How to find and fix a leak in your shower

This post was written by Jesse Hughes. Personally, we've got many water issues in our home ownership pockets, and a shower leak is one. In our neighborhood, it even has a name, the infamous Parkwood Leak.

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It is not unusual to experience a leak in your shower. If it happens to you, then it can be a real inconvenience. One of the worst parts of the problem is locating the source of the leak. You are not going to be able to fix the leak, if you do not know where it’s coming from. It’s important to do this as soon as possible as it does not take long for water to cause costly damage in your home.

Sometimes, finding where a shower leak is coming from can seem like an impossible task. If you are really struggling then you can call professionals such as Plumbing Detectives to give you a hand. If you want to spend some more time trying to locate the leak yourself then here are a few tips that you should find useful.

The first checks to make

The most obvious thing to check, if you think your shower is leaking, is that the doors are closing as they should, or the shower curtain fits properly. This is simple enough to check just by splashing water up against the doors or curtain. Thankfully, this is also simple enough to rectify, by just replacing the curtain or doors.

You may also find that the rubber around the shower door, or the caulking around the base of the shower, may have worn and cracked over time. If the leaks are appearing around areas of wear and tear then you simply need to replace the rubber edging or remove the caulk where it is damaged and re-caulk the area.

How spraying water around the shower can help

If you have tried the obvious things, and not located the source of the leak, you should stand in the shower.You should then begin spraying inside the shower, starting in the area where the shower panels meet the tray. You need to work your way up the shower, checking for any signs of water leaking as you go. If you spot any leakage then this may necessitate the sealing of any gaps, or the replacement of panels if necessary.

Making sure there are no problems with the shower tray

The shower tray area is one of the most common places for a shower to leak; cracks and gaps can appear which allow water to seep though. To check for leaks in the shower tray you should

•  Make sure the shower drain is sealed tight.
•  Fill the shower tray with water using a bucket.
•  Once one inch of water is in the shower tray, check for signs of leaking around the shower and on the ceiling below. Signs may take time to show, depending on the size of the leak.

If you identify that the leak is in the shower tray you can apply sealant around the tray. It’s worth noting that this is usually only a temporary measure and you will probably need to have the tray replaced by a plumber at the end of the day. You should also call a plumber if you do not have any success locating the leak. It could be that you have a problem with the drain of your shower and a plumber will be able to identify and resolve the issue.

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It's in the bag

Hold the phone: I switched purses. I don't do this as often as I'd like to. I have a lot of purses I love, but I tend to forget and just keep going in the one I'm in. I've been using the black Coach since September, and since I was wearing my new mustard shoes on Saturday, it inspired me to go to my mustard purse. While I'm not that person who matches bags to shoes - although I wish I did it more - it is what usually prompts me to initially make the purse switch.

Now, for the burning question: what's in my purse? I am one of those weird people who is always interested in what other people carry with them. Christina at Easily Entertained did a post like this, and I said next time I change my purse, I'm on it. Well friends, the time has come.

1. My wallet - I've been using this one for almost a year. I like those birds. The bird is the word. It's probably time for a new one though. Guess what? This wallet also currently contains $17. This is very rare. I never have cash.

2. Trident cinnamon is my go to gum.

3. Wet Ones. Sometimes I clean my car dash with these at stoplights.

4. 2012 - 2014 purse size planner. This keeps my dates only, no To Dos or anything of the sort. Yes, I have an iPhone and a computer. I still use paper. It's my woobie.

5. My trusty train pass with my building access card behind it. I've been carrying those in an orange and pink luggage tag with the letter S on the front for five years. It is beyond time to get a new vessel to carry those babies. And my work keys.

6. My Casio Exilim and my notebook. Not pictured but always on me: my texting phone, my iPhone, and a pen.

7. Also not pictured, but always in there: the book I'm reading and a bottle of water. I cannot be without a book or a drink. Mama needs a big bag.

8. This is what's serving as my hand cream right now. I need to go to a richer one for winter.

9. Neosporin lip health is always in a zipper pocket, never in my makeup bag. That Be a Bombshell gloss (in Hot Mess) escaped from my makeup bag.

10. My makeup bag. It's washable, because it gets totally gross.

Dumped:

Sorted:

Clinique Almost Lipstick - Black Honey

Clinique Chubby Stick - Graped Up

Clinique Different Lipstick - A Different Grape

Baby Lips - Grape Vine

Baby Lips - Cherry Me

Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color - Italian Rose

Five lip liners - two Palladio, two Avon, one Jordana

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss - Midnight Cowboy

Escape purse size

Hair tie

CoverGirl compact that I use just for the mirror - the powder is vampire colored

MAC Lipstick - Capricious

MAC Lipstick - Snob

MAC LipGlass - Viva Glam VI

MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass - Boundlessly Beige

It would seem that I have a thing for lip products. Because aside from a mirror, a spot of perfume, and a hair tie, there's no makeup in there that is not a lip product. 

What's in your purse or man bag?

Linking up with Helene for Tell Me About it Tuesday.