We are in escrow on our house and the termite inspector informed us our shower pan leaks and needs to be replaced. She determined this by plugging the drain and by filling the shower stall to almost the height of the dam and leaving it for an hour. When she returned there was moisture on the grout lines outside of the shower at the seam of the wall and the grout (on the wall perpendicular to the shower dam). We called our contractor who did the bathroom remodel less than 2 years ago and he and the "tile guy" who did the installation repeated the test because they say in 30 years they have never had a pan leak. The repeated the test but filled the shower with only about 1.5 inches of water. In 24 hours there was no leak. My husband continued to add incrementally water to the stall bit by bit and we waited... no leak even 48 hours later. Finally, when the water level reached approximately 1 inch below the dam we saw water seeping at the seems where the original inspector did.
The buyers are insisting we replace the pan, our contractor is saying it is ridiculous to fill the shower that full as that is not "normal use" and it's a shower not a tub and say that it would be impossible for a shower to contain that much water for so long without leaking if it was a pan leak. Our contractor thinks it is corner cracks in the grout that is causing the seepage and want to regrout and re-test but the termite inspector says that is only a temporary fix. HELP!! Any ideas? What's your diagnosis?

The only shower pans I have ever been called out to replace have been older lead pans. Have never had to replace a formed plasatic shower pan. I agree with your contractor and what in the world is the termite inspector doing filling a shower pan anyhow??

We called our contractor who did the bathroom remodel less than 2 years ago and he and the "tile guy" who did the installation repeated the test because they say in 30 years they have never had a pan leak. The repeated the test but filled the shower with only about 1.5 inches of water. In 24 hours there was no leak. My husband continued to add incrementally water to the stall bit by bit and we waited... no leak even 48 hours later. Finally, when the water level reached approximately 1 inch below the dam we saw water seeping at the seems where the original inspector did.
This sounds like a tile grout leak and not va pan leak. Besides, llike the contractor said, Whoever fills the shower uo to the threshold anyhow. I would challenge the termite inspectors findings and call her company to lodge a complaint. Stick by your contractor and the tile guy. Get statements from both and take it into court if necessary. You're in the right here! Please keep me in the loop on this, I'm concerned. Good luck, Tom