You can extend the lifespan of your shower doors with regular cleaning and drying. Keeping your bathrooms well-ventilated will help as well. However, shower doors also need professional maintenance to both slow and reverse age-related wear. The following six warning signs indicate that your shower door needs maintenance right now.
1. Pooling Water
Shower doors should have watertight seals. If water pools on your floor after every shower, your doors might have failed seals, faulty gaskets or more serious structural issues. Overlooking door leaks will allow them to escalate by exposing metal hardware to excess moisture. Unchecked shower door leaks can damage your floors and subfloors and set the stage for mold and mildew formation.
2. Rusty Frames and Hardware
Rusty shower door frames and hardware detract from bathroom aesthetics. However, rust and other corrosion can also undermine protective door coatings, stain tubs and tiles, and cause other damage. Before long, you could have loose or wobbly door hinges and handles. Scheduling prompt shower door maintenance is the best way to keep localized corrosion in check.
3. Trouble Opening and Closing Your Shower Door
If it’s hard to open or close your shower door, schedule maintenance service right away. It could have worn hinges, warped tracks or damaged rollers. When door opening mechanisms fail, shower doors can become serious safety hazards.
4. Loud Squeaking and Squealing Sounds
Noisy shower doors need maintenance. Much like difficulty opening and closing, squeaking and squealing sounds could indicate rusted or worn hinges, misaligned rollers, or other structural or functional problems. When your shower door works as it should, you shouldn’t hear more than the sound of it softly clicking into and out of the closed position.
5. Pervasive Mildew and Mold
Mold and mildew thrive in moist environments. If you have a moldy bathroom in general, the problem could be poor ventilation, slow-moving drains or a hidden plumbing leak. However, if your shower door is the sole location of these growths, the most likely cause is a loose or leaky door seal, failed door hinges or problems with your shower door’s track.
During maintenance, shower door experts can make adjustments that improve door performance and promote rapid drying. Improved door functionality will decrease humidity in your bathroom and make mold problems easier to treat.
6. Stubborn Stains
Whether your shower doors have a heavy buildup of soap scum or dark, rust-colored stripes, they might need professional stain removal. If you’ve been scouring, squeegeeing or polishing your doors to no avail, professionals can quickly restore them to their original streak-free condition. Your doors might have hidden mold, corrosion or mineral buildups that require more than store-bought cleaners and elbow grease.
Professional maintenance makes shower doors last longer, perform better and look their best. To schedule service for your shower doors in Charleston, SC, contact Charleston Bath Experts today.