For today’s homeowner, a well installed shower system has become a top choice in saving space and lowering water consumption. Shower stalls or enclosures usually have silicone shower seals that can last 20 years or longer. However, there are instances when your shower seal can show signs of wear and tear like peeling or cracking. If left unattended, it can lead to water damage due to leaks to the point that you will need a shower base repair or worse, a replacement of the whole shower installation.
Some homeowners avert these consequences by calling a tradesman which can cost a lot of money. While others, rely on sheer will and effort by repairing it themselves. A DIY shower repair sounds easy. In fact, there are a lot of online articles and videos on how to fix a shower seal. But while this method can save you money, you can also fail your DIY repair. Here are some repair fails to avoid should you choose to do it yourself!
Using shower before or immediately after repair
This is a common mistake for first time homeowners who repair their own showers. You spend a couple of hours applying epoxy on leaky surfaces, crevices and joints, only to find yourself having to do it again because you took a shower afterwards. Or you immediately apply the epoxy without waiting for your shower to dry first. It is important to note that epoxy takes 24 hours to dry and needs to be applied on a totally dry surface. So, the rule of thumb in resealing your shower is not to use it 24 hours before and 24 hours after the repair. In the meantime, make sure to find an alternative place to shower.
Not removing existing silicone
Before applying new shower seal, it is important to scrape off or remove all existing silicone in the shower area you want to repair. This ensures that the compound you will apply will adhere properly. Sometimes, when you fail to remove the existing silicone, the new silicone will not be able to hold rendering your repair useless. There is a special tool that you can use to take off the existing silicone safely.
Not using shower repair kits
When doing a DIY shower repair, the usual approach is to get the materials in a hardware store and just figure things out along the way. Especially for first timers, repairing a shower can be quite a challenge. The guesswork and frustration can be reduced with the help of a shower repair kit. These are very useful sets of products that help you apply shower seals hassle-free.
