Acrylic shower unit – cracked

Causes

Stress due to poor installation

Impact damage

Building movement

Rot in the floor supporting the shower

Listed under: Interior, fixtures and fittings, plastic, timber and wood-based, plumbing, timber, durability, showers, acrylic, rot

Cause

Stress due to poor installation

Repair

  • the shower unit should be replaced. A crack in the acrylic can collect dirt and bacteria and become unslightly, it can become unhygienic, there is the risk of the crack getting longer/wider over time and there may be a risk of leaking
  • if the cracked shower unit was installed in recent years, call back the original installer to replace it. Under the Building Act, from the date that building work is complete there is an automatic 12-month period for the client to identify defective work. The contractor must remedy, within a reasonable timeframe, any defects notified by the client in writing. You can also take action for up to 10 years after building work is completed if implied warranties set out in the Building Act have not been met. These include requirements that work be done with reasonable care and skill
  • if replacing the acrylic shower unit will require work involving the water supply to the shower or wastewater leaving the shower (for example, turning the water off and removing the shower fixtures and working on the drain) then that falls within the definition of sanitary plumbing and must be carried out by a registered plumber. Homeowners cannot do sanitary plumbing themselves
  • once the existing shower has been removed, check the floor and walls under and around the shower for water damage. If there may have been a leak for a long time, or you have trouble judging the risk or scale of potential damage, consult a registered building surveyor

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Cause

Impact damage

Repair

  • the shower unit should be replaced. A crack in the acrylic can collect dirt and bacteria and become unslightly, it can become unhygienic, there is the risk of the crack getting longer/wider over time and there may be a risk of leaking
  • talk to your insurer before starting work if you plan to make an insurance claim
  • if replacing the acrylic shower unit will require work involving the water supply to the shower or wastewater leaving the shower (for example, turning the water off and removing the shower fixtures and working on the drain) then that falls within the definition of sanitary plumbing and must be carried out by a registered plumber. Homeowners cannot do sanitary plumbing themselves
  • once the existing shower has been removed, check the walls and floor under and around the shower for water damage. If there may have been a leak for a long time, or you have trouble judging the risk or scale of potential damage, consult a registered building surveyor
  • work out how to avoid this sort of damage in the future

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Cause

Building movement

Repair

  • as for the repair above
  • talk to your insurer before starting work if you plan to make an insurance claim
  • if not caused by an earthquake, determine the cause of building movement – this will most likely require expert advice from a registered building surveyor or a chartered engineer

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Cause

Rot in the floor supporting the shower

Repair

  • as for the repairs above but make a very thorough investigation of the scale of the rot. This will almost certainly require expert advice from a registered building surveyor
  • the floor and any other area affected by rot will need to be replaced before a new shower is installed

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