Repair a Leaky Shower Stall, by James Dulley
Dear James: My house is about five years old, and there is a small leak on the ceiling under the shower stall with a ceramic tile floor . What could be causing this leak and how do I go about fixing it? — Jess N. Dear Jess: If your house is only five years old, the most likely cause of the leak is a faulty waterproof membrane under the shower. Unless you saw your house being built, you probably had no idea there even is a membrane under the shower. Poor membrane installation procedures are often the culprit. Most people think a ceramic tile is waterproof itself and that this is what blocks leaks. Although the tiles themselves will hold water, the grout between them is permeable to water. If someone takes a long shower and the tile has standing water on it for a long while, some water will get through. A ceramic tile shower stall is made by first framing the shower stall area . A tough waterproof plastic membrane is laid on the floor and sealed around the drain opening. The membrane...
