Water escaping

Rachelshaw · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:04 am Post Subject: Water escaping

I have water leaking down the side of my bath on the wall it has been tiled.

I have resealed the bath and also regrouted the tiles around the bath on a couple of occasions. Frustratingly, it is still leaking but there is no evidence of cracks so I cannot work out how it is happening.

It is definitely to do with the grouting as it only happens when having a shower.

The only suggestion I have had from friends to solve the problem is to put a shower curtain up on this wall. However, I think that would look unattractive and I am sure there must be another way to solve it.

Does anybody have any ideas? Thank you.

gcol · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 11:55 am Post Subject:

To positively eliminate the bath seal, stand in the bath, and spray water from the shower head at the seal only (not the tiles above the seal), do this for a few minutes then check for water leaking. If not then you know the seal is good. If it doesn't leak, come back and we'll go further.

Rachelshaw · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 12:41 pm Post Subject:

Thanks for reply. I have tried as you said and no water has generally seeped through (although it is quite hard as I have a powershower so hard to not get spray everywhere).

I then had a normal shower and the towel underneath is quite damp again.

Does this mean it maybe the row of tiles above the bath? This row is approx a quarter of a tile, which slants slightly from the bath to connect it to the first row of proper tiles which lie flat to the wall. I have regrouted these tiles before (with obviously no success to solve the problem). Maybe it was the type of grout I was using (although it was waterproof).

Thanks again for any advice

gcol · Posted: Sat Jun 17, 2006 10:16 pm Post Subject:

Ok now we're looking at the corner (I'm assuming you have 2 tiled walls around your bath) where the 2 walls meet. Try aiming the water just down this joint and see what happens. Is this joint grouted or siliconed?

Rachelshaw · Posted: Sun Jun 18, 2006 6:57 am Post Subject:

The corner is silicon. However I have tried it and it is not leaking in this area.

The leaking is exacly halfway along the bath. I have a feeling it is between the first row of tiles and the second row, where the quarter of the tile meets the next full row of tiles.

Thanks.

gcol · Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 12:16 pm Post Subject:

If you tap those tiles with your knuckle, do they sound hollow? They may be loose and being held mainly with the sealant. You may need to refit those tiles again and re-grout. Can you see any cracking in the grout?

JohnD · Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 1:25 pm Post Subject:

Is there anything passing through the tiles, like a soapholder or a pipe? Or a shower rail held on by concealed screws?