I agree with Randy. The only real way to test a shower is what Simon does. Leaks occur with someone standing there, not a flooded shower pan.
Cheers
I appreciate your feedback. I’ve done quite a bit of thinking since I started this thread, and I agree with what you say . By flooding the shower pan, you’re creating a situation that normally wouldn’t happen, and it would be difficult to explain to the homeowner why there was damage. I also agree with something someone else said, that if there has been leaking, there are other ways to detect it. Even though I didn’t technically invite a discussion on whether it was a good idea to do a flood test, I appreciate everyone’s input.
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That is exactly correct. It’s a unnecessary test.
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Tool experts has them for about 10 dollars less.
Chuck Evans made one in another thread with Roy’s drain stopper and a plastic sink tailpiece. Cut the flanged end of the tailpiece to about 1 1/2 inch long and insert through a hole cut in the drain stopper. If its a tight fit probably doesn’t need any silicone sealer.
The reason for this test is to simulate the weight of a person in the shower while the water is running. Water weighs about 62.5 pounds per cubic foot. Where the test fails is simply the fact that a person’s weight is not evenly distributed across the shower pan (like the water) nor will the test simulate the movement of that weight which can contribute to pan leakage.
The average shower pan holds slightly less than 1 cubic foot of water (at the 2" level of the standard test plug). So the test doesn’t even accomplish what it is intended to do (only provides about 60 lbs), unless your testing a child’s shower.
It’s what I call a ‘show and tell’ tool. That is, it may impress the client but accomplishes little else.
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Randy and I are on the same page. In 22 (almost 23) years, I’ve never had a complaint about not flood testing the shower pan.
All I do is the visual inspection of the shower and the shower pan. Including grout and then the other issues that I may see. I don’t fill it up
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If it is going to leak it will most likely leak around the drain to the pan seal. And leave a water stain on the ceiling below.
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I don’t always fill it up but when I do it may leave a stain on the ceiling below.
I just visually inspect the shower, shower walls, grout, check for soft sheetrock and test for operation. If anyone thinks 3” of water is going to mimic an adults weight they are off by over 100lbs. Water doesn’t mimic the stepping around and flexing a plastic or fiberglass pan does with an adult in it. I can look at the ceiling under a shower and tell you if it’s leaking in about 2 seconds and move on with my inspection. Meanwhile others are filling the pan and instead of taking the 15 minutes to watch it fill up they’re moving in with the inspection and guess what…it overflows and they just bought a new ceiling.
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It works especially well with an appropriate infrared imager.
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May I ask which imager you would use ? I’ve been looking at these and am on the fence.
Understand off topic
Nothing less than 320 x 240 pixels worked well for me.
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And a moisture meter is your best tool for active leaks. I had a inspection the other day and there was fresh caulk over old caulk around the toilets. Popped the moisture meter inside of the caulk and droplets of water came out with a healthy moisture reading. Sellers love to “prepare” for their home inspections.
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Don’t like caulk around toilets. Unnecessary as far as I’m concerned.
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I agree Robert I never used caulk under a toilet for years. However it is code here.
Agree 100%.
Well! That is a dumbass code.
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2018 International Residential Code Revise as follows
P2705.1 General. The installation of fixtures shall conform to the following:
- Where fixtures come in contact with walls and floors, the contact area shall be water tight.
When I set a toilet I don’t caulk behind the toilet so that an occupant is aware of a leak in the seal.