Neo-Angle Shower: Caulk Inside or Not???

[mele]

I have a neo-angle shower enclosure that is leaking at the base where the enclosure meets the wall. The house is about six years old and I am the 2nd owner. Someone before me sealed the inside of the enclosure where the metal sits on the base. (I'm not sure whether this was done at the time of installation or afterwards to repair a prior leak). The installation manual for the unit clearly states you should not caulk the inside. I called the toll-free number for the manufacturer (AMS) and they said to remove the sealant and do not reseal the inside, or it will leak.

I'm torn between: (1) following the directions; or, (2) sealing the dickens out of everything, including the inside, with GEII 100% silicone. One reason I'm leaning toward option (2) is because I don't think the unit was installed properly in the first place, therefore, the remaining instructions are rendered moot. Specifically, there is supposed to be a "filler strip" between the base and the drywall, and I can't see one (all I see is damp sheetrock sitting right on top of the base, covered by ceramic tile). Also, a contractor friend of mine who has installed many of these units said he always seals the inside (i.e., to heck with the instructions). Any advice? just spent hours scraping the old silicone off the entire unit and I don't relish the thought of doing it again in the near future.

[PEW]

My first question to the manufacturer would be, why do they not want the inside sealed. Possibly they have weep holes which need access to the inside.

GEII is a great easy to use sealant. Many people think you need gobs to do a good job, not so, a minimal amount works great and looks great. Apply it so you have a minimal amount to wipe off as you smooth it. Denatured alcohol makes a good pre-cleaner, after you have any scum removed.

Paul

[mele]

Paul, the theory is that if the enclosure is sealed inside and out, any water that does manage to get inside the metal frame will be able to escape back into the base, rather than collect there and cause more problems. As I said above, however, since I have doubts regarding the original installation, I'm wondering if I'm better off sealng the inside the best I can.

[mele]

Well, I tore it out last night. I got tired of sitting there looking at this rig and saying "this is going to leak again" to myself!! There was a lot of crud, mineral deposits actualy, inside the bottom frame rails, telling me there was water getting inside the metal frame. I'm going to clean it up real good and put it back together, using sealant as I go through the re-assembly process.

By the way, I called the manufacturer for a caulk/sealant recommendation and they said GEII 100% silicone. I said, "but your website/installation manual says 100% silicone won't stick to the base." She said they tested the GEII and it will work. Apparently, the GEII has properties that other brands do not?