Why Does My Shower Screen Leak at the Hinge?
A shower or bath screen that leaks at the hinge side usually has one of four problems: a worn or missing hinge-side seal, a gap between glass and wall that is wider than the seal can close, water running down the glass and escaping at the bottom corner, or failed silicone along the wall profile. Finding which one takes about five minutes with a jug of water.
Find the leak path first
Dry everything. Then, with the screen closed:
- Pour water slowly down the glass near the hinge, starting at the top. Watch the outside.
- If water appears straight away along the vertical edge, the hinge-side seal or the gap is the problem.
- If it appears only at floor level in the corner, the bottom seal or the corner where the bottom seal meets the hinge side is the problem.
- If it appears behind the wall profile or on the wall, the silicone or the wall channel is the problem.
Cause 1: the hinge-side seal is worn, missing or the wrong size
Hinged screens have a clip-on seal along the edge nearest the wall, usually a soft fin or bubble that closes the gap as the screen swings. Over time it hardens, splits or yellows, or it was never right for the gap.
Fix: measure the glass thickness (commonly 4, 5, 6 or 8 mm on bath screens) and the gap between glass and wall at the top, middle and bottom. Fit a hinge-side seal made for that glass thickness that closes the largest gap. A bubble (bulb) profile usually copes better with an uneven gap than a single fin.
Cause 2: the gap is wider than any seal can close
If the wall isn’t plumb, the gap can be 3 mm at the top and 12 mm at the bottom. No single fin seal covers that.
Fix: use a seal with a longer fin or a larger bubble, sized to the widest part of the gap. If the gap is badly tapered, the hinge or wall profile may need adjusting so the glass hangs parallel to the wall. Check the hinge screws: a hinge that has dropped opens the gap at the bottom.
Cause 3: water escapes at the bottom corner
Water running down the inside of the glass collects at the bottom corner on the hinge side. If the bottom seal stops short of the hinge edge, or its drip fin faces the wrong way, it escapes there.
Fix: fit a bottom seal or deflector with the fin facing into the bath or shower, run it right to the hinge edge, and make sure it meets the hinge-side seal with no gap. On curved bath screens, use a seal made for curved glass so it doesn’t lift at the ends.
Cause 4: failed silicone along the wall profile
Fixed screens and the wall profile of hinged screens rely on silicone between the profile and the tiles. Cracked, mouldy or peeling silicone lets water run behind the profile.
Fix: cut out the old silicone, clean and dry the joint fully, and reseal with a sanitary silicone, on the outside of the profile only, so any water inside can drain back into the bath.
Prevention
- Keep seals clean with mild soap and a soft cloth; strong bleach cleaners harden and cloud them.
- Replace hinge and bottom seals together when they show wear, so they still meet at the corner.
- Point the shower head away from the hinge edge.
Trade buyers: GoldRays supplies hinge-side, bottom and curved-screen seals for 4 to 15 mm glass to distributors and enclosure brands. Request samples.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my bath screen leak at the hinge side but not at the end?
The hinge side has a gap that changes as the screen swings and a corner where the bottom and side seals meet, so it is the weakest point. A worn hinge-side seal or a short bottom seal is the usual cause.
Can I just add more silicone?
Silicone seals fixed joints, not the moving gap at a hinged edge. Silicone across a moving joint will tear, and silicone on the inside of a profile can trap water.
How do I know what size seal to buy?
Measure the glass thickness and the gap at its widest point, and note whether the glass is flat or curved. See our size chart.
About the author
GoldRays technical team
The GoldRays technical team writes these guides at the GoldRays factory in Foshan, China, where clear PVC and polycarbonate shower door seals have been made since 2001. The team works with more than 40 production lines and more than 3,200 moulds for 4 to 15 mm glass, and answers trade questions about fit, materials and testing.
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