According to the CDC, the average American showers for 8.2 minutes per day. This translates to nearly 3,000 minutes, or more than two days, in the shower each year.
When you rely on a feature of your home to such a great extent, you’re going to need to maintain it. This means engaging in preventative maintenance. However, it also means monitoring for signs of trouble, which can require more extensive repairs or replacement.
Find out when to replace your shower doors and how to maintain them in this helpful guide.
How Often Do You Need to Replace Your Shower Doors?
The lifespan of shower doors varies depending on various factors. Frequency of use and dedication to ongoing maintenance are two such factors. The doors on an infrequently used shower in a guest bathroom will, with proper maintenance, last much longer than doors that experience greater use.
In addition, the quality of materials and of the initial installation are important.
Most shower doors are constructed of tempered glass. Tempered glass showers enhance the safety, elegance, and durability of your bathroom. They are also relatively easy to clean. Still, glass showers can crack, and cracked shower doors require a quick replacement.
With time, glass shower doors can also discolor. These unsightly changes suggest the need for a shower replacement.
Finally, glass shower doors typically incorporate metal hinges, fasteners, frames, and handles, which can rust. Rusty features pose a considerable health and safety hazard. They also contribute to shower leaks, which can cause extensive water damage. Thus, a rusty door is among the most common signs that it’s time for a shower replacement.
Maybe you don’t see any rust, but you’re still finding yourself mopping up leaks after each shower. Or you notice that the shower door doesn’t close securely. These situations, too, suggest the need for shower door maintenance.
What Should You Do If You Notice a Problem?
For most homeowners, bathroom remodeling jobs are extensive enough to warrant a call to a repair service. This is especially true for shower door maintenance that requires the delicate and precise installation of large glass panels.
Calling a professional repair service, like Community Glass, protects your family’s safety during the repair and for many years after. Making that call at the first sign of trouble prevents more extensive damage from developing.
How Can You Maintain Your Shower Doors?
Ongoing shower cleaning and maintenance, of course, is the best way to prevent trouble in the first place. The acronym SPOT provides a helpful strategy for glass shower maintenance.
1. Squeegee
The first step of shower maintenance involves squeegeeing the walls and doors to remove excess water after each use. This is especially important because municipal water supplies include mineral salts, which cause damaging rust and unsightly streaks.
2. Polish
Polishing the shower glass once a week also helps to prevent soap scum build-up. Fortunately, this task doesn’t require any special equipment or chemicals. Instead, simply moisten a fabric softener sheet and polish away!
3. Oil
Your door’s moving parts require maintenance too. Periodically spraying the hinges with WD-40 keeps them swinging smoothly and silently.
4. Treat
Finally, your door’s metal frame can benefit from additional attention. Every few weeks, treat the frame with a paste of baking soda and water. Applied with vigorous scrubbing, this gently abrasive paste removes stubborn salts and prevents rust.
Does Your Shower Door Have a Clean Bill of Health?
If they exhibit any of the warning signs above, it might be time to replace your shower doors. If your shower doors are currently healthy, keep them that way with the SPOT strategy. Now that you have your door sorted out, let’s make your shower better by checking out theĀ best shower filterĀ thatĀ suits your needs.
Then check out the rest of our blog for more helpful home and lifestyle tips.
