I recently renovated my shower with a trusted contractor and plumber, but after the work was done, my downstairs neighbor noticed water in their light fixture, which raised concerns about a leak. I assumed the issue might be due to a missed caulking spot since I found a significant hole in the caulk. I got a handyman to recaulk, but he mentioned that good showers should have waterproofing beneath the tiles, making caulk less important. I have some key questions: First, is his claim true? Second, if the new caulk resolves the leak, do I have to worry about anything besides regular caulking maintenance? Lastly, what should I do if the leaks continue?
3 Answers
Yep, the handyman is right! Tile caulking is mainly for aesthetics, not for actual waterproofing. If the shower was set up correctly, it shouldn’t be dependent on caulk to keep it sealed. If you just fixed the caulking and the leaks persist, I’d be suspicious of something else, possibly a drain issue.
I’ve tiled a few showers myself, and it sounds like your handyman is onto something. Ideally, the shower pan should prevent leaks even without caulking, and gaps that large are concerning. Usually, you'd expect about a 1/8" gap between the wall and floor tiles. If there are issues with the waterproofing underneath, it could be a costly fix to redo the entire pan, easily hitting the $1000 mark.
Yes, the handyman's statement is correct. The caulk and grout aren't what keep your shower waterproof; there's supposed to be a proper waterproofing membrane underneath to handle water flow. If you're just relying on caulk, you might still have a leak problem since water can seep through any holes in the membrane. To see if this is the case, you might need a plumber to check under the shower, as drains often cause issues too. What kind of waterproofing did your contractor use? Did they perform any leak tests? If you have any photos from the renovations, that could help clarify things.