Heysham, Lancashire -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/02/2018 --Krish Thomas of Clearwells is a man who knows a thing or two about bathroom leaks. That's why he was delighted when self-contained shower cabins arrived on the scene and as soon as he heard about the new range of leak-proof shower pods from Kubex and Vidalux, which were already two of his favourite brands, he knew he had to have them in stock because his customers were going to love them. Here he shares some advice and tips on bathroom leaks.

Be on the look-out for them all the time

Krish Thomas is very emphatic about this point. "If you think I'm exaggerating about this, have a read of your home insurance policy. The chances are it covers you for the damage caused by sudden leaks, such as pipes bursting in winter, but it's much less likely to cover you for damage caused by the effect of leaks which have gone undetected and therefore unrepaired or for leaks you didn't quite get around to fixing because you didn't think they were huge issues."

Be particularly vigilant around standard showers

"Standard showers are hotspots for leaks for all kinds of reasons." says Krish Thomas from

You can see the full range of leak free showers here at clearwells.co.uk. "In all seriousness, my absolute top tip is to upgrade your standard shower (or bath) to a leak-proof shower pod, but if that's not possible right now, then here are some key points you need to check regularly.

Keep the shower curtain inside the shower as much as you possibly can and always when the shower is actually running. Water is going to get onto the curtain and you want it to drain down your waste pipe instead of damaging your floor one drop at a time.

Check anywhere there is silicone or rubber seals, for example places where panels join, the place where the door joins the shower and the seal around the shower door. You're looking for any sign of mould and also for signs of more general wear and tear. If you can catch mould early you may just be able to clean it off, but if not you may have to remove the silicone or sealant and replace it, similarly if there's just too much wear then you need to replace it. If you do have to go down this route, remember that you should use proper sanitary silicone rather than the standard sort (in fact putting showers together with standard silicone is just asking for mould problems) and you also need to leave sufficient time for it to dry before you use your shower.

Check the waste drainage. Get a traveller's sink plug, which is basically a big, flat one which will go over most waste outlets and put it over your drain, then run your shower for a bit until there's some standing water in the tray. Put a marker, like a piece of gaffer tape, at the top of the water level and leave it for a bit. When you come back, see if the water level has dropped. If it has, then you have a leak. It's a good idea to use this trick on baths too.".

Tackle your tiles

"Bathroom tiling is expensive and in my opinion massively overrated" says Krish Thomas (with feeling). "Leaving aside the price and the hassle of installing it and the hassle of taking it out again if you change your bathroom and the fact that it can limit how you use the important vertical space, my big problem with tiling goes back to the grout or silicone you use to attach it to the walls. Basically the same comments apply here are for the silicone used in the shower itself. You need to keep it in good repair or else the tiles will start to come away from the wall and unless you make a point of checking them regularly, you may not notice this until it's too late and water has already leaked through the gap and started to damage walls, floors and possibly ceilings below, at which point you may be having a chat with your downstairs neighbour you'd have preferred to have avoided. Personally, I'd say the single, biggest reason for investing in a leak-proof shower pod is the fact that it means you can ditch tiles, or just keep them for decoration, but while you are still using them for practical purposes, you really do need to check them regularly and maintain them regularly to avoid expensive damage from leaks which is unlikely to be covered by your insurance.".

You can see the full range of leak free showers here at https://clearwells.co.uk.