Sealing around shower handles

[littlebrook]

Hi,

I found a small puddle of water in the basement below the bathroom and traced it to a small leak/drip coming from around shower handle wall tube. I think the water is running down the tile walls and getting behind the escutcheon, then making its way through the wall. I pulled it off and noticed that the plumber who installed the shower plumbing last year had put a small amount of what I think is plumbers putty around the pipe where it goes through the wall. The putty seems to be hard and cracked and I could see water in it.

What is the best way for me to seal the gap around the pipe? Should I go ahead and put more plumbers putty or should the escutcheon be caulked to the tile?

Thanks

[Redwood]

What kind of shower valve do you have?

[littlebrook]

It,s a moen 3 handle shower valve. It was installed just last year. I don't think its leaking.

[Redwood]

I would remove the handles and check the stems/cartridges just to be sure.

Then reseal the trim with polyseamseal or, phenoseal around the top 3/4 if the stems/cartridges are okay.

Usually it's rare to have leak on the vertical tile surface where it meets the trim.

[littlebrook]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll get right on it.

The reason I think the water is running down the tile and getting into the wall is that there is a visible gap between the tile and the trim. The putty (or whatever) that the plumber put around the pipe to seal the gap has dried out and is cracked and full of water.

By the way what is polyseamseal or phenoseal, is it like silicone caulk?

Thanks

[Redwood]

It is a non-silicone caulk.

[littlebrook]

Thanks, I'll have to run out and get some.

[littlebrook]

one question. if you had installed the shower for a customer, would you have sealed the trim with caulk, or done what my plumber did and put lots of putty under the trim?

I am beginning to think that my usual plumber is not as good at his job as he seems. When he changed the shower valves, he didn't bother to change the shower head and pipe saying that we could do it ourselves if we wanted. He also suggested installing a laundry drain pump box using an AAV! Time for a new plumber?

[jadnashua]

Many trim pieces made for showers come with a gasket that will seal against the tile or whatever surface they are mounted on...no caulk is generally needed. Don't know if yours did (and was not installed), or didn't.

[littlebrook]

No, my tub/shower faucet kit did not contain any sort of gaskets for the trim. I trusted the plumber to make sure water would not make its way into the wall but unfortunately his plumbers putty method did not hold up. Caulked it this afternoon as Redwood suggested so fingers crossed I won't see any more drips in the basement below.

[Gary Swart]

Plumber putty, if that's what it is, is not used for caulking. It is used as a sealer under sink and tub drains. There are several kinds of caulking that could be used, silicone is one kind and there are also latex caulks that will work. An installation like you have should not take gobs and gobs of any kind. Perhaps a small bead around the rim of the escutcheon, but that's usually not need either.