Category: Shower Installation & Repairs

The Real Reason Your Shower Handle Is Leaking Behind the Tile I spent three days last month tearing out a ten thousand dollar shower because the homeowner thought a bit of caulk could save a bad grout job. They saw a small damp spot on the drywall in the hallway. They thought it was a…

I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. The homeowner was baffled. They had already paid another guy to lay the tile, but within two weeks, the grout was turning a swampy orange and the water was pooling in the back left corner…

The ghost in the wall cavity Fixing a leaky showerhead arm requires identifying the drop-ear elbow failure, removing the threaded pipe, and applying PTFE tape or pipe dope to the male threads. Most showers fail at the joint connection where the arm meets the internal plumbing, leading to water damage. I spent three days grinding…

I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor would not click like a castanet. Most guys skip the leveling compound because they think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. That same lazy approach to the fundamentals is exactly why you are feeling resistance in your bathroom…

Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. The homeowner thought the floor was just old. It was not. It was a failure of the foundation. When…

I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet, but the bathroom next door reminded me why I hate shortcuts even more. I walked into the master suite and the homeowner pointed at the tile. It looked fine at a glance. Then I stepped…

I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I apply that same philosophy to the bathroom. Last week, I walked into a master suite where the homeowner…

The friction of a failing foundation A squeaking shower pan is caused by mechanical friction between the base of the shower and the subfloor or the structural framing members. This noise indicates that the pan is not fully supported, allowing for vertical deflection that causes the material to rub against the drain pipe, the wooden…

The ghost in the expansion gap Shower drain gurgling is a symptom of pressure differentials within your plumbing vent system or a partial blockage in the P-trap that forces air through the water seal. This sound indicates that the atmospheric pressure is not equalized, often leading to sewer gas leaks or water damage beneath your…

I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. The homeowner thought I was crazy. They wanted the tile down immediately. But I know what happens when you ignore the substrate. You end up with a shower that looks like a spiderweb of failures.…