What is the best way to deal with this leaking shower?

[Mindmaster]

The shower of a 20 plus year old IP in Shalvey (west Sydney) is leaking.

Initially the tenant told the PM there was a leak in the bathroom so the PM got a plumber to check it out. The plumber changed a few washers, fiddled around and invoiced me a hundred and something dollars.

The leak stopped for a while but is now back with vengeance. The PM now wants to send in the shower people who will charge $580.

I have no idea about showers so I'm after advice.

Should I
1)give the go ahead for the shower guys? Not sure if they will fix the leak.

2)replace the shower? Not sure how much more than $580 a new shower would cost?

3)do something else?

 

[DaveM]

You can do a hydrobarrier job for $400-600 which will solve it short/medium term, but your issue is likely a failed waterproofing membrane, which will cost 1200-1500 to fix properly and then last another 20 years

 

[datto]

"The PM now wants to send in the shower people who will charge $580."

Yeah, but what are they going to do for that 580?

I get a can of shower sealant from Bunnings for about $50 and it seems to do the trick. I just give the shower 2 coats and allow about 24 hors to dry properly.

 

[Daniel 101]

Hi Mindmaster

First thing I would do to check if waterproofing membrane has failed is put some tape over shower waste and fill with water from another source. Not shower, leave over night and see if water level has lowered and if leak still evident. This will let you know if the membrane has failed, more than likely. If it holds water problem is with pipes above. If you get shower sealed over tiles keep you warranty.

 

[Peterw]

I am a bit confused. There was a leak. A plumber changed some washes. The leak Stopped then came back with vengeance. I think you need to identify exactly where the leak is or what is the cause. Is it the old shower tray now leaking, or is the leak coming form the water pipes. Without knowing exactly what the problem is, you are experimenting with fixes.

 

[Scott No Mates]

I am a bit confused. There was a leak. A plumber changed some washes. The leak Stopped then came back with vengeance. I think you need to identify exactly where the leak is or what is the cause. Is it the old shower tray now leaking, or is the leak coming form the water pipes. Without knowing exactly what the problem is, you are experimenting with fixes.

To clarify, is the render/plasterboard/carpet on the wall at the bottom of the wall outside of the shower damp? or is the wall damp further up? If you have access to a moisture meter, check where it is wet?

 

[wylie]

I just give the shower 2 coats and allow about 24 hors to dry properly.

Must be a big bathroom... and do you have 24 towels or do they share

 

[datto]

Must be a big bathroom... and do you have 24 towels or do they share

No, just your average size bathroom. Its only the shower recess that is coated not the whole bathroom.

24 towels? lol, I don't have toga parties lol - hail caesar!, never share a towel, you never know what you might catch

 

[Beanie Girl]

" I just give the shower 2 coats and allow about 24 hors to dry properly.

Must be a big bathroom... and do you have 24 towels or do they share

No, just your average size bathroom. Its only the shower recess that is coated not the whole bathroom.

24 towels? lol, I don't have toga parties lol - hail caesar!, never share a towel, you never know what you might catch

ROTFL!!!!
Good joke, wylie!
hors = whores , datto!
All 24 of them in your bathroom. AT THE SAME TIME!

 

[datto]

Gawd blind me!.....I've had enough....I'm going to bed...where's those 24 towels, its gonna be a big night! yeeha!

 

[Mindmaster]

Thank you every one for your suggestions/advice and the 24 hors. I am clueless about showers so I really appreciate your help.

The PM is going to get a quote from the shower people and I've asked her if she can ask the tenant to try Daniel 101s' test.

 

[boeman]

I don't understand.

So is the actual shower head where water comes out leaking when turned off, or are the walls backing onto the shower getting damp after people shower?

The first is a simple swap of a shower head, bugger all.

The second is a waterproofing job and not such a big deal either if it needs to be a cost effective short term solution, without ripping up tiles and re-waterproofing etc.

Find out exactly what the issue is...

 

[Rhinsor]

Replace the washers again if the shower head is leaking???????

 

[tj22]

when trying to figure out where a bath / shower is leaking

process of elimination, the leak will come from the water inlet, the waste outlet or the shower base

1. take shower head/rose off and plug it off the with a 1/2 washer and 1/2 brass nut
then turn the shower mixer / handle on (cold only) (if you would to turn both hot and cold on it could stop the hot water unit from working depending on model.

2. now wait 24 hours if there is any leak you will know that its coming from the water pipe connecting the handles / mixer to the shower head / rose.

3. check shower base. tape / plug of shower waste point fill from a bucket from a different fixture. leave for 24 hours (like dan said) this way you will know whether it is the inlet or outlet/base. because its 20 years old may be smart just to do small bathroom reno. update it a bit.

 

[Mindmaster]

Update

Had a plumber go out to the property again. They knocked a hole in the bedroom wall which is adjacent to the bathroom and found out what the problem is.

Water from the shower during normal use is splashing onto the shower wall and leaking through..

The shower is actually a bath tub with a shower nozzle and taps. The wall above the bath tub (adjacent to bedroon) is tiled but some how water is still leaking through both tiles and 6mm wall board.

So what to do now?
-replace bathroom wall?
-do a whole bathroom reno?

It is a standard no frills old house in Shalvey so it does not need to be pretty, just comfortable for the tenant and safe. Prefer not to have a reno done because I'd probably lose the tenants.

No idea how much either option will cost. No idea what to do.

Any suggestions/advice welcome

 

[Peterw]

Sorry, that explanation still does not identify where the water is coming from. Is it leaking through, while some one is having a shower, or are one of the pipes, or connections leaking.

 

[Mindmaster]

Sorry, that explanation still does not identify where the water is coming from. Is it leaking through, while some one is having a shower, or are one of the pipes, or connections leaking.

Ok, my poor explanation. Better edit previoius post.

During normal use, water from the shower will splash on the wall. For some reason the water splashed on the wall is leaking through the wall into the wall cavity.

 

[Peterw]

Thanks Brendon, that's clearer. I would have thought, there are companies like Megaseal who can seal the tiles externally, and that would stop the water. We use them regularly, and they give a quite long guarantee. That would be a cheap and good option, I would have thought.

 

[Mindmaster]

Thanks Brendon, that's clearer. I would have thought, there are companies like Megaseal who can seal the tiles externally, and that would stop the water. We use them regularly, and they give a quite long guarantee. That would be a cheap and good option, I would have thought.

Thanks Peter, I looked into Megaseal and their services look very good, in particular their tile over service. Unfortunately the wall needs to be replaced so sealing is not enough.

 

[Mindmaster]

Is this quote reasonable?

Just got a quote from the PM to have have the wall replaced. This quote includes

-remove and replace wall sheeting and tiles
-repair rotted flooring
-repair plasterboard on the other side of the wall

$1980 Is this reasonable?

Note -quote includes a disclaimer that it is an is an estimate because additional work may be required once the wall is open. This part worries me.