Tips on Recaulking Your Bathtub

The most common cause of bathtub leakage is failure of the caulking around the edge of the tub. If that's the case, here's a tip to keep in mind as you recaulk. Fill the tub with water first. That's because adding the weight of a person or water in the tub later can break the seal of the caulk.
Of course, there are several other possible sources of a tub leak.

• The seals around main and overflow drains can eventually go bad. The drains will need to be removed and their gaskets replaced.
  
• Water could be leaking from the spout or faucet and travelling back behind the escutcheon plate. That can easily be resealed with caulk.
  
• It could be as simple as water spraying out around the shower curtain. One simple solution is a plastic shower guard at the edge of the enclosure.

If there's still a mystery leak after checking those possibilities, the cause could be a crack in the tub itself. The bad news is, the only solution is a complete replacement.