Leaking Pipe

mlawton40

Hello,

Our bathroom is above our Kitchen. Directly below the shower (in the kitchen) we can see that the ceiling is damp and the plater has now broke away. After doing a few tests we believe that it is the sink waste pipe which has a small leak - although as the damp ceiling is directly below the shower I think it is probably the join between sink and shower waste.

I want to do as much as I can myself. There are a couple of jobs:
1) Fix the leak
2) Re-plaster the kitchen ceiling (probably about a 1m square patch).

I should be able to do (1) but for (2) I'll probably get someone in to make sure it looks OK! Unless someone on here points out that its easy?!

As it needs replastering anyway I though the easiest way of doing (1) would be to knock through the ceiling and work from the kitchen rather than trying to get my hands underneath the shower which looks very tight and tricky.

I will take any damp plater away leaving myself with the 1m square hole in the ceiling. I then work out where the leak is, replace/fix pipe, leave for a couple of weeks to ensure there's no more leak and then get a plasterer to do the ceiling.

Do you think I'm tackling this the right way? Any hints/tips? Have I overlooked something?

Thanks in advance!!

alleycat`

My Initial concern would be that the "leak" might not be where the water is coming through the ceiling.

Quite often water will run along lengths of pipework / Joists or even Electric Cable before it lands on the plaster board and soaks through.

Also re-boarding a "section" of ceiling that you have "cut out" might not be a lot of fun. Again it'll depend on where the joists run as to how well i'd think that would work.

I'd want to be 100% sure of the leak source before making a substantial hole in the ceiling (and floor above).

That'd be my DIY 2 cents on it.

mlawton40

Thanks alleycat. With that in mind I'll attempt to tackle from above first. If I can get underneath the shower and actually pin point the leak I'll take it from there.

BertieUK

alleycat` wrote: »

Also re-boarding a "section" of ceiling that you have "cut out" might not be a lot of fun. Again it'll depend on where the joists run as to how well i'd think that would work.
That'd be my DIY 2 cents on it.

Removing part of your plasterboard on your ceiling would be, for me, a final resort, because as alleycat said where the joists are in relation to the patch you do not know and this matching / replacing could create another problem, work above your ceiling and below as a very last resort.

Regards

BobUK

keystone

If you can't get access from above you have to do it from below and you have to be able to see where its leaking from so that might mean two holes. As you say the ceiling needs replastering anyway and its on your list of jobs to get done I can't see the problem.

Cheers.

Ruski

Yep - ceiling needs repairing anyway - cut away to sound and with any luck you'll access the problem. If not then start fiddling around elsewhere.

Russ

DaftyDuck

.. and, from my (single but irritating) experience, wait a good long time to be utterly convinced you've found the leak and fixed it, then wait another month before patching the ceiling.... otherwise you might, like me, have done a really surprisingly good job of replastering, only to have to make another hole in it! Oh, and second replastering was not so neat, to say the least!

Make sure all the family have used all combinations of sink/bath/shower/hairwashing/waterfights/drownings that could possibly cause the leak... there may just be more than one.

ListysDad

One other thing. I've never bet in my life but I'd put 50p on the pipework being pushfit. DO NOT replace it with the same. Use solvent weld (glued together) and replace all you can see. Where you have to join with psh fit use a proper macalpine compression connector (others are available but are generally rubbish (sorry)) and do it up 'tight'.
Also, make sure it is FULLY supported (prob about every 500mm) and has an appropriate fall so the waste flows the right way. Just needs a bit of thought.
Have fun.

southcoastrgi

one other thing to consider is the mastic seal around the shower tray, this may only be visable as being a problem with the weight of someone using the shower