Mystery leak in bathroom

[roddykfc]

Hi, wonder if you can help me. I've just fitted a new bathroom suite. Had no problems for 3 weeks but am now getting a leak from somewhere in the bathroom. It is slowly dripping throug the ceiling into the kitchen below. Can't see any visible leaks around wastes, drains, etc. Eliminated the toilet as the water is clear (toilet water is blue). It seems to be in the sink area and think it may be a leak under the floor where the supply for the sink taps come from. Any idea how to confirm without ripping (brand new) tiles up or removing tilesand walls?

Cheers

[Mike Halmarack]

May be cheaper to access for inspection through ceiling below. Are there things you can temporarily turn off or stop using to gauge the effect?

[SimonJ]

Especially given the fact that the ceiling will probably need replacing anyway due to water damage.

[Mike Halmarack]

I'd definitely make haste to avoid that.

[Cicero]

=================== It still could be the toilet - the plasterboard may be filtering out the blue colour. How close is the leak to the toilet area?

Cic.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

One of the pitfalls of having water piping under tiled bathroom floors. Its a ceiling below job if you don't want to rip tiles up, bearing in mind the water travels along the plasterboard. ;-)

[Steve Walker]

you'll have to saw out a panel of ceiling to inspect & repair

[noelogara]

The same thing happened to me also today. first check the multiwick at the toilet pipe for any wetness. should be bone dry. It may leak only when you flush it so you wont notice a drip. Then check the water supply pipe to the wc is dry and the tee which connects it to the supply. In my case the water was leaking out to the floor between the wc and the basin and a brass fitting was leaking behind a skirting board and luckily I was able to get access to it and replaced the fitting. The hot line fitting was actually corroded and when I tried to tighten the nut the body of the fitting sprung a tiny leak due to corrosion. if I were you I would work on the floor level rather than the ceiling. If you start opening the ceiling you might end up with no ceiling to find the leak and its much more difficult to work up in the air. Its easy to remove a few tiles and replace them. most likely its a slack fitting at the tees under the basin or the waste which will be beside them. Not a big problem if you remove two or three tiles neatly. scrape out the grout first and lever them off with a strong scraper. definitely dont touch the ceiling.

[Paul Andrews]

Yes, but then you're left with the plywood underneath and then the floorboards - not an easy job at all...

[noelogara]

the pipes most likely run just behind the skirting under the basin so what ever he has to cut open to get at them the finish is just to replace the few tiles. better than put up a new ceiling. you would find it very difficult to hide the joins in that and then match the paint.

[John Rumm]

It is actually quite easy to make neat repairs to a ceiling if it is a smooth painted finish. Chop out a section as required, replace plasterboard when done and skim it - take a bit of time feathering the new plaster at the edges and paint over.

Lifting tiles from a tiled bathroom floor however is quite difficult since no only are there the tiles, but usually a layer of ply and then the floorboards underneath. All of which will need cutting through and then need supporting and replacing.

[roddykfc]

Thanks for the reply. The drip is right at the wall and is seeping down the back of the coving in the kitchen, so no damage yet.

[roddykfc]

I'll try closing the stop valves on sink water supplies. It's dry above however so i assume it wont help. May go in from below. need to check layout of pipes to make sure i'll get access though.

Thanks for replying. Roddy

[roddykfc]

Toilet is further to the right of where i suspect the leak is but may be running from there of course. Problem is the waste from toilet is boxed in and tiled so i'd need to remove them before i can get access.

Thanks for the reply

[roddykfc]

The pipes actually run down through the tiles, ply, floorboards, etc, so it would be a bit of a grind to get access to the leak (if that's where it is). I'll try shutting off the water. If that stops the leak then i can assume the leak is from the supply?

Cheers

Roddy

[noelogara]

the problem I see is if you attack the ceiling you may end up with a big hole or several before you find the leak. Also you need to cut a fairly big hole to work on. The wife wont be happy if you end up with a few holes in her kitchen ceiling.

the most likely place for the leak is just under the basin where the joints are. You are working on the floor rather than a ladder and so what if your ply is damaged. It wont be seen when the few tiles are stuck back on. Its not too difficult to remove a tile if you scrape all round first and then prise it off.

[roddykfc]

Yeah, going to go go for that. Floor wasnt in too good condiyion in that area anyway pre-tiling so i'll sort that out at the same time.

Thanks for your help. Let u know how i go.

Roddy