Reasons for Cracked Acrylic Shower Trays

Installation

• Correct support is essential to a long-lasting acrylic shower tray. Without proper supports beneath the floor of the shower, an individual's weight can easily be placed between supports that are spaced too far apart, and the result is a crack in the pan. Call a licensed contractor to check beneath the shower for the proper supports.

Natural Causes

• Occasionally, the natural settling movement of a building will create a crack in a shower tray. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, can also cause cracking. These circumstances are unavoidable and are likely to occur whether or not the tray was installed correctly with the proper support spacing.

Leaking

• Factors other than cracks may also account for leaks in an acrylic shower tray. These include an incorrectly sloped drain, a drain that lacks open weep holes, loose floor tiles, clogged drains and inadequate grouting in the shower. Eliminate these issues before assuming the shower tray is the culprit, unless a crack is readily visible.

Finding Leaks

• To test for a leaky tray, start out with a completely dry tub. Close the drain and seal it securely with duct tape by surrounding the drain to about the diameter of a paper plate. Pour a bucket of water on the floor of the shower to a depth of no more than an inch. Use water from a source other than the shower you are testing. Leave the water in the shower for at least eight hours and check frequently all around it for water discharge. Use a flashlight to look for water in adjoining rooms and closets, on the floor around the shower and even beneath the shower if that area is accessible. If a leak is readily apparent, drain the water out and deal with the leaky area. Otherwise, keep the inch of water in the shower and continue searching for a leak.