Beautiful plastic booths quickly filled the world market and quietly moved into the apartments of city residents and the houses of rural residents. They were loved for their practicality and functionality.
Over time, some elements of the boxes fail, others wear out. However, skillful owners repair the shower cabin and restore or replace parts on their own. We will introduce you to methods for eliminating common breakdowns and malfunctions in the operation of this type of plumbing equipment.
Reasons for frequent shower cabin repairs
The main purpose of economical shower cabins and expensive hydromassage boxes is regular showering or bathing. Most of them have a complex design, which includes a large number of parts. Hydromassage boxes have many modifications, open type in the form of a regular shower with protective partitions, closed type, completely sealed and stuffed with electronics.
It is worth saying that breakdowns occur with simple models that were assembled by hand, and with complex factory-assembled models. Moreover, the problems can be absolutely identical. For example, a protective screen or mixer can fail in any modification, despite the high cost.
Users of shower boxes most often face the following types of problems:
- The drain or water seal located under the bottom becomes unusable.
- The pallet is deformed or cracks form on its surface.
- Damage occurs on doors or protective screens as a result of mechanical influences.
- The door rollers or hinges responsible for opening the doors fail.
- Various types of problems arise with watering cans, hoses and mixers.
- If the model has an electronic control, the software fails or the electrical parts break down.
As for repairs, there is a solution for each situation. For example, only a qualified specialist can fix electronics; cracked glass or a deformed tray requires replacement; for this you also need to invite a specialist. But in case of minor damage, it is quite possible to repair the shower cabin yourself. Such problems include repairing and restoring the pan, cleaning the filter, replacing or cleaning door rollers, and cleaning out scratches on the plastic screen.
Glass replacement
Glass doors in the cabin are quite fragile parts. They can easily be damaged upon impact. Even if a minor crack appears, the structure should be disassembled and the damaged glass pulled out. The procedure must be carried out carefully so as not to get injured, because when dismantling the glass, the crack may increase.
Glass for shower cabin
The cost of this procedure will not be very cheap. New glass will have to be ordered in the required sizes. But this will ensure safe use of the device. You should not try to cover up or seal the crack that appears. This will extend the life of the glass for a short period of time, but soon the glass will have to be replaced.
Fixing shower glass
Restoring the functionality of the mixer
A built-in shower faucet has a slightly different design than a similar device for a sink or bathtub. Its main parts are a control unit in the form of two handles and working communications in the form of a system of thin tubes. Hot and cold water are switched by one ceramic cartridge with holes, the direction of flow is regulated by the second cartridge.
A leakage indicates that the cartridge is faulty or there are cracks in the housing element. Water starts dripping when the tap is turned on or off. The cause of the malfunction may be a worn seal or a crack in the cartridge.
In some cases, the problem is poor water flow into the shower. The cause is clogging of the holes with lime or corrosive deposits.
To fix a breakdown of a shower stall of this type, complete dismantling of the mixer block is required, which involves performing the following actions:
- The mixer block is dismantled.
- Using a set of screwdrivers and narrow-nose pliers, disassemble the device.
- Check the integrity of the elements inside the control unit.
- Diagnose the condition of the cartridge.
- Determine the cause of the leak.
- Remove the liner from the body and check its surface.
- Clean the metal parts and insert the cartridge into place.
- Assemble the block and install it in place.
If the resulting crack in the case is simply glued, then after a while the problem will remind itself again. To use all the functions of the faucet, it is recommended to purchase a new cartridge to restore the shower cabin.
In addition, it is necessary to perform preventive cleaning of metal and plastic parts. To reduce the formation of limescale, install filters on the water supply pipe and especially for the shower stall.
Electrics
When installing a shower stall in a combined bathroom, you often have to install an electrical outlet there. Not everyone knows how to do this correctly, and that’s why various troubles happen. Among the Apollo and Niagara cabins there are many models that require connection to a power source. Most often it is 220 V 50 Hz.
Let's start with the fact that the outlet should not be closer than 60 cm to any container where water will be found during normal operation: sinks, bathtubs, trays, toilets, etc. The cabin cord is missing for this very reason. You need to lay the wire to the point where it enters the outlet in the bathroom. Therefore, assembly is always accompanied by the installation of wires. The socket must be connected to the input circuit breaker using two measures:
- Through an isolation transformer.
- Through a differential circuit breaker with a leakage current threshold of no higher than 30 mA.
These measures protect residents from accidental electric shock. Assembling the electrical panel is greatly simplified if you obtain all the necessary modules for the DIN rail. As you know, the American Apollo project achieved success largely due to the fact that Soviet rockets and probes did not reach their intended target. Let's not repeat the mistakes of others, act slowly!
Methods for restoring a pallet
Shower cabins do not use trays made of cast iron or steel; modern elements are made of acrylic, which is characterized by “warmth,” strength and lightness. However, it is worth learning about the disadvantages of this material. In particular, very often cracks form in the acrylic bottom, through which water can seep out. This can occur as a result of mechanical forces or under the influence of the heavy weight of a person taking a bath or shower.
If minor abrasions appear, you can restore shower cabins without removing the tray, but there are times when it is necessary to dismantle the cabin and base.
Urgent repair of a shower tray may be necessary in the following cases:
- A leak was detected from under the cabin.
- The bottom is deformed.
- Small cracks have become more visible.
In this case, you can solve the question of how to repair a shower stall with your own hands by performing the following steps:
- Remove the old acrylic coating using a spatula, chisel, knife and sheets of sandpaper.
- Then the inside and outside are cleaned. Cleaning the base and cracks is done with a drill with attachments and an engraver.
- Then the cracks are sealed on the outside and the inside is filled with acrylic. The application of glue when applying a fiberglass patch and acrylic fill is done using a brush.
The glue for the patch should be chosen of high quality, in this case you can count on a long service life. Two-component EPD adhesive is very popular, which is characterized by resistance to water and the ability to maintain quality characteristics for a long time. If you have sufficient financial standing, you can purchase imported adhesive composition Plexus MA 420; it is characterized by the ability to adhere well to any surface without prior sanding. If it is not possible to purchase expensive compounds, then domestic EPD glue may well become a replacement.
How to fix leaks
If leaks occur when using the cabin, this indicates a seal failure. The equipment needs to be urgently repaired. The following steps are performed:
- the cabin is completely disassembled;
- use a knife or other sharp object to clean off the old sealant;
- the frame is washed and dried. For thorough cleaning, you can use a regular soap solution;
- after drying, the surface is degreased with a solvent;
- all places where the disassembled cockpit screen comes into contact with other surfaces are filled with new sealant;
Repairing leaks with silicone sealant
- all fastening points are tightly clamped;
- the cabin is left for 8 hours.
It is advisable to leave the structure for a long time until the sealant has completely hardened. If everything is done correctly, the sealing of the device will last for a long time.
Sealing the shower cabin
Door roller repair
The rollers cannot be seen immediately, since they are located at the bottom of the plastic or glass door and are covered with decorative overlays.
Despite the tight closing lining, water still penetrates into the rollers. The result of contact of metal parts with water is known to everyone - bearings become covered with rust or become clogged with lime and other contaminants found in tap water.
The need to repair or clean the rollers is indicated by difficult opening of the door, the appearance of strange sounds of the door opening, or its partial blocking. You can solve the problem of how to fix a shower stall yourself. To do this, you should prepare a rust remover, kerosene, grease, a screwdriver and pliers.
The shower roller repair process is as follows:
- First you need to remove the decorative trim.
- Next you need to unscrew the fasteners and remove the roller.
- Now remove the seal, allowing access to the bearing.
- The selected product must be used to remove traces of rust.
- Then you need to treat the bearing with kerosene.
- The bearing is lubricated and the seal is installed.
- Check the performance of the roller.
- Place the roller in place and install the decorative trim.
Finally, you should open and close the door several times to check the quality of the work done. After proper repair, the door should open smoothly, without extraneous sounds, delays or jerks.
The process of cleaning rollers largely depends on the neglect of the situation. If the problem is solved at the first stage of its occurrence, then there will be no difficulties with repairs. Otherwise, restoring the performance of the rollers becomes somewhat more difficult. Of course, you can purchase new parts, but it may be difficult to select the size.
Watering cans, hoses
We see no point in repairing watering cans, and hoses for a thousand rubles are available in any store (except general stores). It's easier to buy than to repair. Watering cans are mostly collapsible. Either the entire perforated section as a whole is unscrewed, or there is a screw in the center protected by a plastic plug. As a rule, watering can repair is possible in all cases. If it leaks, small cracks are sealed with silicone sealant. This will once and for all make it impossible to get inside the watering can, but such a need does not happen often.
Reassembly is not difficult. Please note that the body of the watering can is firmly attached to the threaded connection, and it is not easy to disconnect it from the hose. Avoid using the gas wrench directly to avoid breaking the fragile plastic. After removing the perforated section of the watering can, you can clean it with a thin wire. This significantly improves the passage of water.
The cost of a new watering can starts from 1,500 rubles. Once in your life you can buy one for your combined bathroom when you get to the local regional center.
Problems that should only be solved by a specialist
Despite the fact that many breakdowns can be fixed on your own, in some situations, repairs and maintenance of shower cabins should be carried out by a professional technician.
You should not repair the shower stall electronics yourself. If problems are detected in the operation of this unit, it is better to invite a professional technician. If the warranty period of the cabin, which is confirmed by a receipt and a package of attached documents, has not expired, then the repair will be free. After the warranty period expires, it is recommended to contact companies that specialize in repairing plumbing equipment to troubleshoot the shower stall.
A specialist must also change the glass parts of the booth, its tray, as well as complete installation and dismantling of plumbing fixtures. Without appropriate experience and knowledge in this area, you can waste a lot of time and effort.
If the shower stall suddenly breaks down, then if a repair problem arises, first of all you need to study the prices for the problematic parts.
There are situations when complete replacement of one or another element is much cheaper than restoration work. In conclusion, it should be noted that the operation of a shower cabin requires the constant presence of high humidity, sudden changes in temperature, and regular mechanical stress. In addition, tap water is not clean, even after passing through filters. Regular preventive cleaning, ventilation of the room and quality control of the supplied water will ensure the flawless operation of a simple shower stall or an expensive hydromassage box, as well as avoid problems associated with repairs.
Detailed DIY troubleshooting instructions
If the homeowner decides to fix the problem himself, during the work process he will need the following tools and materials:
Shower repair tool kit
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- pliers;
- electric drill;
- special glue;
- sealant for plumbing equipment;
- container with liquid acrylic;
- putty;
- special hardener.
Attention! If the parts cannot be restored, they must be replaced with new ones.
Design features
The standard or basic equipment of most shower cabins is presented:
- pallet, varying in size, height and material;
- sliding, swing or folding doors;
- walls made of high-strength plastic or glass;
- cabin roof.
Currently, manufacturers produce open-type models, closed and corner cabins, country houses, shower corners and boxes.
All of them differ not only in appearance, but also in design features.
Initially, a diagnostic visual inspection of the shower stall is carried out, and the probable cause of the malfunction is determined, after which the volume and type of repair work required can be calculated.
Recommendations for detecting rust
A separate case is rust on the metal parts of the shower stall.
If you notice it, you need to do the following: 1) Sand the area (clean).
2) Treat with putty (car putty).
3) Clean the treated area.
4) Degrease (acetone, solvent).
5) Paint over.
That's all you need to do if you find rust in your shower stall.
Briefly about the main thing
Modern shower cabins are manufactured with a sufficient safety margin, but can be damaged if this limit is exceeded. A crack in the pan makes it impossible to operate the equipment, but in most cases the problem can be solved by spot repairs.
The use of self-leveling acrylic mixtures is considered the best way to eliminate defects. Acrylic provides the maximum possible strength and aesthetic effect; Adherence to technology makes the repair site invisible. If it is necessary to fix a through crack, the pallet is disassembled and a patch is applied.
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