Do Frameless Shower Screens Leak?

April 5, 2022

While all bathrooms are designed to withstand a bit of excess moisture, a leaking shower can lead to cracked tiles, mouldy silicone and serious water damage. If you’re considering installing a frameless shower screen, you may be wondering if they are prone to leaking. A properly installed frameless shower screen is completely watertight. A frameless glass shower screen will only leak if it hasn’t been properly installed or maintained and there are a few simple steps you can take to make sure your shower is leak-free.

 

Why Do Shower Screens Leak?

While all shower screens are designed to contain the water from the shower, they will only function properly if they have been installed and maintained correctly. The most common issues that can lead to frameless shower screen leaks include:

      · Improper Caulking – Caulking is used to seal the edges of your shower screen to prevent water from leaking out. If the caulking has not been applied properly or has begun to deteriorate, the gaps will cause water to leak out

 

      · Broken Door Seals – Your shower door should have a frameless door seal attached to its vertical edge so that when the door is closed, water can’t escape from the crack. If this seal becomes damaged, water will start to leak from this area

 

      · Broken Shower Door Sweep – The bottom of your shower door should have a frameless glass door sweep attached. This is to prevent water from leaking out underneath the bottom of the door. If this seal becomes damaged, water will start to leak from underneath the door

 

      · Improperly Designed Shower Curb – A shower curb is a raised barrier around the perimeter of your shower that prevents water from exiting the shower area. Shower curbs should be designed so they slant downwards towards the inside of the shower. This ensures that all the water that lands on the curb is directed back towards the shower drain. If the angle of the curb is insufficient, water can pool around the edges of the shower, which will eventually cause a leak

 

      · Clogged Drains – A severely clogged shower drain can cause water to overflow from the shower

 

How To Avoid Shower Screen Leaking?

So how can you prevent water from leaking through your shower screen? Well, it depends on the cause of the leaking. If it’s a simple matter of a leaking door sweep or door seal, these parts are fairly straightforward to replace. A clogged drain is also easily fixed with a bit of elbow grease. However, issues relating to improper installation can be much trickier to fix, which is why proper installation is important. Some of the key ways to prevent shower screen leaks include:

      · Silicone caulking should be carefully applied to all the gaps, where the glass meets the tiles of your shower

 

      · Your shower floor should be designed to have a ‘fall’. This means that the floor should slope downwards, away from the door and towards the drain

 

      · Door seals and sweeps should fit your shower door perfectly to prevent gaps

 

If you’re planning a bathroom build or renovation, a well-installed frameless glass shower can create a sleek and modern look. Contact Sydney Frameless Glass today for a frameless shower screen quote.

Get Your FREE Estimate Today Make An Enquiry

    Need Help? Call And Ask For Details

    For further information or to organise a FREE measure and quote you can contact Sydney Frameless Glass on 1300 388 920.