Shower corners are most susceptible to water splashes. The constant dampness leads to mold breeding and staining due to soap scum build-up. Many of you get shower caulking done to seal the corners. But long does the caulk last? Maximum six months after which you have to endure the entire process again! To prevent caulking and re-caulking, we have a permanent solution for you. If interested, read further to know about the best caulk substitute for replacing caulk in shower.
What Causes Deterioration of Shower Caulk in a Few Months?
- Most caulks are made from silicon, acrylic or latex. These materials start peeling off in wet settings and as the shower is constantly damp, caulking proves to be a failure.
- If the weather conditions are too dry inside, caulk shrinks and cracks, forming crevices and gaps in this structure. This damaged caulk cannot seal your shower corners securely after cracking and this leads to mold and mildew breeding.
- Mold which starts forming on the gaps, quickly spreads on the caulk also, which further deteriorates it.
- Acidic cleaners also damage the caulk.
How to Know If your Caulk is Showing Signs of Deterioration?
A caulk gets damaged and ineffective when it begins to peel off or crack. If you find mold breeding on your caulk and find gaps, then you have to understand that the shower caulk has worn off. This problem will be faced by your frequently because caulk is either made of latex, acrylic or silicone. All these materials either start peeling off in moist and damp settings or they crack in dry conditions. Caulk is not weather-resistant and so if your caulk is five to six months old, it might show signs of wear and tear.
What Happens When you Never Replace your Caulk?
- An old caulk may have cracked or peeled off in some places if it has never been replaced or removed.
- The existing bits and pieces of caulk would have turned greenish black due to the development of mold on its surface.
- The areas where caulk has peeled off makes water stagnant and thus becomes a breeding ground of germs, mold and bacteria.
- The greenish-black dirty caulk ruins the look of your showers, making them look dirty and unhygienic.
- The main purpose of caulk is to seal the corners to prevent water accumulation at the corners. Since the caulk deteriorates after a few months, the damaged caulk will give place to water stagnation and mold breeding.
- The stagnant water would also seep into the tile through the porous tile and grout. This leads to mold breeding deep within the tile surface.
- The entire shower gets quickly covered with mold and mildew leading to health hazards such as eye-irritation, runny nose and respiratory problems. It also reeks of a bad odor.
- If you have never replaced your caulk, then definitely, your showers might be looking very unmaintained and unhygienic.
Why does Caulking Fail Repeatedly?
The main reason behind caulk failure is the water penetrating the grout and the area beneath the tile, resulting in dampness and moist conditions. The dampness also leads to mold breeding, which further deteriorates the caulk. Caulk tends to peel off in wet conditions and crack in dry settings. Many of you do not keep the windows open in your bathrooms and there is not enough ventilation. The dampness and warm weather inside a washroom often makes the caulk peel. The cracks and crevices in the caulk lead to water accumulation, which again is favorable for mold. A caulk replacement becomes evident when your old caulk wears off, but you get into a continuous loop by replacing, as it is bound to happen again.
Why is Re-Caulking Useless?
- Any solution that does not give permanent results can be called outdated because in today’s world, people only seek permanent and hassle free alternatives.
- Re-caulking is a traditional practice of sealing shower corners using acrylic or silicone caulk.
- Caulk shrinks and cracks in dry settings and peels off in wet settings. If you do re-caulking, it will lead to the same issues again.
- Caulk is also very bulky. With today’s new age products, it is possible to seal caulk with powerful epoxy resin sealers, which give a natural and sleek appearance, unlike caulk.
- Replacing shower caulk should be done with powerful products, which are not affected by different weather conditions, as shower areas will always be damp.
- Re-caulking can be done in very few colors as caulk is not available in a variety of shades. This makes the caulk get noticed all the more in your shower areas. Today, more advanced epoxy resin sealers have come in the market, which can be pigmented in more than 40 shades and can be matched to your tile color.
If not Re-Caulking, then What is a Better Solution?
These facts on re-caulking, brought to the surface, the significance of new age sealers, which totally abolished the practice of re-caulking. If your contractor advises you to go for re-caulking for your caulking repair issues, then it is time you switch to a better solution. There is a revolutionary new product that promises to deliver a permanent adhesion. It never pops from the surface and renders sleek and natural appearance to your shower corners. This exquisitely designed sealer can be pigmented in more than 40 shades to match your tile color. This epoxy resin is a revolutionary caulk substitute that makes the surface waterproof and does not let any weather settings damage the tile and grout.
Why is it Better to Call Experts for Using this Caulk Substitute?
Experts do not limit the procedure to only removing the old caulk. After removing the worn caulk, they indulge in thorough cleaning to remove all elements of mold and stains from the corners. They use heavy duty and robust cleaners to clean showers and kitchen caulk, which penetrate deep inside the pores and knock off all the tough stains and mold from the core. After getting a thoroughly clean and sanitized surface, they next proceed to filling in the gaps in the corners using a strong adhesive, which does not look bulky and forms a permanent bond. Once the corners are filled with resin fillers, experts seal the grout lines, thereby making the surface waterproof and weather-resistant. Caulk replacement when done in this systematic way, gives you permanent results and you will never have to worry about removing old bathtub caulking again. This way, replacing caulk in shower with strong adhesive fillers also makes your corners waterproof and damage free for long.
How is Caulk Replacement done in Showers?
For replacing caulk in showers, a proper procedure has to be followed:
- The existing caulk should be first removed.
- The entire area should then be cleaned with shower approved cleaners. Ensure that you take a deep-penetrating cleaner, which knocks off the stains and mold breeding at the root level.
- Once the corners are dry, a high-quality epoxy resin adhesive should be used to fill in the corners.
- Once the epoxy resin filler has properly covered all the grout lines, it is best to seal the grout lines with an epoxy resin grout sealer to prevent any further damage.
How is Caulk Replacement done in Bathtubs?
Many people use caulking to secure their bathtubs to the walls and flooring. This caulking does not give a permanent bond and soon cracks off and starts peeling, leading to mold formation in the gaps and corners. For tub caulk replacement, a proper procedure should be followed:
- The existing caulk should be removed first.
- Next, the corners should be cleaned with a deep-penetrating cleaner, which can eliminate the mold and mildew lurking in the corners.
- After the corners are dry, an epoxy resin adhesive should be filled in the corners in a sleek like to secure the bathtub properly to the wall and flooring.
- Lastly, it is recommended to seal the adhesive with an epoxy resin sealer, which forms a protective layer on the surface and also makes it waterproof.
- This caulk substitute can also be applied to sink after removing sink caulk.
So, replace your window caulk or any other caulk used in the house immediately and use the new age caulk substitute to get permanent results. Keep your home and commercial complex spaces clean, hygienic and beautiful using a powerful epoxy adhesive.
I really like your post you have included all the important information here i'm also sharing about where not to caulk around windows
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