HELP: Leak behind shower.

[Malathan]

After taking a shower (1 piece shower-bath unit), I can hear what sounds like a dripping in the wall. The plumbing on the shower in in the wall to the bedroom, so placing ear on both sides I can hear it. The sound is constant, every 8-10 seconds it will drip. Due to consistency, I ruled out noise from tub expanding/contracting from hot shower. No leaks show in the wall, under baseboard in bedroom, or from down below (downstairs). After an hour or so the dripping stops.

Is this an actual drip or maybe pipes just making noise? If the pipe were to leak/drip at a slow rate, wouldn't the water run down the pipe rather than fall hitting floor in wall? I have considered cutting a

2'X2' in wall from bedroom to look at pipes and see if there is a leak, but dread doing this as I am unfamiliar on patching the hole up again so you wouldn't be able to see it was ever cut out (guess as good a time as any to learn) as well as wall has a faux finish on it, so attempting to redo that and blend it is also daunting.

Any hints or ideas? Thanks in advance

- Clayton

[RayV]

Rule out pipe expansion by running the shower with only cold water for ten minutes and listen for drip, then run full hot and listen. It is usually the hot pipe that makes noise as it creaks through clamps.

Does it only leak when showering as opposed to just filling the tub?

Take off the trim plate for the valve(s) and look at the seals, water may be getting behind them. You may need to put plumbers putty on the back of them.

If it is only when showering try taking the showerhead goose neck off with pliers and a rag. Replace the teflon tape and reinstall.

If you still hear the dripping go here:

good luck.

[Speedy Jim]

If the waste piping is PVC, dripping *inside* the pipe will sound like that and is normal. Jim

[Malathan]

Any way of telling the type of piping? House was built in 2000.

- Clayton

[Malathan]

Excellent site for patching walls, Thank you.

Will do some additional checking/tests tonight. (fingers crossed)

- Clayton

[Speedy Jim]

Built in 2000 is almost certainly PVC (or ABS). If no basement, may be hard to actually see any of it. I will say the drip you hear is normal pipe noise.

Jim