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Installing a shower stall ... Brown water

Submitted by SHNS on Mon, 03/31/2008 - 14:26

Q: Hello, Mr. Del Grande. I enjoy getting my building tips from your column and I now have a problem that I'm hoping you can help me with. I'm installing a custom tile shower stall and had planned on using a rubber membrane with thinset mortar for the shower base. Then, I was going to tile over the cement floor.But, now that I'm working on the base it seems to be getting very complicated as to how the drain will attach to the membrane, how to angle the mortar and how to properly tile around the drain. I'm stopping the job until I can get some more info. Can you please help me? -- Jack, MichiganA: You are a smart person. I stress in my column over and over that when you are not sure of a project, stop before you get into trouble and get some good information. Hopefully, I can give you some good and useful information right now. The type of shower pan you are trying to install is commonly called a "mud" base shower stall. It usually consists of a liner that is made with prefabricated copper or a rubber membrane.The shower drain will usually attach with a special type of compression flange that will meet your local codes. The drain strainer is also adjustable to match the mortar level of your shower base and the thickness of the mortar is usually in the 3- to 4- inch range.The advantage of a mud-base shower is that you can have a tile floor since the water is contained by the copper or rubber membrane liner, not the tile and grout itself. The disadvantage to a mud base is that this is a job best left to the pros because it is very involved and requires a lot of skill to do the job right.Another alternative for you to try is a fiberglass shower-stall base that can be installed in place of a mud shower pan. A prefabricated resin base can be purchased at your local supply house or home center and basically it's ready to go out of the box. Most will use a standard PVC shower flange drain that is pretty easy to install. Make sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions, and by using a pre-made fiberglass or resin-based bottom only for your shower, you will still be able to have a tiled shower surround for the walls and ceiling. Sometimes all it takes is a simple idea to make a complicated shower problem wash itself away.Q: I really used to enjoy watching your "Ed The Plumber" show on the DIY Network. Where has it been lately? I can't seem to find it in my local listings. Now for my question: When I turn on my hot water it runs brown for a while then clears up. What should I have checked? -- Mike, FloridaA: Thanks, Mike. Yes, the "Ed The Plumber" show is a classic and was one of the first national plumbing shows to hit the airwaves, in 2004. I have heard a rumor that the show is coming back for another run and is scheduled as of now on the DIY Web site to air "very" early in the mornings starting in April. Check your local cable or satellite program guide for "Ed The Plumber" and TiVo or DVR the show, so you won't be disappointed.Now for your rusty-water problem. Older galvanized steel water lines can cause rusty water, but more pressing may be a water-heater problem, and you want to have that checked as soon as possible before the tank springs a leak. Rusty water is not the norm for properly installed plumbing systems, and just like a warning flag take this as a serious signal of a potential problem that has to be addressed immediately.(Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book "Ed Del Grande's House Call" and for hosting TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. For information visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande(at)hgtvpro.com. Always consult local contractors and codes. For more stories visit scrippsnews.com.)