Shower screen that doesn't leak - am desperate!

[CarelessWispa]

We have a fairly powerful shower over our bath, and have had awful trouble with our shower screens leaking at the hinge, where it meets the wall.

We've tried three different types so far, and each have had their own problems and have resulted in a rotten tongue/groove panel on the side of the bath, wet floorboards under the bath and a stream of property maintenace bods trying and failing to solve the problem.

Am really tired of the whole thing. It must be possible to get a screen that actually does what it's supposed to. We need a screen that you can open easily (to allow kids access at bathtime), and have tried a folding one (with little success). Also want one where the rubber seal on the bottom won't go manky with mould (and be impossible to clean).

Thanks, in advance.

Sorry, can't help you as we have had exactly the same problem - we are also on our third screen and have to stuff towels underneath to stop the drips going through into the kitchen below. We spent all of last weekend going around shops looking at different types. I hope someone comes along with a solution.

We were looking at the small ones on here in combination with a curtain, although I hate shower curtains.

www.plumbingpages.com/featurepages/SCorambathscreens.cfm

I am picturing a strip, perhaps aluminium channel, fixed to the wall, with hinges or pivots on this channel and also on the door.

Is that how it works?

If so, is the water leaking between this strip and the wall, or between the door and the channel?

or is it coming out of the bottom of the channel, or is it coming under the door?

In our case, the leaks come between the bath edge and the hinge end of the door, right in the corner.

I'm now picturing a rubber fin on the bottom of the door that has a gap at the end where it meets the strip on the wall.

Am I right?

Does the the bottom of the wall-strip itself seal tightly to the top of the bath?

I had this problem for 5 years. Many DIY 'fixes' tried by my Dad! Eventually I called a plumber who specialised in bathrooms. He knew exactly what was causing it within 2 min! ...then proceeded to show me.

It was a new flat and this plumber said most of his work was coming from this problem. He stripped back the sealant to show me how the installer had only sealed the exterior seals on the screen. The screen and door had multiple internal seals that were required to be put in place - they, of course, hadn't been. The whole screen was removed and re-installed with all the internal and external seals in place. That was last summer. Not a drop since!

Thanks for all the comments. Stargirl, that's interesting about the internal seals. Our current screen (no 3) is a folding one, but the water is somehow leaking under the bath beneath the taps, and our sealant has been redone (ditto the grout), and new taps (which I've been assured are water tight), so it could be what you're talking about.

Frothycurl - glad it's not just me!

I did have a look in Bathstore and this one looked quite well made, but it's very £££. Maybe you have to pay more to get one that will contend with a shower that's more than a trickle.

Anybody else got any good ideas?

It cost me £384 for the plumber to remove then reinstall the screen...