[definn0103]

Good morning everyone,
I am a total rookie when it comes to plumbing. My problem is that our master bathroom shower is leaking into the family room. A friend and contractor told me he thought it was the faceplate of the faucet so I caulked it but it still did not stop the leak. My next step was to try and re-grout it myself. I went to Home depot and got the supplies I thought I needed and scraped up the old grout then re-grouted the tiles. Very amateuristic job but I believe I grouted everything correctly. I never put a sealant on it and the leak is worse than ever now. I'm about to redo every step I did 3 weeks ago(then use a sealant) but before I start I want to make sure I'm not missing an easier solution. Thanks for your help.

A little back round info.
1. It is a stand alone shower with a tub next to it,
2. I caulked all around the shower and then the tub.
3. There is standing water in the drain when I put a flashlight in it. (not sure if that's normal).
4. I snaked the drain about a month ago and there was a lot of hair and gook that I got out.

[speedball1]

This "stand alone shower", is it a manufactured base and enclosure or a custom tile shower? If the base is plastic does it "give" a bit when you step into it? Back to you. Tom

[definn0103]

My house was built 5 years ago and I'm not sure what type of pan is beneath the tiles. I'm a big guy (280 lbs) and when I stand in the shower I do not feel any sinkage or movement at all. Before re-grouting I have decided to try the test ball and see the pan and tiles hold the water. I also read that while the ball is inserted I should walk around within the shower so I'll try that out also. I will repost within the next 24 hrs the results of the test ball. Thanks for your help and I look forward to your next suggestion or question.
Danny

[speedball1]

I'm not sure what type of pan is beneath the tiles

If you have tiles then you have a custon tile shower and the floor shouldn't give when you step on it. Let me know what comes out of the test ball thingy. With custom tile showers I look real closely at where the stream from the shower head hits the tile wall. Sometimes the tile grout shrinks over the years allowing water to leak behind the tiles and run down the outside of the shower pan onto your ceiling. Recheck your regrout job.

There is standing water in the drain when I put a flashlight in it. (not sure if that's normal).

You are seeing the water in the trap that makes up the trap seal.
Ley me know, Tom

[definn0103]

Thanks again Tom.
PS I know I sound like an idiot but to clarify your response to the trap filled with water. So that is supposed to have water?

[hkstroud]

Pull the escutcheon (the ring) around shower arm away from the wall. Look inside to see if there is any signs of water.

OR

Purchase 1/2" pipe cap, can be galvanized, black or threaded PVC. Remove shower head, screw on cap hand tight. Turn on shower and look for leak.

[speedball1]

Thanks again Tom.
PS I know I sound like an idiot but to clarify your response to the trap filled with water. So that is supposed to have water?

You don't sound like a idiot to me. The water in the bell of the trap is the waterseal that prevents sewer gas from entering your home. Regards, Tom

[definn0103]

Thanks Tom,
I re-grouted the shower floor and while doing this I did notice that the short wall directly across from the shower spout seemed to be missing grout. When I tap on it more grout fell out. I think I may have found my problem. Re-grouted the area then re-caulked the area above it where the glass starts. Will wait 24 hrs then put sealant on my grout wait again then try to see if this has corrected my leak. I will get back to you within 48 hours. Thanks again for the help I really appreciate it.

HKStroud. I had previously check both the ring and the shower head and piping and both seemed to be in perfect working order. Thank you for the suggestions.

[Milo Dolezal]

Interesting approach you have chosen... :confused:

First, you are not mentioning in your post whether you have leak only if somebody takes shower or if it leaks all the time.

Even with grout missing, the walls of your shower should be sealed. Behind the tile backing ( float, backing board, green board... etc ) here should be overlapping "moisture barrier" ( asphalt paper ) installed directly on the framing. It should extend upwards from the shower pan all the way to the ceiling. Even if the water penetrates all the way to the moisture barrier than it would travel down to your shower pan. Then, it would drain through weep holes in the drain.

Water would get past moisture barrier and / or shower pan only if you've had either major damage to your shower pan or improperly prepared shower walls.

We usually start checking plumbing fixture itself. We remove trim plate and look inside. We are trying to see if there is any wetness present. If positive, then we try to determine if the moisture is above the valve or only below. Then shower enclosure (water may leak through the enclosure, down the curb, under the moulding and down to your ceiling or when long screws are drilled to the walls and curb to attach aluminum channels). Than we inspect tub overflow. (here, make sure tub spout doesn't pour water on the overflow cover plate. That plate is often cause of quite large leaks). Before we proceed to cut ceiling to expose and inspect shower P-trap we have one of our plumbers standing inside shower and stimulate taking shower. By this time, and most of the time, we have already located source of the leak.

It can also be tub spout (water travels - it can show few feet away from the source ). Major cracks and tile/grout separations in shower pan may indicate crack in (hot mop) shower pan itself. Small cracks in shower pan and walls up to 12" hight should not be a problem. We have good deal of cracked asphalt shower pans here. These cracks are mostly caused by seismic activities which are part of our everyday lives here in So.California.

In any case, cutting your ceiling and exposing the shower P-trap should tell you exactly what's going on. Even if the trap is not leaking, you should be able to trace your water-leak to the source.

[definn0103]

Thanks Milo,
It seems to only leak after a shower (usually when my wife takes a shower which is weird because she is a third of my weight). I will say my builder sucked I have been repairing his blunders from day 1. I heard from a neighbor that he basically would hire day laborers to build the houses daily without much oversight. I am also furious because the towns building inspectors missed at least 4 different code violations that have now cost me thousands to fix. So I wouldn't be surprised is he didn't (the builder) correctly install the moisture barrier or any other devices that should have been performed while installing the shower. I do know that when they where tiling my house and three others the weather that day in NY was close to zero and the tile company believes he turned off the heat during the night. I have had tiles fall off the wall in three out of 4 baths in my house (all walls facing the exterior).

[Milo Dolezal]

Good start... Next time your wife takes a shower go and watch her. ( I am not trying to be suggestive... ) Maybe she has different showering habits than rest of the family. ( Like one of my customer's wife used to put hand-held shower on the floor when she was shaving leaving water splashing on the shower door frame and eventually water would get to the front of the shower ).

If it leaks only when shower in use it can be shower head, shower drain including trap, or shower pan. I would leave walls as the last thing to look at. Do you know what kind of shower pan and drain do you have ? Improperly installed shower water proofing base will leak. Can you snap a good photo of your shower and close up of your shower drain ?