Vertical channels of shower screen

[tomsim]

Do you usually seal the vertical wall channels internal and external. Then just seal the base of the screen externally? I have one that is leaking. Grout has slightly gone in a couple of places. But the screen is only sealed externally on the channel. I know the base should only be sealed externally to allow water to drain back in. Thanks

 

[terryplumb]

Seal externally , vertically and horizontally.
Grout needs to be intact too

 

[tomsim]

Do you not seal the wall channels internally? I don't on a new installation as I silicone the channel to the wall. But not sure if this one has been. The grout has gone on a couple of places that I will redo

 

[terryplumb]

I seal around the screw holes. No point in siliconing behind the verticals,just makes it a pig of a job to get them off in the future. The tray needs sealing fully before the wall channels go on though.

 

[tomsim]

Thanks this a job someone else has done. I'm worried maybe they didn't seal the channel to the wall/base at the bottom before/as installing the screen. I think you can tell what I mean from the picture.

 

[terryplumb]

If that tray was not sealed to the wall before the vertical channels were installed that's a problem ,as water will surely find its way through there.

 

[tomsim]

Thanks I know but I don't no whether that is the problem or if it's just the grout

 

[Madrab]

Tile's cracked too, so any water can get down and in behind, especially if it hasn't been fixed properly. Looking at that grout line and tile fit, that's a pig of a job, so I wouldn't trust that it has been sealed properly at all.
Unless you are prepared to remove the wall channels and check it all, along with sorting that cracked tile, then sealing on the inside may be the only option.

 

[tomsim]

I didn't think the tile was cracked though it looks Abit like it on zooming in.

 

[Madrab]

Definitely cracked horizontally and the fit is bad, as shown by the silicone line and the grout chipping further up. I'm not suggesting that's where the leak is but I can just about guarantee that over time that will become a problem as water gets in behind but it may be indicative of the overall quality of the job.

 

[tomsim]

Thanks can you explain more about the quality of the silicone line

 

[Madrab]

If you look along the line of the silicone at the tray you can see it steps out, that means that tile is out of flush from the one beside it, any good tiler shouldn't have left it like that. It may be indicative of how good the tiling job is. If the tiling isn't up to scratch, water can then get in behind the tiles. If there is too large a step from tile to tile then the wall channel may not be sealed to the wall properly etc.

Hard to say though not being there of course but all these signs would make me look further into it.

 

[tomsim]

So there could also be an issue that the tile and tray isn't sealed where the wall channel is? I always silcone this first then put more silicone on as fit the channel.

 

[Madrab]

I guess it comes down to where it's leaking at/from? That would probably point towards where the water may have breached.

 

[tomsim]

It's just showing up on the ceiling below underneath the shower