Many people add sliding doors to separate the shower area from the bathrooms and prevent them from water splashes. These are easy to install, convenient, and take less space as compared to hinges and pivot types that require space for their opening and closing.
You can stop water splashing under sliding shower doors by adding seals, using water deflectors, vinyl strips, polyethylene foam cylinders, caulk sealing, shower curtains, and splash guards.
These are ideal for smaller bathrooms because of their easy adjustment and limited style. Many people complain that water splashes come under these doors because of their poor installation and incorrect closing, which can damage subfloors.
Add door seals
Rubber seals are located on the lower side of the sliding doors to keep the water inside. The seals are made of weather-stripping material, which can get damaged because of changes in internal temperatures.
The seals located on the lower side where glass panels meet with the floor’s surface can get damaged because of continuous water exposure.
The issue occurs when you use warm water for showers, which can decrease rubber material strength. The interior temperature also increases when you use warm water during cold days.
The slight heat makes the seals lose, and these can come off from the doors. You can prevent moisture seeping by resealing the bottom surface.
Add the new seals and remove the damaged ones to keep the moisture inside.
Use water deflectors
Add the water deflectors or door seals on the bottom side of the sliding doors. Add them near the sliding mechanism so water cannot move outside during showering.
Splashes come outside when you do not take any preventive measures to seal the gaps on the lower corners. These can damage the subfloor and the gypsum walls because moisture can penetrate inside their material.
I prefer water deflectors made of rubber instead of chrome because these are rust-free. However, these are difficult to install because of the absence of frames on the sides of the sliding mechanism.
Avoid using harsh cleaners or detergents to remove the spots from them because it can cause the warping of rubber deflectors.
Raise floors and shower panes
The correct installation of floor, shower, and shower panes is also necessary to protect against the water splashes under the sliding door.
It is necessary to slightly raise the floor from the door side so water can move directly into the drains and cannot come there.
In addition, you can also install the shower panes in the vertical direction or raise their one side to prevent subfloors from moisture-related damage.
Adjust showers to keep the moisture inside and prevent the other bathroom fixtures, walls, and floors from damaging.
Tightening the screws and nuts of the sliding mechanism is also necessary because loose ones cause an issue in their proper closing from the lower side.
Polyethylene foam cylinders
You can often see the gaps under the sliding shower doors to remove the humidity and maintain the internal temperature. People do this when not installing exhaust fans separately in these areas to remove moisture.
The slight gaps allow fresh and dry air flow and improve the conditions. However, the water splashes from these gaps outside when fixtures are in front of these doors.
You can fill the gaps using thick cylindrical foam because these are less costly and easy to install. Moreover, these can last longer, and you can remove or add them quickly.
Sometimes people do not know about their material and purchase simple ones compared to waterproof ones. For example, the polyethylene types are waterproof; you can add them in high moisture areas.
The closed cell structure of these materials makes them resistant to water and non-absorbent. As a result, moisture cannot seep into their inner layer, which remains dry and cannot allow mold entry.
Caulk sealing
Caulking is the silicone-based sealing material used to seal the sliding shower doors so water cannot come outside from the inner side and damage other bathroom components.
The caulking layer can come off the surface, leading to poor sealing. In addition, silicone caulk can crack and leaves gaps because of its age.
In addition, these can also get damaged when you do not prepare the surface properly for their installation.
Moreover, cracks can also come on them, and these can lose their adhesiveness because of long-term moisture exposure.
Some of the caulking material is not water resistant, and people add them in the bathrooms, which are highly humid places.
Adding latex and vinyl caulking material in the bathroom is better because these are non-absorbent and resist moisture.
Shower curtains
The shower curtains are the best option to keep the water splashing. You can add them around the shower panes or showering area so droplets and soap scum come on them during bathing instead of sliding doors.
You cannot see humidity on the nearby floors because the fabric type can soak the moisture.
Therefore, it is better to keep them inside so water drips inside the bathing area rather than affecting the surrounding floor.
The rubber and polyurethane are transparent and give your bathrooms a unique and smooth appearance. Moreover, you can also adjust them with any themes and paint color of walls and tiles.
These are moisture-resistant and last longer as compared to fabric ones. In addition, these are easy to clean and dry quickly.
Add splash guards
The splash guards are fins-like material made of rubber and plastic. These are water-resistant materials, and you can add them around the showering areas.
These vary in size and color; you can select them according to the interior theme, color scheme, and size of bathtubs and shower panes.
These are easy to install, and you can attach them to walls using simple adhesive materials.
It is necessary to use waterproof adhesives so moisture cannot affect them. These can come off the walls and sides when you do not add waterproof adhesives.
The adhesives lose their stickiness when exposed to moisture and heat.
Remove limescale buildup
The limescale from the water splashes also builds on the sliding shower doors. You cannot close them completely when there is a mineral of sediment buildup on their sides.
The dried mineral residues cause hindrances in their proper closing and leave gaps on the lower side.
Therefore, maintaining their cleanliness and keeping the tracks free from debris and mineral residues is necessary to seal the doors properly.
Water comes outside when you do not seal them properly. In addition, the hardware from the tanks increases the risk of the presence of sedimentation because of the high mineral content.
You can clean them with bristled and old toothbrushes for dry mineral residue removal. In addition, you can also use home-based vinegar and alcohol solutions to resolve the problem.
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