain.

Thx for all the advice

If I were to pull up a few tiles around the drain what should I be looking for?

What would the correct waterproofing membrane be. A type of over payment or could they use Redguard? I used Redguard on a tub enclosure from advice on this board, but not sure if it's used on floor applications such as this....

the 'corners' are 'folded' so there are no seams

there are NO screws or nails below the overflow level of the shower step

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



Edited 1 times.