Sunday, September 04, 2011

Showers

One of the most persistent problems at Loll is that the lodge showers leak. The "handicap" shower on the main floor drips almost every time it is used, not only soaking anything stored in the basement but discoloring and damaging the floor and the supporting timbers. We had pretty much decided that there was no protective "pan" or membrane beneath the shower.



Jon Hollingshead and Bryce Jones set out to find the problem and start the process of repair. We had decided that if there was no pan we would rip up the shower tiles and reveal the extent of the problem. Then next spring we would have to fix it. Jon and Bryce began a complicated process of checking for the cause of the leak. Much to our relief we found that there was a pan - the problem was that the pipes in the wall were leaking.



Bryce and Jon determined this only after much effort. Running buckets of water and running up and down the stairs to check the leaks.




By removing the housing around the valve Jon revealed the leak running down. The lumber behind the wall is black with water stains. In this close up you can see the blackened two by four behind the nob.


There was some concern that the tile would have to be removed to discover the problem, but there was no rush to judgement.



After a lot of checking it was found that the shower head was loose and cross threaded. Once removed, properly wrapped and re-installed, the leak disappeared. Thus with know how and perseverance, Jon and Bryce ended a problem which has plagued us for years.



They next turned their attention to the showers upstairs. The one in the center room seems fine, but both showers on the west end rooms leak. This is obvious to anyone who looks at the tiles above the kitchen door or the door to the restroom hall. After much investigation it was discovered that it is these upper showers that have pan problems. The theory is that the shifting of the logs has broken the seal around the pans and thus, when a certain amount of water builds up in the shower floor, they leak. This is why the showers do not leak every time, but do leak when someone takes a longer shower. Jon and Bryce are developing plans to remedy these problems.


They are also developing plans to finally put ceilings into the spaces above the showers. This photo shows the gaping hole that is the ceiling of the handy cap shower.


This is the situation above the north room shower.



This above the south. By next spring we hope to have the materials lined up to make necessary repairs and finally finish the showers.

1 comment:

Clyde said...

Whenever there is problem of leakage its better that it should be repaired as early as possible because after a few days it damages the wall and floor too. What we can do in such cases? Click Here