# GLass shower leaking, mold developing, not sure where the leak is



## scotthw (May 7, 2012)

I have a framed glass shower, the type with a metal channel along the  bottom that has weep holes for water that falls down the glass to escape  back into the shower floor. Both sides of the glass have a channel  along the metal frame, that has been covered with a rubber strip that  has become brittle and needs replacing. Just outside the shower, mold  has formed on the wall, in a patch about 4 inches round, and growing  slowly.

I have also noticed that on the outside of the metal frame, water has  begun collecting, I assume the seal between the inside and outside has  broken - I don't think the outside of the channel should be wet. Even  though water should not be getting through I still can't quite connect  this with the mold. I realize water is getting though into the walls but  I just can't figure out exactly how.

I am tempted to run a bead of silicone caulk down in the inside of the  channel, but not at all comfortable that's either wise or sufficient to  fix the problem.

Questions:

1) Is the metal frame just resting on the tile or is it screwed in ? If  so, then could water be getting through the screw holes ? If so, what  the heck would I do about that ?

2) Do I run the danger of clogging the weep holes if I caulk inside the  channel ?  It appears I could caulk down in the crevice between the  glass and the channel without building it up high enough to meet the  weep holes.   It might be tricky but doable.

3) Am I going about this the right way or do I need a different approach ?

See attachments (I was able to paste the screen shots directly into the original message, but they aren't showing up in the finished post, so had to attach them).

Here is the front of the shower: OverallShot.JPG

Close up of the mold on the wall and you can see the metal channel with  rubber strip removed.  Both sides of this channel were pooling water, I  already dried that out.

CloseUpOfMold.JPG


Same section of channel on the inside with rubber strip laying to one side: InsideOfChannel.JPG


Suspicious discoloration on grout inside shower door: DiscoloredGroutOnInside.JPG


Slightly discolored grout on outside of shower door: DiscoloredGroutOnOutside.JPG

You can also see signs of mineral scale, not sure if that has had  anything to do with the issue, but I have working on that with some CLR,  its helping.


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## nealtw (May 7, 2012)

I would dig into that moldy wall and see just how much it has spread there, I wouldn't be surprized if you haven't got a problem with the curb under the tile.


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## Snoonyb (May 7, 2012)

I would clean the mold with bleach.
The damage to the wall may have begun with a deteriorating door gasket, with the water running to the low end of the dam and being allowed to be absorbed into the wall. the damage appears to little more than surface.
You know the towel that you dry off with, use it to wipe the wet surfaces of the shower, inside and out, to prevent future damage.


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## nealtw (May 8, 2012)

Snoonyb: Poking out a peice of soft drywall is what I call nondistructive testing. That would allow a look see at the framing behind.
My concern is the different colour grout below the door, it may indicate a previous repair. If the framing behind that drywall is sound then I would think resealing around the door would be worth doing.


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## scotthw (May 8, 2012)

Thanks so much for suggestions!



nealtw said:


> Snoonyb: Poking out a peice of soft drywall is what I call nondistructive testing. That would allow a look see at the framing behind.
> My concern is the different colour grout below the door, it may indicate a previous repair. If the framing behind that drywall is sound then I would think resealing around the door would be worth doing.



You are suggesting I just cut out the bad section of drywall, try to peer inside (with what ?  something like a dental mirror ?) then patch it ?

"resealing around the door".  You mean replace the rubber seal all the way around ?

I still can't figure out how water got into the outside of the metal frame, I don't see a clear pathway from a leaky door.  Could it have traveled under the glass somehow ?  I mean the glass is resting on the metal frame, wondering if that is compromised somehow.


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## nealtw (May 8, 2012)

My fear is before you bought the house the, some repairs were done, that would be the different colour grout and if they just covered up a mess under there you should find out sooner than later. Is there any signs of water damage in the rooms below?


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## scotthw (May 8, 2012)

Its on the first floor, so nothing below.  There are several cracked tiles (hairline) adjacent to the shower, but I have those scattered around the house in random locations, I always chalked those up to the house settling.

Also, the house was only lived in for 9 months after it was new, then empty 6 months, then we moved in, that was in 2005.  

How is the shower secured to the tile ?   Screwed, glued, or just resting there ?  If screwed, could water be getting through there into the tile underneath ?


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## nealtw (May 8, 2012)

Poke a hole thru the soft drywall and put your finger in a feel how wet the drywall is behind the short peice of molding between the tile and the door. If it is wet down there you may want to remove that molding and drywall right to the floor so you can see the wood at the bottom of the wall. What I am thinking is the water has gone thru the grout and into the wood below the glass under the tiles. If that has happened it needs to dry out so a hole in the wall will be a good thing. If it is really bad and you have mold growing in that wall it may be more than just fixing a leak.


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