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AK skydiver · Jul 20, 2008, 12:16 PM

My home (about 8 years old) has a Neo-Angle shower that has been leaking between the base and the metal frame (that holds the glass) that sits on top of it. I've tried removing the caulking both inside and out of the shower, cleaning and drying thoroughly the area before I apply new caulk, but after a few days it starts leaking again. When I step inside the shower, it looks like the base flexes a bit and I wonder if that's causing the caulking to come loose. I've tried placing around 100 lbs of weights inside the shower when I caulk to sort of "pre-flex" the base, but still no luck. Short of tearing it all out and trying to re-install the current shower or a new shower, I've run out of ideas. Thanks.

ballengerb1 · Jul 20, 2008, 01:00 PM

Pre-flexing was a great thought and should have worked. Try adding whatever your weight is if you are over 100 lbs. Also, be sure to use a high quality silicone bathroom caulk like Daps Kwik Seal Plus DAP Products - Caulks and Sealants - DAP® ALEX PLUS® Easy Caulk

AK skydiver · Jul 20, 2008, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Pre-flexing was a great thought and should have worked. Try adding whatever your weight is if you are over 100 lbs. Also, be sure to use a high quality silicone bathroom caulk like Daps Kwik Seal Plus DAP Products - Caulks and Sealants - DAP® ALEX PLUS® Easy Caulk

Thanks for the quick response. In addition, I will caulk only the outside as I have read others suggest (so that any water can drain back into the shower).

hkstroud · Jul 20, 2008, 08:45 PM

I think to permanently solve this problem you are going to have to disassemble shower walls, remove bottom chanel, secure it to the shower base with screws and in a bed of silicone. Then reassemble frame and glass. Probably installed using caulking only, which is why you are having problems now.

AK skydiver · Jul 20, 2008, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by hkstroud

I think to permanently solve this problem you are going to have to disassemble shower walls, remove bottom chanel, secure it to the shower base with screws and in a bed of silicone. Then reassemble frame and glass. Probably installed using caulking only, which is why you are having problems now.

I looked online at the installation instructions for a Sterling neo-angle shower and it did not show the bottom channel being fastened to the base, only caulked. Is screwing the channel to the base common practice anyway, and then what's the possibility that even if I seal the drill holes well water could leak through them and cause water damage beneath the base? Thanks.

hkstroud · Jul 21, 2008, 06:06 PM

If installation instructions do not call for attaching walls to base with screws make sure screw heads will not interfere with re-assenbly. Apparently the fault lies with the shower base. I think mechanically connecting the two is going to be the only way you are going to keep the flexing from separating the seal of the caulking. A good bed of silicone should keep any water from getting to the area of the screw and the silicone should also prevent any leaking through the penetration. Better than replacing the shower base.

AK skydiver · Jul 21, 2008, 08:05 PM

I believe the instructions call for attaching the base to the wall, just not attaching the bottom channel (that the glass fits into) to the base. If I take things apart then I'll make sure though that the base is attached to the wall.

ballengerb1 · Jul 22, 2008, 07:54 AM

Does your base flex much when you step inside? If so it may have been installed incorrectly. Many DIYers fail to set the shower base in a bed of modofied thinset or similar anchoring material. When I set showers I put a baseball sized glob of thinset every 6" in all directions under the floor of the pan. Walk around on the pan and then allow to sit for several days, works great.

AK skydiver · Jul 22, 2008, 09:32 PM

I'm assuming the shower was by the contractor when the house was built. The base does flex a little. It took something like 7 years for it to start leaking. Don't know what, if anything, generally causes showers to being leaking with time.

ballengerb1 · Jul 23, 2008, 10:04 AM

A well installed shower will not start leaking in time but caulk will eventually break down after about 25 years. A flexing shower pan can leak at the drain seal and/or the surround if the flex is more than the caulk can span. Silicone caulk was certainly available 8 years ago but not every install graduated in the top half of the class so maybe you got petroleum based caulk.