Reason #4: Curbless Walk-ins & No More Leaking Showers
Tile and grout - even sealed grout - are not completely waterproof. In fact, moisture and water vapor inside a shower can creep through to the wall and floor. If underlying structures below the tile are not sealed with an effective waterproofing membrane, moisture will collect in the wall and floor cavities leading to mold infestation, which further leads to health problems and costly repairs.
Curbless walk-in showers are an increasingly popular method for controlling water in bathrooms and showers. They keep water where it belongs through one or more of the following methods:
Sloping the Floor: Sloping the shower floor slightly in one direction toward a linear drain is both helpful and necessary to effectively guide water over the floor’s surface. A gradual slope - no more than 1/8th -1/4th inch per foot – will also allow wheeled devices to remain stationary inside the shower. Installation of a Linear Drain: Linear drains are one of the most fundamental elements of curbless showers. Linear drains have a long grate on top and a trough-like channel underneath where water is collected and sent out through a pipe.
They are typically installed at the opening of the shower stall or along the floor at the back of the shower. Linear drains are highly effective when it comes to controlling water, especially if waterproof membranes are properly installed; so designers and builders can be confident that unwanted water infiltration will not occur. Generally, linear drains can remove 8 to 10 gallons of water per minute (EPAct of 1992 standards established a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute per fixture).
