Less than a year ago we remodeled our bathroom. A new tub and shower panels were installed. I was told by the contractor that it was not necessary to caulk between tub and shower panels due to the new interlocking panel designs. I requested it still be caulked.
In less than a month, a crack had formed in the caulk. I wasn't overly concerned based the prior discussion with the contractor.
Well, now I have a water leak that trickles behind the caulk out to the edge of the tub/panels. My drywall is wet and hole has now formed!
I have had a second contractor in for an estimate to fix the leak. He stated there is really nothing out there to prevent this from leaking. Stated he can remove old caulk and replace it with a upgraded caulk. If that does not work, then possibly having to replace new shower panels with tile.
I can not justify this huge cost for a new bathroom less than a year old. Any suggestions?
Betsy
How to fix water leak between tub and shower walls
bathroom
Related Solutions
That gap is to small. Push really hard with the float to completely fill it with grout, giving it one more shot; next time caulk it. Caulked tub surrounds are one of my pet peeves; I'm the one who gets to scrape that mess out.
Whether grout or caulk, I like Some Guy's advice: prestress the tub by filling it with water as you work.
Why do you think the bathtub is not currently vented?
Not all traps need to be individually vented so you're not always going to see a vent if you don't know what to look for. It's a little hard to tell from your photos, but I think your bathtub is wet vented through the kitchen sink:
Please correct me if I've got the arraignment of your pipes wrong.
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Best Answer
I would avoid caulking again as it's likley to become a re-occuring problem, it's best to fix the source issue.
Contact the original contractor, they may repair the work if it's under warranty.
If they are unwilling, check with your local regulations as your original contractor may be liable for repairs, certainly seems like a fault with the original installation.
Home insurance may also cover you for repairs, if you are insured contact your agent even if only to register a case number early on in case it blows up to something that will need coverage.
If you are stuck without any of those options and don't want to overspend, there are companies that specialise in sealing bathrooms over tiles/panels using specialised sealents, you should be able to find one that will do the job for under $200/$300 - ensure they provide at least year warranty. Google 'over tile waterproofing'.