Red/Rust color in Grout near bottom of shower

[cschumms]

I am new to this website but already have been impressed with the wealth of knowledge that is shared amongst users.
My question is about a "red/rusty" color that has appeared in my newly renovated custom shower enclosure. We used durarock, with thinset, and porceline tiles. The discoloration is in the grout and seems to be random. The is no water softner in the house and I have tried etching the surface and it is discolored all the way through the grout in those particular areas. Is water in the pan seeping back up into the grout or is it coming from the surface?

Sorry to be so vague but I am at a loss with this one.
:laugh2:

Thanks for any help.

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[doitright]

Hi CS, Welcome! :)

Please share a 1st name with us. :shades:

Can you also post a picture?

We also need to know how is your shower constructed? Does it have a preslope? Are you on well water? Did you seal the grout?

[ceramechanic]

Please do as John says and supply more info concerning method of construction. If you don't know then call the installer.

Here is a blind guess.
Backerboard is embeded into mud pan and fasteners(screws/nails) may not be galvanized or stainless. Therefore, Water wicks from pan up backerboard and gets nails/screws wet and voila-RUST.

Insufficient or absence of preslope may make it show sooner.
How old is this shower

[LonnythePlumber]

My guess is that it's the incoming water from the showerhead. Iron in your water. For some reason it seems like new grout is more sensitive. Do you have iron/rust marks inside your toilet tank? What? You don't look in your toilet tank very often?

[doitright]

Thanks Lonny :)

That's where I was going with the well water question. I was just on a jobsite last night changing the toilet flapper, and just as you stated, lot's of rust deposits.

What's a good system to install for (rust) removal?

[LonnythePlumber]

I don't know about water filtering and conditioning systems. The water in my area seems to be much better than in other parts of the country. I take a water sample to my supply house, they analyze and recommend. I do know the same systems from plumbers are almost half the cost as those from conditioning companies or a Sears type store.

[doitright]

Problem is, some work, some don't. :confused:

[LonnythePlumber]

I don't doubt that some systems work and some don't. But I've presumed the purchaser hadn't had the water analyzed and put in the right system. I think I'm hearing that even with the right system the water is sometimes not cured.

[cschumms]

:) Thanks for the info.

The backer is durock and the pan is blue rubber (not presloped). The nails used on the backer are 1 1/2" roofers with PL200. The nails are a minimum of 8" up from the rubber. The mortor bed was finished with a mapei powder liquid mix (smells kind of like drylock) to seal the top of the mortor creating a membrane before thinsetting the tile to the shower pan.
Thanks for any help.
Sincerely,
Carl :yipee:

[doitright]

Hi Carl :)

So is it a high iron count in your water? Do you have other issues with rust, besides the bottom of your shower? :shades:

[ceramechanic]

:) Thanks for the info.

The backer is durock and the pan is blue rubber (not presloped). The nails used on the backer are 1 1/2" roofers with PL200. The nails are a minimum of 8" up from the rubber. The mortor bed was finished with a mapei powder liquid mix (smells kind of like drylock) to seal the top of the mortor creating a membrane before thinsetting the tile to the shower pan.
Thanks for any help.
Sincerely,
Carl :yipee:

Answer John k's ? first, If there are rust stains in your sinks or tub orpet's water dish? If not little more detail would be nice-

In your first post you mentioned the spots were random.How random?(high?low?do they line up anywhere, like on the studs?)

Also 1 1/2" roofers are fine but are they galvanizied?
Did the installer use thinset or mastic?

[M.P.TILE]

Hi Carl did the installer put a water barrier prior to durock .Did he use drylock on the walls.If so that will create a moisture problem.If the Durock wasn't installed with Durock screws rust spots will show up.Flushout your hot wtr heater every 2yrs.Anytime wtr company works on a line mud etc. enters the public wtr .Flush tank, remove showerhead.sink arerator/the tips.flush remove any trash .It will shock you ,and make a big differance in pressure.You can remove all grout that shows spots on a few areas regrout.Rust will return if its on the backer.If you have a few extra tiles remove one and investagate.Phil

[John Bridge]

Welcome aboard, Carl. :)

One more blind guess. My wife's hair conditioner leaves orangish residue. :)

[cschumms]

We used 1 1/2" galvinized roofers, but would it have been better to use durock screws? Why:? they are so expensive. Are they worth it?

Thanks for the help. I will investigate and let you all know the results.