We bought a upper townhouse 2 years ago. The onsuite has a shower. It is tiled on the floor and walls, with a glass door that opens up. There is also a 6 inch step to get into it. When we bought it looked liked clean and there was relatively fresh cauking all around the shower. We have always noticed a musty smell, but assumed it was because they put rugs in the bathroom. Two months a go the lady below up told us she was getting water on her ceiling in her shower. She said she had noticed it 6 months before but it went away and she never mentioned it. Our shower was dry, but we notice some of the caulking was pealing away and started to wonder if there was a problem behind the walls. We finall took apart a small area an were horifed to find mould! My husband has since opened up all the walls and we are down to the main base and about 18 inches all the way around. From there up it is clear, but the lower part is all moldy and damp. We are wondering how to take the base apart and what to do next? We want to fix it properly, but not sure how to proceed.. Any help would be appreciated
Rick 101

Hi Rick,

First off spray the mold with full strength bleach. You don't take a tile floor apart unless you're ready to install a new one. Most leaks in a custom tile shower do not come from the drain. They are caused by the stream hitting a portion of the wall that the grout has opened up to cause a leak. Since the shower pan only comes up 6 or 8 inches the water enters the shower wall above the liip of the shower pan and runs down behind it to the floor. Grout the tiles where the stream hits and I'll bet you'll locate your leak. Good luck, Tom

Thanks for the reply.. We have since found out other in our townhouse complex have problems with water problems in their onsuite showers. It is going to strata and they will get in a someone to evaluate the problem and make the necessary repairs. All three side of the shower have mold behind what is left of the drywall the tiles were attached too and the wood framing is rotting and moldy too. I will take your advice and spray with bleach to hopefully kill of the mold. There was no moisture barrier around the shower and I think that is what has caused the problem. Thanks for the suggestion.

Hi, this has been really helpful. If your in Ottawa Ontario Canada I would ask www.ottawafloorings.com as they came in took care of all this and installed the ceramic tile in our washrooms. Also, they refinished out floors too in Ottawa .