I have a leak in my shower and am trying to figure out how to fix it. Actually, I have 2 leaks. The first mystery leak is allowing water to leak below the tile shower and into the copper pan. The second leak is the copper pan itself. The pan is leaking where it meets the drain pipe. I'd like to try and patch the leaking copper pan with silicon (marine 5200). I can see where the drops of water are coming out. I'd also like to try and figure out how the water is leaking into the pan in the first place. I'm wondering if there is a bad seal in the drain pipe itself. The pipe from the drain is screwed into a larger pipe that is then attached to the fitting where the drain cover is (picture attached). The difference in pipe sizes creates a small "shelf" and I think that water may be getting back or through there. At the same time, I'm concerned that if I fill that with Silicon, I may actually be filling in weep holes. Any thoughts if there are potentially weep holes in this scenario/picture? I also plan to re-grout and seal the tiles, but I don't think that is how the water is getting through since when I run the shower and get the leak, the water is really just hitting around the drain and the immediately surrounding tiles. Obviously want to try and avoid a full demo of the shower to replace the pan. Pics of the drain and from below attached (although the second one is not that close).

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[s1377.photobucket.com]

that doesn't look like any shower drain i am familiar with??
something does not look right. that just doesn't look like the correct drain for a shower pan.
i think to fix it you will have to dig out some of the fill in and around the drain itself.. maybe carefully cutting away some of the plywood below might reveal enough to actually see what is leaking???

It looks like a thin walled metal pipe with a gasket between the pipe and drain body. I haven't seen one like that before, so I don't think I can offer a lot, but you mentioned that the water was getting to the pan liner. Have you sealed the grout in the last few years, or have any cracks appeared?

The "weep holes" are in the drain above the pan, so there is no way you can get to them to plug them. The water is getting in to the pan because the tile is leaking. IF the leak is between the drain and the pan, the seal takes place on top of the drain, so again, there is no way you can get to it to make a repair. The only REAL solution is to break out the floor and redo the tile, and maybe the pan. Copper pans would seem to be an ideal idea, but i have seen many which have corroded and started leaking.

The shower does need to grout and news to be sealed. While I'm pretty sure water is getting into the pan that way, I don't think it is the only way. When I run the water pretty much directly over the drain (and about 10 inches around it), I get the leak. I tend to think the drain pipe is leaking as well. That or perhaps the faucet/fixture plumbing behind the shower wall.

Any thoughts on sealing the pan with leak with silicon. The plumber I had look at it said the whole shower would need to be torn out. Seems a bit excessive for a dripping leak out of the shower pan (where it meets the drain pipe).

The shower floor should be torn out and properly replaced.

yup. drain, base, liner, tile all of it. In the case of pvc liners they are designed to be attached to the studs at least 6" up the wall. If the mortar itself is cracked out (which I suspect) then you need the underlayment replaced as well, as it had to be flexing and allowing the mortar room to move.

Bummer. Thanks for the comments.



Edited 1 times.

yes, a 'bummer'

but necessary

"Why is there never time or money to do it right, but ALWAYS time and money to do it again?"

CAVEAT EMPTOR

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