For schools, universities and hotels, low-level water leakage from showers can be a real nuisance. Even showers that are professionally installed to start with can begin leaking after a short time, and the reason is not always clear.

Upgrading your tile and tray shower cubicles with a completely integrated unit like an Advanced Showers shower pod means no leaks, virtually no maintenance and simple installation.

Why Do Traditional Showers Leak?

The traditional way to build in showers is the so-called "tile and tray" method. A shower tray is installed at the base, the surrounding walls are tiled, and the shower head itself is installed in the cubicle. It’s a well-established method. There are, however, both immediate and longer-term problems with this approach.

Firstly, tile and tray installation typically requires at least three different contractors to set up. Not only is this more complicated in terms of management, but it also increases the risk of installation errors and product failures. Over time, grout decays, tiles crack and water works its way through the mastic seals. Damp patches and mould appear, and lasting damage takes place that is costly to fix.

Problems Caused By Leaking Showers

The damage produced by leaks in shower units is often imperceptible at first. It usually only becomes noticeable once damage has been done to the surrounding flooring and plasterwork. By that time, the maintenance costs may have escalated dramatically from a straightforward fix.

Sometimes leaks are obvious. Water emerging from cracks in a shower unit, or, worse yet, through the ceiling below, will be an obvious prompt for action. There are other less dramatic signs too, like damp patches or the smell of mildew. The trouble with these latter symptoms, however, is that by the time they appear, the water has been there for some time, damaging the infrastructure of the unit.

Benefits Of Shower Pods

While tile and tray installations appear cheaper than shower pods initially, the problems outlined above typically mean much greater expenditure in the long run. Sometimes it can be hard to find the source of a leak without significant dismantling. What's more, the smell of mildew can be hard to shift, even long after the leak is resolved. Sometimes, this kind of problem can only be remedied by a re-tile or full shower cubicle replacement.

Modular shower pods, on the other hand, are fully integrated units. At Advanced Showers, our shower pods are pre-fabricated from lightweight reinforced polymer plastic, in three or four sections to allow easier transportation. Once in place, the separate parts are sealed with a patented gasket joint system. Not only are these joints leak-proof, but the lowest section, below 600mm, has no joints at all, meaning that the most serious leak points are completely disabled right from the start.

These shower pods are also much easier and quicker to install than shower cubicles. With the parts on-site, assembly takes around two hours and needs no grout or mastic. The units remain leak-proof, easy to clean and virtually maintenance free, with an expected lifespan of 15 to 20 years. By comparison, tile and tray units usually require refurbishment or replacement within 4 years.

Find Out More

Our shower pods offer a near maintenance-free, easy install solution for shower units that is particularly valuable for larger organisations like schools or hotels. Our shower pods can be installed 3-4 units at a time on a rolling basis to spread the cost of a full upgrade, and the investment is more than recouped in lower maintenance and repair costs within a few years. Please download our free Shower Pods Guide for more information.

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