What To Do If You Have A Shower Pan Leak?

Many things could go wrong in your home without you even noticing. One of those things is a shower pan leak. 

If this type of damage occurs, you can end up with a hefty repair bill leaving you wondering how you and your family can make the necessary repairs. In most cases, your homeowner's insurance can cover a shower pan leak, but sometimes, your claim might get denied.

Let’s explore this type of damage, why it happens, and the steps you can take to maximize your insurance settlement.

Why Does A Shower Pan Leak Happen?

A shower base or a shower pan is the floor of your shower. Its main purpose is to collect water from your shower head and move it down the drain. It can be made out of many different materials, such as acrylic, plastic, fiberglass, and many more. Typically, these pans are covered with a liner that protects the surrounding areas and the underlying structure from water damage. 

Since a shower pan is waterproof, you might wonder why leaks even happen. One of the most common reasons is the wear and tear of the material. Even though this part is built to last, it’s exposed to wear and tear due to the constant influx of water. It might take years for this to happen, but there’s still a great chance that a shower pan was old even when you bought the property. 

On the other hand, a shower pan leak could happen due to improper installation. These parts have to be properly fixed with caulk, sealants, and bolts. If not, the pan can move and start breaking up, allowing water to drain into the floor and the room below.

Lastly, a shower pan leak could also occur due to poor drainage, which may cause water to accumulate in the area between the shower pan and the drain.

How Can You Tell You’ve Got A Leak?

To avoid a real disaster, you should periodically check your shower for a leak. Dead giveaways are usually loose tiles next to the shower or a soggy carpet adjacent to a shared wall. In some cases, it’s also common to spot water stains on the ceiling in the room under your shower, as well as water-stained baseboards next to the shower area.

To test it out, you just need a few household items like duct tape, a bucket, and most importantly, about eight hours of free time. 

Start by drying out the floor of your shower and cover the drain with duct tape. Fill the bucket up with water (don’t use the shower faucet), and pour the water into the shower. Simply monitor the situation and try to look for accumulating water. We recommend checking the level of water periodically for around eight hours. 

If there are any drips or stains, you might have a shower pan leak.

How Serious Is The Leak From A Shower Pan?

Unfortunately, this type of leak isn’t that simple. This is because the water and moisture escaping into your floor can lead to softwood, mold dampness, and in a worst-case scenario, affect the structural integrity of your property. 

In other words, you won’t only have to replace a few tiles and a shower pan, you’ll have to renovate the entire shower area and the timber it is built on. The full repairs will run you over $5k.

Does Insurance Cover Shower Leaks?

Because the damage from a leaking shower pan is expensive, the best course of action is to file an insurance claim.

There is a problem, though: homeowners insurance may deny your coverage. Typically, insurance covers unexpected losses and damages, and plumbing issues may not always check all the boxes required. This is especially true if your leak happened due to a gradual plumbing problem. 

Insurance will, however, cover the damage if your shower leak was caused by a burst pipe or other quick-onset events.

Thankfully, if your damage falls into a gray area between unexpected or preventable, you may at least be able to recover some of the money. That way, you won’t have to pay for all the renovations out of pocket.

A great start is going over your insurance policy carefully and looking for the following clauses:

1. Property coverage

If your furniture, electronics, or any other property got destroyed due to water damage, under the property coverage clause, you can file a claim for shower pan leak losses. In other words, this clause reimburses you for any lost property from valuables, all the way to basic toiletry items.

Keep in mind there are limits to this coverage, though. For example, items like jewelry may not be covered, which is why you should read through this clause carefully.

2. Dwelling coverage

With dwelling coverage, you cannot cover the renovation of the plumbing. Instead, you can cover structural damage caused by your shower pan leak. For example, if the integrity of your walls, or floors is in jeopardy, you can file a claim for these issues. 

While you may not recover the full amount, you’ll drastically cut down on costly repairs that will destroy the foundation of your home if left unchecked.

How to File a Claim

Before filing your claim, you have to review your policy and document all the damage. Once you contact your insurance provider, you’ve started the claim process, and you only need to wait for the insurance adjuster to arrive to inspect the damage. Afterward, you will receive your settlement if the damages are covered in your policy.

To ensure everything goes as planned, an expert should help you with your policy review and prepare you for filing your claim. 

The claims process can be tough to navigate. For instance, many people believe insurance will pay for the pan, but the reality is insurance will pay for the costs of tear out and replacement.

You’ll also need someone to help you if your claim is denied by helping you appeal the denial.

Choosing a Public Adjuster

Since the outcome of your shower pan leak claim can have a significant impact on your finances, you shouldn’t take a gamble with it. This is why you should choose Continental Public Adjusters - a company with decades of experience.

We handled all kinds of plumbing claims and we can ensure that you’re familiar with exactly what settlement you can receive.

Call (800) 989-4769, schedule a free consultation and start the claims process the right way.