Leaky Tiles Behind a Shower Mixer

Shower Mixer

• The mixer in the shower allows you to adjust the temperature that comes out of the shower head. Water flows to the mixer, the temperature is adjusted and then the warm water flows up a pipe to a shower head. Types of mixers include a combination of bather mixer tap and shower, a manual mixer and a thermostatic mixer. The mixer is usually installed above the bathtub spigot but below the shower head. It can feature separate controls for hot and cold water or a single manual control that controls both.

Issues

• When water leaks back behind the tiles around a shower mixer or any other water fixture in the shower stall, it causes damage to the wall behind the tile. When you tap on the leaky tiles, they’ll sound hollow rather than solid. The tiles will get loose and could fall out of place. If the water damage is bad enough, it can soak through the wallboard and weaken it. The water might even reach wooden struts within the wall and cause rot and the risk of mold growth within your home’s walls.

Solutions

• To repair the damage caused by leaky tiles allowing water to reach the wall behind the shower mixer, start by removing the problem tiles. This allows you to evaluate the damage to the board behind them. You could need to remove the shower mixer first. Cut out damaged board and replace it with new cement board. When mortaring tiles back into place, make sure they are completely clean. Mortar and grout might not adhere to dirty tile, opening you up to the danger of leaks again in the future.

Considerations

• Set aside a few days to do the repair work on leaky tiles behind a shower mixer. The physical labor doesn’t take that long, but the potential drying time for mortar and grout makes this a long repair processes. If you aren’t comfortable performing the repairs yourself, a plumbing or bathroom remodel professional can help. To be safe, turn off the water to the bathroom before beginning your work. This eliminates the risk of flooding while you do repairs.