condensation/leaking around base of Vikrell shower pan in basement

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greyconman

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I'm terribly frustrated. I've already replaced sheetrock (green kind)...btw, this is an interior room in basement. This is a Neo-angle Kohler/Sterling vikrell shower kit with glass walls/door. We've taken it down once to put up sheetrock after poor installation first time (by a plumber no less!). Bought new expensive surround material at a lumber/hardware store, put it up with good adhesive caulking. Can't see any leaking anywhere but in one corner. Used expensive new kind of caulking (NDP stuff) for all seams and where frame meets pan threshold. Pan was secured properly best I can tell to stud walls, then I put sheetrock over lip of pan but not touching threshold...about 1/4" gap. Surround material over that. No leaking on walls, etc. I even put vent grids on back two walls next to floor (concrete) so air could get under shower pan (it is designed to not have to be set in mortar). I can feel moisture near corner where a thin stream/leak is showing on inside of room. I don't know anything else to say to describe my frustration and problem. Is there any solution to this problem? The plumber cut into the basement floor to meet the sewer drain lines...has proper grade, but left about a 1' square hole with gravel in it for shower drain. Could that have anything to do with moisture?
 

Jadnashua

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Well, if you have ground water, it could come up through the gravel. If you take a level, is the pan level (tricky because of the slope, but the rim should be level front-back and side-side). if it isn't level, water may accumulate and leak out.
 

JohnfrWhipple

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Some things to check

Is the shower leaking through the door in anyway?

Did you use silicone on the glass seams?

Is there moisture like mentioned coming up vs getting out?

Cranberry Juice is easier to track than water - tastes better to.

So many things can go wrong with these types of showers.

The drain connection is another point to check put sometimes it's a glued fitting that only comes out at the next demo party?

Sorry for your troubles.

Good Luck.
 

hj

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water

If there is ANY water under the shower it is a leak, NOT condensation. BUT, where it is leaking we could not even begin to tell you without being there and testing it ourselves. I can say, that in my experienience, that using the terms "Vickrell" and "quality" in the same sentence is almost impossible, unless the sentence contains the word "NOT" or something similar. Also, a "poor installation" is almost de rigeur for that brand, regardless of how careful the plumber or installer is. What do you mean by "surround material"? Was it a preformed enclosure, or just 4x8 panels? If the latter, and all the joints are just butted together, then that is a quaranteed leak.
 

Inspektor Ludwig

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I gotta ask, I assumed you checked all of your supply lines and the joint where the shower head arm screws into the drop ear 90 for leaks? Is the location of the supply lines located in the same wall where your leak appears to be?
 
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