Introduction
I got a call to look at a problematic leak in a neighboring house some time ago. The drywall in the ceiling was bulging and there was a steady drip coming down from the bulge, indicating that water was pooling on the other side. A catastrophe was just waiting to happen; the drywall wouldn't last much longer.
The leak was directly underneath the upstairs bathroom, which had a pre-fab vinyl shower. It quickly became clear the shower was the culprit because the dripping intensified whenever anyone used it. I had to replace the ceiling drywall anyway. I could have gotten access to the shower drain plumbing, but it turned out I didn't need to.
A closer inspection revealed that the leak was caused by water seeping past the outside perimeter of the shower drain cover. The good news was that it's easy to fix that from inside the shower. The problem stemmed from the fact that the shower pan wasn't properly supported — probably because the installers forgot to lay a mortar bed — and it flexed whenever anyone stood on it. Eventually, the seal around the drain cover broke, and water began to seep around the drain perimeter.
Replacing the Shower Drain Without Access Below It
It took a specialty drain cover to complete this repair. Other manufacturers may supply them, but the one I used was from WingTie. It has a rubber O-ring that seals around a 2-inch drain pipe (adapters are available for 1 1/2- and 2-inch copper pipe) and four screw anchors that fix it to the shower floor. This is pretty much the only type of drain cover you can install without going underneath the shower.
What's a Compression-Style Shower Drain?
A compression-style shower drain cover seals onto the shower pan via compression (not glue). Most have a threaded flange onto which you screw a large nut from underneath the shower base. Instead of threads and a nut, the WingTie drain cover has anchors that you can tighten from above.
When to Call a Plumber
If your shower isn't leaking from the drain cover, but from somewhere else, you might need a plumber's help. The drain pipes could be leaking, or water could be spraying from one of the supply lines. You'll probably also need a plumber if you have a tile or stone shower and the drain is leaking, because WingTies aren't designed for anything other than plastic or fiberglass shower bases.
Tools Required
Materials Required
- Silicone caulk
- Soap and water
- Top-mount shower drain
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