One of the most attractive benefits of shower screens are their low maintenance requirements and need for minimal upkeep. Cleaning is fairly straightforward and there are a number of products available on the market to ease with this task. One of the only substantial maintenance requirements for shower screens occurs when the seals begin to wear out. Choosing a shower screen seal is vital to ensuring a watertight shower enclosure.
What Is a Screen Seal?
A shower screen seal is essentially the component of the screen that connects to the wall, tub, or floor, closing any gaps and preventing water from leaking out. The seals are present on any surface of the shower screen that is not permanently affixed to another surface. Seals can be made of rubber, plastic, silicone, or any other similar semi-flexible substances.
What Types of Seals Are Available?
There are basically two types of replacement shower screen seals on the market. Most do it yourself consumers prefer the track system, or clip on system. This method uses a rubber or plastic track that clips on the the panel surfaces. Similar to a windshield wiper, the track includes a flexible lip that folds against the surface the panel is in contact with in order to prevent water leakage. A clip on track system is easy to install and essentially universal since the tracking can be cut to fit any size panel it needs to. A track system is the more affordable option, but needs replacing more often than the second choice.
The second type of seal, which is much longer lasting, is a silicone edging applied to any exposed surfaces that need to meet with another surface to create a watertight seal. When the two silicone coated surfaces meet, a seal is formed which holds in water. The downside of silicone edges are that professional application is usually recommended and the cost is slightly higher than a do it yourself track system. The upside, of course, is that the silicone edging will last much longer than the track system.
If you prefer to do your own maintenance at a lower cost on a frequent basis, the track system is ideal. For consumers who would rather pay a professional to install their system, pay a slightly higher amount, and have to deal with maintenance less often, they should consider silicone seals.
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