How to Repair Different Types of Glass Shower Door Leakage

May 28th, 2019

A bathroom is a place which is always in constant contact with water. Corrosion and leaks are thus some frequent problems of bathrooms. One of the most obvious places for a leak in the bathroom is the glass shower door. Irrespective of the type of door you might have installed, leaks are unavoidable. This blog post curated by glass repair experts in Toronto aims to explain how you should attend to your glass shower door repair.

How to Fix a Leaking Glass Shower Door

Find the Reason for the Leak

The easiest way to deal with a problem is to understand the root cause of it. Usually, the most common reason of shower door leaks is improper fitting. Ill fitted doors are either too short or don’t close entirely which is due improper installation of glass shower doors. This means the shower door will be unable to prevent any kind of over-spray and splashes when you are taking a shower, thus causing leakages. To fix the door, there are a few answers you must have with yourself first.

Q. What is the type of door which is leaking?

It is essential to consider whether you have a frameless glass shower door or a framed one as the ways to repair the leakage depends on the type of door you have in your bathroom.

Q. Which place in the shower door is the leak coming from?

Your shower door can leak from the bottom, vertical side with hinges and from the side where the frameless shower doors open. Knowing the exact position of the leak helps in determining where to start the repair.

Q. What kind of shower base do you have?

It might seem unnecessary, but the type of shower base is important when it comes to leakage repairs. Usually, there are two types of shower bases, a precast shower base with a lip and a tile based one.

Put on Your Glass Repair Hat

  • Framed

The most conventional way to repair your glass shower door is by caulking. It helps seal the cracks and stop leakages by using sealing compound. The key out here is choosing the perfect caulk to use. Go for the ones made specifically for bathrooms and other water prone areas. It is advisable to use 100% silicon caulks for the best results. Buy yourself a caulking gun if you own big caulking tubes or go for small and squeezable ones which are easy to use. Caulking is a great option to fix metal trim and plumbing fixtures. Once you are done, ensure the weep holes are clear because faster the water can flow through the track to the shower drain, the quicker the shower will dry.

Pro Tip: Always use a mold and mildew resistant caulk for bathrooms to save yourself from diseases caused by bacteria.

Here’s a step-by-step process of caulking:

  1. Take a razor blade scraper and remove all the caulking already present from the shower frame.
  2. Check all the drainage holes and channels for any clogs due to caulking or soap residue. If you find any, clear them with the help of a thin wire.
  3. Use an old toothbrush and warm water to clean the door track properly.
  4. Glass replacement has to be done for any faulty parts like cracked tiles, rubber seals and sweeps.
  5. For a new sweep installation, use a little lubricant on the part which is sliding into the groove at the bottom of the door.
  6. To cover the frame completely, look for any gaps and caulk it.

Leaking glass shower door

  • Frameless

If you have a frameless shower door which is leaking, the solution will be different from a framed shower door.

  1. When the water is seeping out from the gap under the door, you have to install a frameless shower door sweep. These are made of vinyl and the installation is extremely easy. All you must do is slip it onto the shower door. You should be sure of the measurement you are using because once it has been trimmed, there’s no looking back.
  2. If the leak is on either side of the shower door then use a shower door seal to fill the gap present between the door and adjacent glass wall.
  3. In case the vertical gap where water is escaping from the shower enclosure is the area where the door meets the wall, opt for a frameless shower door jamb. A clear plastic jamb is a good choice because it has a pre applied double sided tape. All you have to do is measure and cut the plastic to the desired length.

Leakages are common problems. But finding the correct spot and repairing it as soon as possible will help you avoid further damage to your glass shower door. In case you are not able to do it yourself, you can call in experts trained in glass repair. Click here to know about the five critical things to consider before buying a shower glass enclosure.