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Summary: How to get under a shower tray to repair a leak.
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Repairing a leaking shower tray or shower is one of the most horrible of DIY jobs as the destruction often required is heartbreaking.
When installing a shower tray it is, wherever possible, a huge advantage to place the tray on a firm base made of timber which allows access to the trap and pipework underneath. If this is the case with your shower it is relatively easy, and not hugely destructive, to remove the front or sides of the base to get at the leak.
We always suggest that the tray is installed before the walls are tiled as this allows for a much more water tight joint. Sit the tray and make sure it is level. The bottom of the tray is sloped to make sure the water runs out of the waste so you do not need to tilt it in any way. Insert the waste and connect it to the pipework you have run to the location. The tray should sit on a bed of sealant on a timber frame. Whether the tray is sitting on legs or on a base, the waste should be placed in a position where it can be accessed when necessary. The front (in this case) can be covered by simply fitting skirting board across the timbers.
If the tray has been fitted straight onto a floor and it develops a leak you must first decide where the actual leak is coming from. If its from the pipework behind the tiles there is a good chance this will be noticeable by brown stains appearing in the grouted joints of the tiles. If there is no evidence of pipes leaking then it is either the seal between shower tray and walls or the waste pipe connection under the tray. If you think it is the seal, then see our project on leaking shower or bath. If you think its the waste from the shower tray then there are two choices.
You can either remove the shower surround and take out the tray by taking off the first two courses of tiles. Or you can go downstairs and remove a section of the ceiling. While this may seem the most drastic of jobs, it is very often the easiest way to deal with a leaking waste. This can even apply to some baths which have been put in with no access to the waste pipes.
See our project on repairing ceilings and you will see that the repair is not so difficult while, at the same time, making work on the actual tray and waste pipes very easy.
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