Shower drain repair is definitely not much of a hassle. A few tools and bit of a mechanical bent of mind will get you there. Find out more about fixing a shower drain.
Medha Godbole
A leaky shower drain is certainly upsetting and may prove to be a day spoiler. There can be various reasons for your leaking shower drain. The most common reason is a crack in it.
However, it is important to know whether the leak has been caused by a marked damage to the shower drain or because the seal is not in a good shape. If you are facing this problem, here is how to go about repairing it.
Repairing a Leaking Shower Drain
Before you start off, these are the things you will need.
Flathead screwdriver
Metal pan or drop cloth
Shower drain repair kit
Drywall saw
Pliers
Screwdriver
Safety glasses
Gloves
After the checklist of what we need for repairing a shower drain, let's take a look as to how to go about this plumbing problem.
Step 1
It is better to confirm that the leak is from the drain. Make sure to check that it is not a result of a compromised sealing between the bathtub and the floor.
To confirm that, use a funnel and then pour a considerable amount of water through the drain directly. If nothing is there, fill the tub and then check for leaks. These tests will help you find the problem.
Step 2
After confirming that the drain is actually leaking, the next task is to create an access panel to reach the shower. To do that, you need to go where your shower drain is located and check out the pipes leading to the shower. They will most probably be under the flooring or above the ceiling in the floor beneath the drain.
Step 3
Now that you have found out where the pipes are, you need to keep a drop cloth or a pan beneath the spot of the drain on the floor. That will catch any water which may leak out when you cut an access to the drain.
Wear the safety glasses and use a drywall saw for cutting a panel for gaining access to the pipe.
The trick here is that you have to remove that piece very carefully, as it has to be placed back in its original place once you are done with the repair. Your access to the pipe may be through a closet, bedroom, or even an attic.
Step 4
This is a very important part of repairing your shower drain leak. Here you have to find the source of the shower leak. Normally, there is a prominent discoloration or dripping at the spot of the leakage.
Pliers will then come into picture for removing that part of the drain. It could be either the gasket, the strainer body, or even a drain body. Remove the strainer using a screw driver and then the gasket and other parts using pliers.
Step 5
After you are done with the earlier step, you would know whether the drain needs to be replaced or just a patch would do. You will find vital information related to this in the repair kit.
The instructions will guide you in dismantling and reassembling your shower drain. Fix the broken part of the drain and if all the pieces fit together, use a combination of the old and new. In this manner, reassemble the drain and then affirm that all the pieces of the drain are properly in place.
Step 6
Now the last thing to be done is to check if the repair has turned out to be proper. For that you have to turn on the water in a small stream and check the pipe which is downstairs for any leaks which may have developed even after replacing the strainer, gasket, and so on.
In case of no leaks, patch the wall with drywall mud and mud knife. At the same time you also should remember to cut away and remove any piece of ceiling having watermark damage from the leak. To replace that necessary portion of the ceiling, use drywall.
For repairing fiberglass shower drains, you may have to call a professional, as fiberglass may be a tricky material to handle.