Stripped back to the frame: timber studs, insulation and wiring once the wet-area linings come off.
SERVICE 12 — LEAKING SHOWERS
Leaking shower repairs in Moorabbin
Water that gets past a shower rarely shows up where it got in. It works its way under tiles, into wall frames and along the floor. Then it turns up as a stain in the next room or a swollen skirting board. We look at leaking showers in Moorabbin, Highett, Bentleigh East and Cheltenham to find where the water is getting through. Then we tell you whether a targeted repair will hold or the wet area needs rebuilding.
12/A — THE SIGNS
Five signs water is getting past the shower
One sign on its own may just be a surface problem. Two or more together usually point to something under the tiles.
01 Lifting or drummy tiles. Tiles that sound hollow when you tap them, or rock underfoot, usually mean moisture has broken down the adhesive bed.
02 Cracked or missing grout. Grout isn’t waterproof on its own, but gaps let a lot more water reach the layers underneath.
03 Damp walls outside the recess. Look for bubbling paint, soft plaster or a tide mark on the far side of the shower wall.
04 Mould that keeps coming back. Black spots in corners and along silicone joints that return soon after cleaning.
05 Skirting and floor damage. Swollen skirting, lifting floorboards or a musty smell in the hallway or bedroom next door.
12/B — ASSESSMENT
How a leaking shower is assessed
The aim is to find the path the water takes, not just the stain it leaves behind.
Read the pattern
Where do the marks show, and when? A mark that appears only after a shower tells a different story from one that’s damp all the time.
Check the surface
We check the grout, the silicone at wall and floor junctions, and the tiles around the floor waste and screen.
Separate plumbing from membrane
A dripping mixer or a leaking pipe behind the wall behaves differently from water soaking through a failed membrane. The fix is different too.
Supply lines, shutoff valves and a drain pipe: the services a leak can start from before it ever reaches the membrane.
12/C — REPAIR OR REBUILD
When a targeted repair works, and when the wet area needs rebuilding
It comes down to one layer. If the membrane under the tiles is still sound, the problem can usually be fixed at the surface. If water has already got past it, fresh grout only hides the damage. For more on how that layer works, read the Bathroom Waterproofing Guide.
OPTION A — TARGETED REPAIR
Fix the surface, keep the shower
WHEN IT SUITS
The membrane is intact and the fault is at the surface: failed silicone, open grout, a loose tile or a dripping fitting.
WHAT GETS OPENED UP
As little as possible: grout lines, joints, a few tiles or an access point to the fitting.
WHICH TRADES
Tiling, plus plumbing if a mixer or pipe is at fault.
NEXT PAGE
Shower Renovations →
OPTION B — WET-AREA REBUILD
Strip back to the substrate and rebuild
WHEN IT SUITS
Water has got past the membrane, the tile bed is saturated, or the damage has reached the frames and floor.
WHAT GETS OPENED UP
The tiles, bed and membrane across the shower, back to the substrate. Often the bathroom floor as well.
WHICH TRADES
Demolition, plumbing, waterproofing, tiling and fixtures, following the 12-step process.
NEXT PAGE
Waterproofing → or Full Bathroom Renovations →
12/D — QUESTIONS
Leaking shower questions
Can I just regrout a leaking shower?
Regrouting and resealing can fix a leak that starts at the surface. If the membrane underneath has failed, new grout hides the problem for a while, but water keeps reaching the bed and the frame.
Should a leaking shower be looked at quickly?
Yes. Water that keeps getting into frames, plaster and floors keeps doing damage. Having it checked early usually means less has to be opened up.
Does a rebuild mean redoing the whole bathroom?
Not always. If the failure is limited to the shower recess, the work can stay there. If the floor membrane has failed too, it often makes sense to plan the room as a full bathroom renovation.
What should I note before getting in touch?
Note where the marks are, when they show up and how long you’ve noticed them. Photos of the grout, the tiles and any damage on the other side of the wall help when we talk through the job.
12/E — NEXT STEP
Seeing marks around the shower? Start with a quote request.
Tell us what you’re seeing and where. It’s the first step to working out whether your shower needs a repair or a rebuild. We work in Moorabbin, Hampton East, Bentleigh, Mentone and Heatherton. Have a question first? Use the contact page.
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