How To Fix A Leaky Shower Without Removing Tiles

A leaking shower is never good news. More often than not, a leaking shower is a dead giveaway that you are about to have to spend a lot of money on your home. That is, if fixing your leaking shower entails removing tiles.

Removing shower tiles is form of re-waterproofing that can be quite costly, destructive, and labor intensive. Because of that, many clever builder-owners wonder how they could fix their leaking showers without removing tiles.

Carefully remove the silicone sealant between tiles. Clean the space between the tiles to make sure there is no soap scum or excess grout and make sure the shower is fully dry. Once you have done that, you can apply a water sealant solution, such as Shower Plug, between the tiles to waterproof them.

Let’s get into how you can fix a leaking shower without removing the tiles.

Every once in a while, inspect your tiles, and more importantly, inspect the ceiling of the room beneath your shower, if there is one. You will notice water damage on one the ceiling of a room beneath a leaking shower, typically in the form of a dark, wet spot.

Not all showers sit above other rooms, however, so instead, look for mold in the bathroom. Mold and mildew love nothing more than a leaking shower, and their presence is a strong indicator that your shower has a leak.

Another clear indicator that your shower is leaking is if the wallpaper or paint in the room is warped or peeling. The quicker you act, the less of a problem you’ll have on your hands with a leaking shower.

Grout additives can be mixed with grout instead of water to increase the water resistance of the grout. Just 72 ounces of a grout additive, such as AquaTight, can be used to strengthen 25 pounds of grout. You simply use the additive instead of water when mixing grout and use a grout float to apply it.

The dry time is typically 18-20 hours for grout mixed with additives. Typically, a 72 ounce bottle of grout additive can cost $25-$40. Many builders and owners like additives because they can reduce the need for a sealer, if done well.

Grout sealers, such as Stone Tech, are also excellent ways to fix a leaking shower without removing tiles. Let’s say that your grout is cracking and in horrible shape, so you decide to re-grout it. After you re-grout your tiles, apply a grout sealer to them.

Apply one coat of grout sealer to all of the grout between the tiles using a brush. The first coat will dry within 10-15 minutes, and then can brush on a second coat. Be careful to not get any grout sealer on the tiles themselves. 1 gallon of grout sealer costs $50-$60 on average.

Once your tile is re-grouted or sealed, and has fully dried and cured within 1 day, look for other sources of leaking. If fixing the grouts and re-sealing them did not fix your leaking shower, it could indicate more severe problems. More often than not, a batch of new grout or sealant should be enough to fix the shower without removing tiles.

However, if the leaking persists and your shower drain begins to overflow, contact a plumber. It could be a matter of the shower base which is best handled by plumbers. The same can be said about shower drain issues, which should also be done by a plumber and may not even require tile removal.

It can cost between $150 and $450 for a plumber to fix your leaky shower. Quick visits involving grouting or a quick drain fix average $150-$350. Fixing a leaky shower on your own without hiring a plumber only costs $40-$60.

If you decide to hire a plumber then the $150 to $450 includes the labor fees as well as the materials involved and any equipment that they will need. Furthermore, you could expect a professional and thorough job for this price. So, even though it’s more expensive than doing it yourself, you’re getting your money’s worth.

You can fix a leaking shower without removing the tiles on your own. All that you need to do is carefully remove any unhealthy grout or silicone, and re-grout the area. Whether you use grout mixed with an additive, or simply go over your fresh grout with a sealer afterwards, it will fix your leaking shower.

If you’re not comfortable doing this on your own then it would be a great idea to hire a professional. A professional will have all the tools and resources necessary to complete this job for you.