[callisto9]

I have a problem in my bathroom, by my tub/shower, but I don't know if it's a leak or what. Here's a little background:

Bought the house in June of 2006. Had the bathroom redone entirely (tub surround, vanity, sink, cabinet, plumbing checked, drywall removed and replaced next to tub, drywall replaced behind tub, paint, trim, new tile floor). The only thing I didn't have replaced was the original tub. The was some plumbing replaced under the tub (previous owner had been using radiator hose as a trap!! )as well as the plumbing behind the sink.

When I first bought the house, both sides of the tub where it met the drywall, on the bottom, were both rotted away from water damage. click here to see bathroom before the remodel.

For many months, I didn't notice anything. Then, when I was in my unfinished basement, I noticed a steady drip from one of the pipes that came out of the tub. My boyfriend was taking a bath at the time. I called the guy back out who did the remodel and plumbing and he said he couldn't find anything. :rolleyes: but I can assure you, it definitely leaks.

About 5 months into owning this house, I noticed that the drywall was separating from where it met the tub. click here to see the problem area. it was at this point that I thought I figured out what was happening. My current handyman told me my tub had a slight slant to it and that was was probably collecting where the tub surround met the tub and then running along that edge over the front of the tub. From there, it would run down the side of the tub and was damaging the drywall.

He recommended I get some of those tub corner thingies. I got one, stuck it on. Problem still persisted. The first side I stuck it on does not have any plumbing behind the wall. click here to see the corners. after one day of the "just stick it on!" tub corner, I saw the problem still persisting. So, I caulked all the way around the tub corner. Then, I got another tub corner (a bigger one) and did the same. click here to see the other tub corner in place, with caulking.

Then, I put in some drywall patches and drywall mudded the area. The problem still persisted. Well, I've never been able to finish the area since the drywall mud never dries. Both sides have the same problem, but both sides do not have plumbing behind them. The water seems to be coming over the edge of the tub. i even put in some of this product and THAT hasn't helped.

I'm lost!! And mad. :mad: I can also tell you this: when taking a shower or bath, there is a steady drip/leak from the knob that controls the temp of the water. I think it's that water and the water that hits the tub surround and then navigates downward, that's causing the problem. I think. The trim is also turning a brownish color, and the area that's browning isn't even right next to the trail of water.

So, can anyone help? What should I do? What exactly is my problem? Thanks in advance. I really appreciate it.

[dclynch]

Is your tub surround a one-piece designed to look like tile or a real tile job?

[callisto9]

Is your tub surround a one-piece designed to look like tile or a real tile job?

I think it was 3 separate pieces, but it's supposed to look like tiles. There are 3 parts, the 2 sides and the back piece. The back piece overlaps the corners of the sides and is caulked.

[dclynch]

That rules out my thought, which was leaking through the tile. The fact that you see this damage on both sides of the tub suggests to me that water must be leaking through the surround.

Have you checked the seal on the vertical corners of the three piece? This sounds like an area you might not have examined.

The base of the unit, where it meets the tub, is another place that can leak. The trim product you bought should have helped in the short term, if the leak were from that area, but if you put your trim piece on when the area was wet, it might not have achieved a good seal.

In a leak from either location, the water would migrate behind the wall material to the flange on the tub and then down the tub/wall border to where you see the damage to the sheetrock.

Your installer probably used regular caulk for these joints. If he did not do a good job, it might have caused the problem.

The best long term results are obtained with 100% silicone sealant. All surfaces MUST be CLEAN and DRY for silicone or your trim product to work properly.

[callisto9]

I don't think it's leaking from the vertical corners. I've checked that. However, I have noticed that in some areas, when I pressed on the surround, it would pull away from the caulk. Although the caulk looked good at the time, I don't think it's sealed well now. And even though I bought and applied bathtub sealer trim, I don't know how well it works. It merely adheres to the tub and surround, the only seal that may be provided with that product is where the adhesive meets the surface. I would guess it's not watertight. I was disappointed with the tub "corners" as well. They say they don't require any putty or tools, but on their own, they don't do the job. Maybe my problem is my stupid slanted tub! :mad:

Where do I go from here? Oh, and can I remove those goofy corners? How does one remove something that is caulked to another surface? I'm a noob at this stuff.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you.

[dclynch]

If you have another bath, this is what I suggest. Remove the corners. Remove the trim product and the underlying caulk. You will have to dig it out, probably with a screwdriver. The clean the area down to the porcelain of the tub and the plastic of the surround. You might have to use a straight edge razor blade. Let it dry out for a couple of days, depending on local humidity, etc. You can help with a hair dryer, but it really works better if you can leave it alone. The bottom of the sheetrock is probably soaked and this takes time to dry.

Hopefully, the depth of the gap is only that of the surround (no more than a quarter of an inch). If it is much deeper, say sheetrock plus surround (half an inch or more), you will need to buy a small size (1/4 or 3/8 inch or whatever fits snugly) package of "caulk saver." This is a foam tube you stuff into the gap before applying the sealant. Sealants (and caulk) are designed for small spaces, otherwise they tend to shrink and open gaps that lead to leaks.

Buy masking tape and "kitchen and bath" type 100% silicone sealant (GE is a good brand, it's at Home Depot, et al). The kitchen and bath version has a mildewcide in it. Apply the masking tape on the tub surface and the bottom of the surround. Then apply the sealant so that it overfills the gap a bit. Do each edge in a single pass if possible. This should only take a couple of minutes. You then "tool" the sealant into a cove shape. You can use your finger or a rounded end tool such as a kitchen knife or putty knife. You should do the tooling in a single pass per edge, or it will not come out smooth. Immediately after tooling, remove the tape. Let the sealant dry for a minimum of 24 hours before using the shower.

Have plenty of paper towels around to wipe your hands/tools and any spills. The stuff is very sticky and very hard to clean off surfaces once it dries.

If you do it right, the seal will probably last as long as the surround!

If you don't have another bath, you can do the same process with a siliconized latex caulk. This material is not so much bothered by some residual moisture, but the area should not be wet. You don't need to use masking tape with caulk, you can easily use your finger, and clean it up with water. However, caulk will not last that long and does not stick as well as silicone, so you will need to redo the job, probably in a year.

[callisto9]

Thanks again for your input (says I can't give you anymore rep though). It's much appreciated. ;)

Unfortunately, I don't have another shower/tub, so we'd have to bathe somewhere else for a day or two.

Let me ask you a few more things: even WITH doing all that stuff, I still think the problem will exist as my tub slopes away from the wall ever so slightly. And, should I put the corners back on or leave them be?

Also, how do I remove the corners? They are now caulked (non-silicone) to the surround and the tub itself.

I also know there IS a leak coming from the knob that turns the shower on/off and adjusts the temp hot/cold. That's not helping either. And there's a leak below the tub somewhere, too. I would guess I need to get those addressed before re-caulking the tub. It may be more a problem than I'm aware of.

Again, thank you so much for your input. It really helps. :)

[dclynch]

You can cut through the caulk on the corner pieces with a knife or razor to get them off. When you've done the other repair, you can put them back if the water seems to spill off the tub rim. That's a little unlikely since the tub has its own inward slope, but depends on how out of level the tub is. You might check the outer edge with a level.

I think you might do better to start a new thread on the leak from around the control knob. That's a plumbing issue as opposed to a construction problem like the drywall. Describe the knob and its operation, naming the brand if possible, and just where and when it seems to leak. There are some really good plumbers here who can help you with that.

[callisto9]

You can cut through the caulk on the corner pieces with a knife or razor to get them off. When you've done the other repair, you can put them back if the water seems to spill off the tub rim. That's a little unlikely since the tub has its own inward slope, but depends on how out of level the tub is. You might check the outer edge with a level..

Actually, the tub slopes outward, meaning it's higher on towards the back wall than it is towards the edge, by the floor. So water always runs that way, over the edge. :(