What the heck is going on in my shower?

[DeniseM]

I stripped away the caulk in my less than 2 year old shower stall preparing to replace it, as it had separated from the ceramic tile in spots.

As I poked with my paint scraper between the bottom tiles and the acrylic shower pan, small chunks of hard grayish stuff - maybe mastic or maybe grout - started coming out, and they were moist.

In one area, when I removed the caulk, a creamy white substance started coming out. This is the area opposite the shower head, the area that gets the most water spray.

From what I can see, the tiles above that area, which is a tiled seat, seem firmly in place, and there are no apparent cracks, and the grout is sealed. I'm thinking that the moisture seeped in from holes in the caulk at the bottom where the tile meets the acrylic pan. The shower pan has a lip on it, and water sits at that caulk line until it evaporates.

I have not had a problem with visible mold in the shower, even at the caulk line. Is it possible that a good drying out and then recaulking would suffice? And what the heck is that white creamy stuff?

Is there any way to avoid having to crack open the tile?

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[Davestone]

Could be a few things.Could be broken down caulk, or emulsified mastic,or soap scumm.If there is no evidemce of movement or cracking i would let it dry out, then recaulk, but i would poke a few holes in the caulk to let whatever moisture is getting in there out by draining out the bottom.Sealer by the way isn't much of a waterproofing.

[DeniseM]

Thank you!

[Davestone]

:goodluck: I was waiting for someone else to mention it, but be advised this would be a temporary fix, if there is water degrading something inside the tile job,eventually you will have more problems i'd bet.

[DeniseM]

I will start drying off the seat after showering. It strikes me that builders and architects ought to rethink how they design and spec out showers and exhaust systems in bathrooms.

[Davestone]

Smetimes it's the subcontractors or even the mechanics shortchanging the installs, and nobody catches them,other times the builder gets the cheapest bids and goes with the shoddy job to save money.....the architects by the way are never wrong. :D