Suspected Water Leak Dilemma

pennypincher3562

Hi

I've recently had a water leak from the upstairs flat, which cost about £1000 worth of damage and is currently in the process of being sorted through insurance.

However, I'm now beginning to suspect their is maybe a leak in the bathroom. It's very intermittent - sometimes in the morning, sometimes after midnight. It's quite odd actually, sometime you hear it at a 'rapid pace' for 30 seconds, then it disappears.

I believe it's coming from behind the wall above the bath, roughly where the shower is, but cannot be sure. There is no sign of water damage anywhere!

After the recent £1000 insurance job, I would like think it's not a leak, but I don't even know where to start - I can't exactly start tearing through my walls to find nothing!

Has anyone experienced this sort of thing before, and where do you start? Could it be something that imitates the sound of a leak - e.g. pipes expanding (it's quite loud, and can be heard in next room.)

Thanks for any advice.

PennyPincher3562

Snakey

This is going to sound really weird but I can hear my upstairs neighbour's son having a slash after he gets in from his nightshift. The sound insulation is otherwise really good so I've no idea why this particular noise echoes through when things like them having a shower do not - must be because it's otherwise so quiet at that hour of the morning (4am-ish). Before I worked out what it must be, it used to actually wake me up, convinced that water must be pouring through my ceiling, even though the bathrooms are all on the other side of the building! It's probably nothing like what you can hear, but I thought I would mention it as you talk about hearing it full-on for 30 seconds and then nothing!

I don't blame you for being paranoid about leaks after having had one.

MrsB89

Do you have a water meter? Its easy to do a test to see if you have a leak if you do?

pennypincher3562

Hi

Thanks for the ideas. In response to Snakey, I'm sure its not someone literally 'taking a leak.'

It sounds like quite a loud leak behind the wall. The only similar sound I've heard occasionally comes from a radiator (but quieter.)

To Mrs B89 - I'm afraid I don't have a water meter. I also reckon that if it is a leak it's probably not originating from my flat - it doesn't coincide with the times I use the water.

If anyone else has any ideas, please let me know. It's very difficult, because if it is a leak, the hidden damage will slowly get worse.

Thanks
PennyPincher3562

MrsB89

You said that there are no signs of water damage... is there any mildew or mould in your bathroom? or any musty smells?

Personally I would call out a plumber to get it checked, hidden leaks can cause so much damage.. (as you already know)

Hope you get it sorted!

JohnB47

It couldn't be your central heating doing it's routine 5 minute pump run, could it? The sound could be amplified by the casing behind the shower fitting. Jusy wondering.

pennypincher3562

Thanks JohnB47. I'm trying some experiments by keeping the heating off for 24 hours plus (even though it's close to 1 degrees.) I'm sure I still heard the noise, but will try again.

The only other thing I can think of at the moment myself, is to go upstairs, and ask my neighbours to pull the side panel of their bath off, and check if there is any water leakage under it. I was hoping to avoid hassling them again, after the recent leak from their flat which caused £1000 of damage and considerable problems for both of us.

In response to MrsB89 - there is no obvious physical signs of a leak at the moment, other than a noise.

Cheers
PennyPincher3562

The_Loan_Stranger

It's may just be your boiler running automatically as a means of frost protection at this time of year, has it only started recently and coincided with the colder weather?

pennypincher3562

Hi LoanStranger

It has started in the past 4 weeks, though it's not the typical boiler sound. I've just pulled my bath panel off, to see if I could locate any dampness under the bath, or from the bottom of the walls - there was nothing.

It literally sounds its behind the wall - I don't really see what I can do at this stage, there is no sign of damage, and I can't exactly start ripping holes in the wall!

Cheers
PennyPincher3562