Chris says:
I have to frequently recaulk my shower stall. I buy caulk rated for bath use but after about 1.5 months the caulk under the walls starts to pull away causing small gaps to form and the caulk under the door gets really mushy kinda like it uncures . . ..
Silicone caulk is the best bet for wet enclosures like showers. UNDER NO CONDITIONS scrimp on caulk! If it includes the word "latex" anywhere on the label, avoid it like the plague!
1. Clean out all the old caulk.
2. Do not use bleach to clean the stall: use 50% hydrogen peroxide, available in most chemical companies. You'll need only a small amount. Treat very sparingly once you have all the old caulk out, and let it dry two days at least.
3. Once it is absolutely bone dry, re-caulk with 100% GE silicone. Use your index finger to give it a radius and that will also assure that you have good contact.
4. If you have water from behind the stall, double check your attic and roof for leaks -- including condensation. If your roof has valleys and no step flashing, that it probably the cause. (I hate to tell you how many roofs we re-do because someone forgot to put in the step flashing).
5. Double check for leaky pipes. If you have old plumbing, and your pipes have rusted, that is possibly the culprit. In that case, replace with PVC. PVC never rusts or fails.
If you have a major hassle, leave it to the professionals. We have the gear, and know how to use it. Just be sure that your contractor is registered with your state contracting office and has no defaults. It is money well spent.
