skip to main content

Plumbing leak from shower in new house...help!

15 years ago

So, DH and I just moved into a house built in 1982 last Friday. The owners had not lived in it since October. Yesterday we were inspecting the kitchen lighting when we noticed some bubbling of paint on the ceiling. DH poked the spot and his finger went through the drywall! When we stepped back and looked at the area, it was clear that the ceiling had been patched previously (maybe a 2x2 square). We must have missed the patch when inspecting the house.

Directly above that area is a shower stall and jacuzzi bathtub. We don't recall this bubbling paint when we initially saw the house, nor when the inspection was conducted in mid-April...we think the bubbling paint/moist ceiling has occurred since we moved in and started taking a shower in the bathroom stall (haven't used the tub yet). As I mentioned before, it hadn't been used since Oct.

There doesn't seem to be any broken tiles, missing grout or anything in the shower, but there are a couple of places where the grout & caulk looks new. I peeked my head into the jacuzzi tub's access door to get a look at what I could of the shower and didn't notice any moisture on the side I could see...I'm new to owning a home that has issues (i lived in new construction before w/out a single problem), I'm not sure what to do at this point... DO I call a plumber and let him charge me $45 for a trip plus $94 an hour (is that even a reasonable rate)? Will a plumber rip down my drywall requiring huge patching? We want to redo the shower and bathroom in a year or two - should I prepare myself to redo the shower now??

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

heimert
15 years ago
If the drywall is wet you're going to need to pull it out anyway. I would cut out the area and then some, and try to figure out what the problem is. If the leak is in the plumbing, call the plumber. If it appears to be in the tile, then you need a tile guy.

I would also discuss with your real estate agent, because if the area has been patched, the previous owners likely had a problem before, tried to fix it, and then may have decided not to use the shower after fixing it and during the sale. Don't jump to conclusions, but I would take a picture or two before you tear anything out and then figure out the problem and determine how to proceed.
MongoCT
15 years ago
Was the repair listed in the disclosure? Get a hold of your agent and start squawking.

Is the shower floor tiled or a one-piece?

If the latter is there any flex whatsoever in the shower floor, especially around the drain?

What's closest to the hole in your ceiling? The tub plumbing/drain? the shower?

For low-tech sleuthing get a light up there, if you can reach even unroll some paper towels, then turn on the tub. Try with the drain open and closed. Watch where the overflow lever comes out of the tub. Watch the trap itself.

Same with the other fixtures.

If you find nothing, then try running the water with someone standing on the tub and/or standing in the shower.

Plastic shower pans and plastic tubs can flex around the drains. Plastic tubs can also flex causing the caulk to fail where the tub mets the wall.

I've even seen shower head arms cross threaded, they slowly leak over time inside the wall.

Time to put on your Inspector Detector cap.

Mongo
Related Discussions
Leak in shower means new bathroom! Help me with layout?
Q
Comments (6)
Prickly- your second suggestion is what we thought to do, but I like the idea of no door for the shower on the end where you'd enter - to save money. Not sure if code would let us get away with it. I drew it out and it seemed the simplest. I don't believe there is a cast iron shower pan that allows this so we'd have to tile. Or look into cultured marble? I've resisted moving the toilet for cost reasons. It would be less plumbing work than separating the vanity, though.
...See More
Help! New cast iron radiators leak... (cross-posted to Plumbing)
Q
Comments (6)
Is it still leaking or has it oxidized enough to stop the leak? If so, paint over it and forget about it. Waiting for oxidation is what the manufacturer suggested. I don't like it, because there is no ETA. Meanwhile, our new wooden floor is about to start rotting under it. If it's a pipe threaded plug that's leaking, redo it. The manufacturer is giving us the plugs, but the plumber wants several thousands of dollars for that job. Supposedly, the old ones need to be "drilled" out... Perhaps, we can get someone else to do it for (much) less, but it is still incredibly frustrating.
...See More
Plumbing leak in my new house. Help!
Q
Comments (1)
Don't worry about the drywall. It's toast. Will have to be removed and replaced regardless. Doesn't matter much if its a little patch or a large one. Suggest taking it out for that reason and to give yourself visual access to the area above it which may well show you where the leak is coming from. If you're unfamiliar with this, do hire someone who knows what to look for. If it costs what you say, that's too bad but there really isn't an alternative. You can't let this go. Suggest going after it once and with gusto. There are people who typically identify themselves as "flood restoration services" or some such wording. They do this kind of thing all the time. An outfit like that may be able to take your job from start to finish. I just used one to patch up my ceiling after a roof leak. Roof is now sealed up and the ceiling looks like nothing ever happened.
...See More
How to tell if my new bathroom shower leaks
Q
Comments (8)
You ask a very good question. 1) You mentioned mold. Has this been remediated (bleach)? No wood rot? 2) You want this to dry out really good so we would advise leaving it open. 3) After the new installation, have the standard shower "flood test" done and wait 24-48 hours. If all is good, then have them proceed with the repairs to the ceiling. 4) Warranty? The most important thing you can be doing right now is hiring a qualified contractor to do this work and specifying that all work will comply with TCNA standards. Sorry you are dealing with this. We get too many "leaking into dining room/living room/ basement" calls (not our work). Make sure your contractor knows what he/she is doing and ask how they will be constructing the shower, and document/photograph the stages. Good luck with your project.
...See More
rharvster
15 years ago
Like Mongo said- take out a section of drywall. It's very likely you'll see the culprit directly above the hole. Keep in mind it could be the drain, or it could be the riser that goes from the valve up to the shower head. These are the parts that only leak when the water is running. The rest of the plumbing would leak all the time (not just during use) if they were leaking.
The drywall should come out, so you may as well do it right away and get the drying/repair process started before the moisture leads to other problems. Don't wait and not use it. The moisture is still up there.
Be careful when removing the drywall from the ceiling; there may be wires running thru there or other plumbing pipes.
Also make sure to keep your head out of the way, who knows what may be laying on the other side. Safety first!

Related Stories

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: A Modern Loft Gets a Little Help From Some Friends

By Mitchell Parker

With DIY spirit and a talented network of designers and craftsmen, a family transforms their loft to prepare for a new arrival

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 10 Tricks to Help Your Bathroom Sell Your House

By Mink Home Staging

As with the kitchen, the bathroom is always a high priority for home buyers. Here’s how to showcase your bathroom so it looks its best

SELLING YOUR HOUSE 10 Low-Cost Tweaks to Help Your Home Sell

By Lurdes Abruscato

Put these inexpensive but invaluable fixes on your to-do list before you put your home on the market

REMODELING GUIDES Wisdom to Help Your Relationship Survive a Remodel

By Mitchell Parker

Spend less time patching up partnerships and more time spackling and sanding with this insight from a Houzz remodeling survey

HEALTHY HOME How to Keep Water Vapor From Ruining Your House and Your Health

By Mariana Pickering (Emu Building Science)

We help you find out when it’s happening, what it means and how to fix it

COLOR Paint-Picking Help and Secrets From a Color Expert

By Tiffany Carboni

Advice for wall and trim colors, what to always do before committing and the one paint feature you should completely ignore

SMALL SPACES Life Lessons From 10 Years of Living in 84 Square Feet

By Mitchell Parker

Dee Williams was looking for a richer life. She found it by moving into a very tiny house

SELLING YOUR HOUSE Help for Selling Your Home Faster — and Maybe for More

By Laura Gaskill

Prep your home properly before you put it on the market. Learn what tasks are worth the money and the best pros for the jobs

SELLING YOUR HOUSE A Moving Diary: Lessons From Selling My Home

By Laura Gaskill

After 79 days of home cleaning, staging and — at last — selling, a mom comes away with a top must-do for her next abode

BATHROOM WORKBOOK Standard Fixture Dimensions and Measurements for a Primary Bath

By Steven Corley Randel, Architect

Create a luxe bathroom that functions well with these key measurements and layout tips

Sponsored

NME Builders LLC

2 Reviews

Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, OH

More Discussions

Bathroom Accessories - where to buy?

3

Bathroom vanity search

2

Master Bath Remodel

4

remodeling basement bathroom.

0

Shower curtain rod height

4