Perfect brown circle on ceiling

jaimel134

hello
looking for advice/opinions
spotted a perfect light brown stain on the ceiling tonight. Probably 10cm
Absolutely perfect circle. Could it be water?

Emmia

Perfect circle... probably water - what's above?
..

jaimel134

the bath, checked and can’t see any obvious water. Just seems strange how circle is so prefect in size.

jaimel134

Hopefully image makes it clear

pramsay13

jaimel134 said:

Hopefully image makes it clear

Not really.

Is it maybe an old one that you have only just noticed?
It's definitely a mark from water. Maybe try emptying a full bath and see if it gets bigger.
Does the bath have a shower on the taps? Is the sealant around the edge in good condition?

Jeepers_Creepers

Have you taken the panel off the bath side for a proper look? Bear in mind that this circle might not be where the leak is - a drip landing on the bathroom floor under the bath/basin/shower could well travel a bit before finding a floorboard joint to get through.

But it does look like a small and focussed 'drip..drip..drip' which is landing in the centre of that circle. The damp goes through the p'board, taking the dirty dust from the ceiling void with it, and carries this 'ring of dirt' outwards until the water evaporates. Repeat, repeat.

It is pretty clearly 'only' a drip, and in one very specific place, but it also looks like a repeating drip, and not a one-of (a 'one-of' wouldn't even have come through the p'board layer).

Remove the side panel and ID with measurements where that spot is on the floor under the bath. If there's no sign of the leak on the floor there, then it must surely be from under these floorboards - does the bath waste pipe go under the bathroom floor, or run along over it - can you see it? If under, then a board needs to come up - most likely it is the bath waste pipe.

How often do you use the bath? Do you have a shower over it? If so, is the bath well sealed around its edge?

jaimel134

Taken panel off, by approx measurements the ceiling spot will be around the door area.
this is a water stain on the boards that looks like it runs to one pipe hole but I can’t see how the water would get under the bath.
the bath has been used much more within the last 3 months. 

jaimel134

Not door area, the pipe area

NSG666

Good suggestions from pramsay. The only thing I would add is that water on ceilings will find the lowest point before showing itself. Although it is under the bath, it is possible that the water is coming from the basin, toilet or towel radiator and running to that point so it's worth spending 2 minutes having a good feel round those before removing any panels etc.

Sorry when I posted this the latest post was the one from last night as I hadn't refreshed my browser since opening the thread.

Jeepers_Creepers

jaimel134 said:

Taken panel off, by approx measurements the ceiling spot will be around the door area.
this is a water stain on the boards that looks like it runs to one pipe hole but I can’t see how the water would get under the bath.
the bath has been used much more within the last 3 months. 

That looks like good news, Jaimel.

Yes, that's a water stain that shouldn't be there, but looks as potentially old (and dry) as your ceiling stain. So good chance Pramsay is right - it's an old stain that you have just noticed?

Anyhoo, what to do. See the clean area on the floor immediately under the pipe and tight against the wall? That's where the drips have landed! At that point, the drips must have been fairly steady and regular, but this may have fallen back until there was just enough water to cling on to these pipes and run down them - straight through the holes in the floor. So, really all you need to know is - is it still dripping?!

Not sure of the best way, but I have found that kitchen paper, folded flat and neatly, will show up an obvious 'crinkle' when water drips on it. So perhaps wrap some around all three pipes like sleeves, just above floor level. Secure with a bit of sellotape. Check this regularly and see if there's any 'crinkling' around the top edge of the collar.

Also lay a flat piece on the floor under the pipes. Keep checking.

That device looks like a blender of some sort, to mix hot and cold to provide a comfortable temp? Perhaps its thermostatic? Is your hot bath tap limited in the temp of water it can deliver? Or do you have a shower over it? Anyhoo, the fitting has a compression joint on it, and then a further for the pipe - almost certainly the leak was from one of these, so would be the easiest thing to sort - most likely a 16th-turn with a spanner.

Are you a DIYer if it's needed?

Please monitor and report back after a few days.

 

neilmcl

As with suggestion above, but I would use blue paper, put some sheets down in that area and around the pipes and monitor it for any leaks. Also, fill your bath to the overflow to make sure there's no leaks coming from that and pout some water along the top edge of the bath to see whether any drips down the back.