Mend > Plumbing

I have a mystery leak in the bathroom?

Hi - has anyone get any ideas about this? I have a leak in my living room ceiling, which is below my bathroom. I have checked all the pipes round the bath and toilet and can't find any wet patches. However the problem seems to occur when I have user my shower - which is just one of those push-on jobbies fixed to the bath taps. It seems like the problem occurs when I am using the shower mixer, e.g. when I'm washing my hair (ie not in the fixed position). Although I get enough water pressure for what I'm doing I'm wondering if the water can be backing up somewhere and leaking further back (ie under the bathroom floor boards). I really don't want to have to get a plumber in if I can help it because my bathroom is so small that I know he will have to take out the bath,and it was fitted so stupidly that there's no way of doing this without damaging it, meaning I will have to add the cost of a new bath to any other work! Any ideas?

gordeeto
June 2008

D.I.Y, Plumbing Leak Plumber Water Pressure

Useful tip: If you have a job finding where the water is leaking from, dry everything with a dry towel then try to locate the leak using COLOURED toilet paper. This shows up any water straightaway.

Nobby
June 2008

run the shower and run it over the overflow etc check overflow fixing is not loose.

hi-spec plumbing & heating.
June 2008

Thanks for your responses. I have replaced the sealant round the bath and also round the taps as I have had that problem before as well! The weird thing is that the problem doesn't seem to be when I'm having a shower (ie with the showerhead fixed to the wall) but when I'm washing my hair (or the dog!) and I'm using the showerhead lower down. I have taken the bath panel off and felt all round the pipes and on the floor and can't find any wet patch at all. It's a real mystery.

gordeeto
June 2008

i had this problem when i moved into my house, we had a plumber out several times but he couldnt find the problem, then we tried one more time where the plumber re-sealed all around the bath and touch wood it has never happened again.

em
June 2008

is the shower fixed securely to the taps as a common problem is water gos down between the bath and tiles where bath needs resealing.

hi-spec plumbing & heating
June 2008