Puddle on Bathroom Floor

Originally Posted By: psabados
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Same 3 month old house with window problem. Owner states that when her young teenage son takes a shower water ends up on the bathroom floor and is soaking the bedroom carpeting four feet away.


Its a nice looking shower, with glass doors. Frame is well sealed at base and walls. Looked all over for some sort of weep hole or bad seal point couldn't find one. Ran the shower, move the shower head all over the place, just couldn't find a leak

http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/Pict1457.JPG

I looked at the walls, the bedroom wall behind the control valve. No water leakage signs. Except a small stain on the wood baseboard next to the shower. Owner said she kept telling her son to pay attention and close the dam door. Still water on the floor. After about 5 minutes of running the shower, water started dripping from behind the ceramic tile bullnose end caps outside of the stall.

http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/Pict1453.JPG

Two minutes after seeing the water drip a put down a piece of TP to see how far it spread. 4" away from the wall and almost to the doorway 24 inches away.

http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/Pict1455.JPG

I think that the leak is occurring at either the shower head connections in the wall or at the control valve, and exiting through the drywall. No visible damage yet at first floor walls or ceiling.

I don't normally run a shower that long during an inspection, but I just might after seeing this.

Paul


Originally Posted By: rking
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Paul,


How about the drain/floor connection, or floor/ wall connection??
These tile shower stalls have a neoprene base under the tiles that typically runs about 6" or so up the walls. The corner seal of this 'gasket' may not have been done properly in that corner and it is allowing water to run out that corner.
Of course you would have to do some destructive testing to find out ![icon_twisted.gif](upload://xjO326gspdTNE5QS3UTl0a0Rtvy.gif) , but it would be great for relieving stress


--
Muskoka Home Inspections
"Wisdom is the Anticipation of the Consequences"
Steering Committee Member At Large

Originally Posted By: dbush
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Paul, this does not appear to be a tub, but what happens if you block the drain so the water pools, does it continue to leak? If it is not, I would suspect the drain is loose somewhere. If it is, then I would start tearing out some walls.



Dave Bush


MAB Member


"LIFE'S TOUGH, WEAR A HELMET"

Originally Posted By: psabados
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Thinking about it, the seal along the base makes more sense than a leaking shower head or control valve.


Thanks for the hint. Whats really interesting, no water stains on the garage ceiling below or on the bedroom wall behind the shower.

Oh he** who's got a hammer, need to look at the walls. Anybody use a boroscope?

Paul


Originally Posted By: Ron Hollingshead
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Paul,


This is one of my most most common “call-backs” in new house construction. Almost always a loose nipple at the shower head or stripped shower valve. I find the leaks are almost never hard sprays, just a steady dribble running down the riser and then onto the floor behind the shower wall, finally running out somewhere.


Originally Posted By: psabados
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.



Puddle update


Drain connection problem. Contractor also thought it was in the wall. So he removed the drywall in the adjoining bedroom but no leak. It was a bad installation at the drain and pan area. Water was filling the shower pan.

Now if they would only fix the window situation.

Paul