KBRS Shower Pan Problems: Reasons And How To Fix?

When it’s about keeping your shower in perfect condition, there are many solutions you can try out—one of the most crucial things people like is to waterproof their shower tiles.

Keeping up with that, you can always get KBRS shower pans for waterproofing and protecting your shower tiles.

However, KBRS shower pan problems are something you will need to go through before getting your hands on them. That’s what I will be discussing here today.

Life Expectancy of a KBRS Shower Pan

KBRS shower pans are designed to be extremely durable when installed properly. With proper care and maintenance, a KBRS shower pan should last 15-25 years or more.

Many factors affect the lifespan of your shower pan, including:

• Quality of installation – Proper slope and sealant application is crucial
• Frequency of use – More use equals more wear and tear
• Care and cleaning – Follow manufacturer instructions to avoid damage from cleaners
• Water quality – Hard water causes more mineral deposit buildup
• Early repairs – Fixing minor issues quickly prevents bigger problems

With high-quality installation and care, your KBRS pan can exceed 20+ years. But inadequacies in installation or maintenance may shorten its usable life.

Be sure to address any problems promptly to maximize longevity.

Why Do Shower Pans Fail?

Shower pans like those made by KBRS fail for a few key reasons:

Improper Installation

The #1 cause of early shower pan failure is improper installation. Common mistakes include:

• Inadequate slope – Pans must slope 1⁄4” per foot towards the drain to prevent standing water.
• Missing or inadequate sealant – All seams and edges must be sealed to prevent leaks.
• Lack of support – Pans need proper backing and reinforcement to prevent flexing and cracks.
• Not level – The pan must sit flat and level or it can shift and sink over time.
• Substrate issues – Cracks or movement in the substrate underneath will transfer to the pan.

Taking shortcuts during installation almost guarantees the pan will fail prematurely. Follow KBRS’ instructions exactly to ensure a long lasting, leak-free pan.

Cracks

Cracks form in KBRS pans due to:

• Excessive deflection – Movement or flexing can cause stress cracks, especially near the drain.
• Freezing temperatures – Water seeping under the pan and freezing causes expansion cracks.
• Settlement – If the substrate sinks or shifts, it can crack the pan.
• Impact damage – Dropping heavy objects can shatter pans.

Once cracks form, water intrudes underneath leading to leaks, mold, and further cracking as the pan detaches from the substrate.

Punctures

Punctures go through the pan surface, resulting in leaks. Common causes include:

• Dropped objects – Razors, shampoo bottles, etc. can penetrate the surface.
• Improper drain installation – Over-tightening or uneven tightening of the drain flange can crack and puncture the base.
• Chemical burns – Harsh cleaners like drain cleaners can eat through the surface material.

Punctures must be patched as soon as possible to avoid water damage and leaks.

Leaks

Leaks result from cracks, punctures, improper seals, and deteriorated caulk. Water seeping under the pan causes mildew, bacteria, and further breakdown of the substrate and pan materials. Leaks left unresolved lead to complete failure needing full pan replacement.

Material Breakdown

With time and heavy use, the materials making up a KBRS pan degrade:

• Erosion – Soap scum, mineral deposits, and cleaning chemicals eat away at the gelcoat surface.
• Delamination – Moisture works between the fiberglass layers causing bubbling and separation.
• Discoloration – Materials stain and yellow from mold and mildew.
• Weakening – Fiberglass loses structural strength as the resin wears down.

This material degradation eventually causes leaks or breakdown to the point where the pan is no longer waterproof and must be replaced.

Following the manufacturer’s care guidelines maximizes the lifespan before deterioration. But material breakdown is inevitable after decades of use.

Common KBRS Shower Pan Drawbacks

Luckily, there are not many problems that you have to face with KBRS shower pans. First of all, they are very effective in what they do and are worth it for sure.

This shower solution has two major concerns that may bug you a little bit. Let’s get through them quickly.

• Putting On The Waterproofing Membrane Is Difficult

One of the major problems that you will come in the KBRS shower pan is with the waterproofing membrane.

The membrane you get with this shower pan is very difficult to put up on tiles. It takes a lot of effort to complete the whole process. Also, it’s a bit complicated to go through as well.

It will take up a lot of your time as well. And if you mess up even a little bit in the process, you may need to redo the whole thing all over again. So, there is almost no room for error here.

Another issue is that some parts of the membrane can also come off. While fixing that isn’t that big of a deal; still, it’s an additional concern to have in your mind.

• It’s A Bit Expensive Compared To The Other Options

This is a problem you may have with KBRS shower pans. They are a little bit on the expensive side of the spectrum. You can find shower pans from other companies or brands for a much lower price.

Also, the expenses can go even higher if you are considering some customizations. Customizing the KBRS shower pans can get very expensive, which can be problematic for some people out there.

And unfortunately, there is no solution to this problem either.

These are the two crucial problems you will encounter with KBRS shower pans. Other than that, these pans’ quality, performance, and effectiveness are top-notch.

I will go through those in a bit to show you whether it’s worth all the extra expense or you should look for other options.

Before that, let’s talk about solving the waterproofing membrane issue. Even though there isn’t much you can do about it; some things can make your job much easier.

That is to follow the proper installation procedure to ensure the membrane is placed correctly and doesn’t cause any issues. Let’s get through that very quickly.

Installing The KBRS Shower Pan The Right Way!

When it comes to shower systems, proper installation can save you from a world of trouble.

With proper installation, you won’t have to worry about any problems that you may face in the future.

So, let’s go ahead and check out the proper method for installing the KBRS shower pan.

There are several things that you will need for the installation. Here’s what you should be getting before you install the shower pan –

1. 3/4″ U-notch trowel
2. Thinset mixer
3. Polymer Modified thin-set
4. Electric drill
5. 5-gallon plastic mixing bucket
6. Wood furring strips
7. Deck screws
8. Silicone sealant or Polyurethane sealant

Once you have got everything ready, you can begin with the installation process. Let’s check out the steps for installation –

1. First, you have to ensure that the floor is completely level. You can use a leveler to test that out. Along with that, you will also need to check whether the shower drain is installed correctly or not.
2. After that, you have to remove the clamping ring of the drain. Then, test out the fit of the shower pan through a dry fit. You have to check the alignment and the fit of the shower pan at this stage.
3. Next, you have to mix the polymer thin-set following the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the ¾” trowel to spread the thin-set properly. It would help if you got the trowel included in the KBRS shower pan package.
4. Now, use the silicone or polyurethane sealant around the outer edge on top of the drain base.
5. Then, you have to set the shower pan or tile base in place while keeping the drain centered around the hole. After placing it correctly, walk on the shower pan and distribute your weight evenly on it.
6. Once again, use the leveler to check if the shower pan is leveled correctly or not.
7. After this, you can install the clamping ring on the drain and tighten all the bolts used in it.
8. Then, you have to fasten the furring strips on the face of the studs. When you are doing this, make sure you are starting half an inch above the perimeters.
9. Now, take some polyurethane and apply a bead of it around on the base where the flange meets the bottom of the base. This keeps water from leaking from the backer board.

That’s pretty much it for the actual KBRS tile base installation. After this, you have to install the backer board.

Then, you just have to set the drain barrel according to your tile installation. And finally, you can begin installing your tiles which is completely another process.

With this kind of proper installation, you can avoid most of the problems associated with the KBRS shower pans. Watch this official video to learn more about the installation.

https://youtu.be/08CTgbgAw0Y

Are The KBRS Shower Pans Worth It?

Now let’s talk about the second issue: the KBRS shower pans can be pretty expensive. Since there are no solutions to that, you have to consider whether it’s worth it or not.

I will be very honest with you here, KBRS shower pans are truly well worth the money you spend on them.

Here’s why –

• These shower pans are universally usable. You can use them with almost all kinds of tiles. They blend in with any kind of setup and don’t become an eyesore. You won’t have issues with the looks at all.
• Installation of the whole thing isn’t that difficult. You don’t even need any professional help to get the job done for the most part. It’s straightforward to follow the process.
• The shower pans come with a leakproof design. So, once you install them in your showers, you won’t have to worry about any water leaking through whatsoever.
• There will be no mold growth with these shower pans. This is closely related to the fact that these pans don’t go through any kind of leakage; you can forget about any mold growth as well.

As you can see, except for the cost, there is nothing that you will need to worry about with these shower pans. That’s why they are truly worth the money you pay for them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

In short, there aren’t many KBRS shower pan problems that you need to be worried about. That’s what makes them so good in performance.

And many people prefer them over any other solution, even if they are a bit more expensive in customization.