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fireweed22

Moisture getting into shower stall grout?

fireweed22
9 years ago

I have a 4 year old custom tiled shower stall that even without use for 2 days has a small amount of water 'weeping' from a couple spots in the grout where the wall meets the floor. Previously I couldn't find where the mildew smell was coming from.

I gather I needed to seal it more than the one time at construction? Doh.

Now that there is at least a little moisture in there, any ideas how best to dry it out?
And any suggestion on what product to use to re seel this stall?

Thanks.

Comments (13)

  • User
    9 years ago

    Grout isn't designed to be waterproof and sealer isn't designed to make it so. (Sealer merely keeps it from staining) Waterproofing should occur behind the tile. I have a high suspicion that your shower was not constructed properly and that you have water damage. It's unfortunately all too common. Do you have pictures of it under construction? What materials did they use?

  • weed_cutter
    9 years ago

    Is this the wall where the supply plumbing is located? Just fixed a shower with this complaint and the cause was leaking supply pipes. Water ran down the backside of the tileboard and into the shower liner.

  • klem1
    9 years ago

    100% agree with Holly and weed,however I would check stem packings and such before ripping anything out. Those photos Holly mentioned would be golden.

  • fireweed22
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the quick responses.
    Ok, I don't think there are pics however I do believe it was an orange, schluter ditra(?).
    It was inspected by the local plumbing inspector prior to the stone going up.

    The 'weeping' is on the opposite side from any water lines...

    I think I see a hairline crack between the tile floor and the tile wall (4" pony wall, glass is above that), right at the seem- maybe water is getting during showering, as the water hits that exact spot if not standing in front of it.

    So, I'm pretty sure the stall beneath tiles is legit and waterproof, but the seem between wall and floor may have a crack.

  • weed_cutter
    9 years ago

    The 'weeping' is on the opposite side from any water lines...

    I can't see the shower from here but I suspect there may not have been a pre slope to the floor. Does the surface of the tile slope down to the drain?

    Here are the instructions for your shower system, it may be of use diagnosing the problem. You can see the waterproof part of the shower is actually under the tile.

    Here is a link that might be useful: installation

  • fireweed22
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hi, yes there is good slope to the drain.
    And yes, there most definitely is a waterproof pan (the schluter product) that the tiles are attached to.

  • weed_cutter
    9 years ago

    Water getting under the area where the glass meets the tile work and seeping down?

  • fireweed22
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Sorry, to clear it up here is a pic! There's a thin crack between floor and side wall. If you look close you can see the darkness of moisture in the crack. The glass starts higher up and doesn't have anything to do with it.

    Can I just get a fan or heater in there to dry out any moisture in the crack, then seal with a specific product?
    Thanks.

  • User
    9 years ago

    Water will always get through grout. Grout is porous and you can't possibly seal it enough to prevent it from absorbing some water. In a properly constructed shower, the water will evaporate back out of the grout, or travel all the way through to the water proof barrier, down the wall, down the slope of the floor and out the weep holes at the drain. Since you have a crack there, the path is short-circuited a bit, and water is entering through the crack as well.

    The change in plane between a wall and the floor should NOT be grouted. It should be caulked. Unless you have an old-time mud job, which you don't, the floor and walls of your shower will move independently of each other and cracks will appear at the corners.

    The grout needs to be dug out and replaced with caulk. Do not just caulk over the top of the grout. You can buy sanded caulk to match your grout. While you are at it, the changed in plane where two walls meet should be caulked, not grouted, as well.

  • weed_cutter
    9 years ago

    I see the crack but honestly don't see moisture. Will a tissue get dampened if you hold it to the crack?

    Looks like a little expansion/contraction crack to me. If you can match the color re-grouting this joint may be all it needs. Not unusual at all for cracks to develop where wall meets other walls or the floor. A lot of tile folks recommend using caulk at these joints but it's not my preference.

    Sorry I can't be of more help here. You may try posting over at a tile forum. google "tile forum"

  • mayflower1032
    9 years ago

    Yes, need caulk in there. If your grout color/company does not have matching caulk, go to the link for ColorRite. Need 100% silicone at the floor to wall base...not latex sanded caulk (no). This company makes sanded 100% silicone caulk too. Any change of plane or change of materials (wall/wall, wall/floor, wall/tub, wall/wood molding, wall/ceiling, etc) should be caulked. Grout will develop hair line cracks.

    http://colorriteinc.com/grout-caulk1

  • User
    6 years ago

    These stupid resurrections of dead threads in order to advertise your business rather than provide any sort of help on a diy forum just makes you look desperate and unprofessional.

  • Jake The Wonderdog
    6 years ago

    I wish Houzz would auto-close a thread after 6 months