Looking for feedback on our new product - Tile Advice

[Wetwall Caddy]

Hi we are a company from New Zealand with a patented invention to seal penetrations and prevent water damage in wet walls.
We believe existing and common practice method of sealing your shower mixer is prone to failure and totally reliant on silicone. Leaks to wet area penetrations are near impossible to identify until it's too late and the damage caused can run into the thousands not to mention you're out of a place to shower for a significant amount of time.

The Wetwall Caddy is included in the New Zealand code of practice for internal wet area membranes.

The water control valve (or outlet) sits inside the Wetwall Caddy and any potential leaks are trapped and expelled through the front of the flange and down the tiled wall lining, alerting the owner to the leak and preventing any water from leaking down into the wall cavity and causing substantial damage.

We would appreciate your feedback into the product and if you think this would be of benefit to you?

Install video here
Our website here: www.wetwallcaddy.com

 

[Ajax123]

Rather assumes the leak is at the plumbing points. Most of the failures I have seen have been at the wall to floor interface. This doesn't help that at all and I think it is over engineering a problem that doesn't actually exist in any real way. I guess it would be OK for the diy bodgers but would then have the skills to use it anyway. I can't invest so I'm out...

 

[Wetwall Caddy]

Wait Ajax thank you for your reply but before you go out....

Next time you're in the shower take a look at the mixer. Look at the seal against the tiles, there's no way that's sealed correctly. And the wet area has significant water at all times.
A minor leak here can over time cause significant issues. It's also hard to identify.

And yes the area you pointed out does cause issues but in our experience penetrations also do.

Often the original plumber and tiler are not involved in the remediation. The owner contacts a builder whom we have noticed in NZ are calling for and specifying the product.

This may have not happened in your installs but is it worth the risk to not include this as an insurance against such leaks? Besides the waterproofing aspect the plumbing here can and does fail so this protects that.

 

[Qwerty]

Hi @Wetwall Caddy . I have deleted your other thread as classed as advertising. I will let this one go for this time being as you are asking for opinions which is fair enough.

 

[Wetwall Caddy]

Hi @Wetwall Caddy . I have deleted your other thread as classed as advertising. I will let this one go for this time being as you are asking for opinions which is fair enough.

Thank you.

 

[Chalker]

Hi
Neat idea. But most built in mixers I fit, come like yours, but ready done.
Grohe, geberitt and viega all make "I boxes " where the mixer is within a waterproof housing and then a gasket is fitted before tiling and a neoprene seal on the reverse of the shower chrome trim.

 

[One Day]

I just watched the video too. I agree it's a weak point on many installs, plumbers often simply smear clear silicone everywhere.
Personally, I only install i-boxes like Chalker, which have their own bespoke gaskets made from kerdi membrane.
I think it's a product which could potentially do well here in the UK on new-builds, if you can get it specified.
Bear in mind that we still don't waterproof wet areas on new-builds, and specify water-resistant plasterboard and chipboard!

 

[Wetwall Caddy]

Hi
Neat idea. But most built in mixers I fit, come like yours, but ready done.
Grohe, geberitt and viega all make "I boxes " where the mixer is within a waterproof housing and then a gasket is fitted before tiling and a neoprene seal on the reverse of the shower chrome trim.

Thanks Chalker we have come across one of these ibox set ups in NZ by Hansgrohe it retails for over a thousand dollars but we don't believe it specifically seals the penetration. Also we don't believe it allows water to escape the enclosure of the box in the event of plumbing failure. This is where I believe we differ from this product.

 

[Wetwall Caddy]

I just watched the video too. I agree it's a weak point on many installs, plumbers often simply smear clear silicone everywhere.
Personally, I only install i-boxes like Chalker, which have their own bespoke gaskets made from kerdi membrane.
I think it's a product which could potentially do well here in the UK on new-builds, if you can get it specified.
Bear in mind that we still don't waterproof wet areas on new-builds, and specify water-resistant plasterboard and chipboard!

Hi Impish thanks for your reply. And interesting feedback on construction. This makes Ajax's comments make a lot more sense as the failures must often be at the floor to wall interface due to lack of waterproofing.

 

[One Day]

Hi Impish thanks for your reply. And interesting feedback on construction. This makes Ajax's comments make a lot more sense as the failures must often be at the floor to wall interface due to lack of waterproofing.

They most definitely are! Building settles and opens up the interface - water gets in and damage follows.
That, and just poor fixing and grouting.

 

[Ajax123]

Wait Ajax thank you for your reply but before you go out....

Next time you're in the shower take a look at the mixer. Look at the seal against the tiles, there's no way that's sealed correctly. And the wet area has significant water at all times.
A minor leak here can over time cause significant issues. It's also hard to identify.

And yes the area you pointed out does cause issues but in our experience penetrations also do.

Often the original plumber and tiler are not involved in the remediation. The owner contacts a builder whom we have noticed in NZ are calling for and specifying the product.

This may have not happened in your installs but is it worth the risk to not include this as an insurance against such leaks? Besides the waterproofing aspect the plumbing here can and does fail so this protects that.

I know mine doesn't leak cos I did it myself but I accept your point. Maybe I'm back in... well with one foot at least

 

[Dumbo]

Hi
Neat idea. But most built in mixers I fit, come like yours, but ready done.
Grohe, geberitt and viega all make "I boxes " where the mixer is within a waterproof housing and then a gasket is fitted before tiling and a neoprene seal on the reverse of the shower chrome trim.

Same as