Something leaking....

Squiggly_Diddly

Wonder if anyone can suggest anything... although without seeing it, could be difficult, lol

I have a downstairs loo which is directly below my bathroom. I had an electric shower installed in the UPSTAIRS bathroom back in the summer, in July. Over the past few weeks I have noticed upstairs bathroom ceiling starting to go mouldy round the edges, despite extractor fan and also keeping window open about an inch or so permanently.
Past couple of days I have noticed the carpet in the DOWNSTAIRS loo a bit damp, thought one of the kids had spilled something. Have come home about 4.30pm to see that the walls are wet in places - just above skirting board, around window (which is 5ft up wall?) and behind cistern (that is on 2 walls basically).
I cannot figure out what could be going on - whether something could have been leaking in loft or somewhere since shower was installed, or if something else odd going on. Have left a message for the plumber who installed shower originally but assume he has probably finished for Xmas. I only bought house 2 months ago (lived here 7 years though). Great timing....
So, am worried about what sort of call-out charge I might get from another plumber and what the problem could be....Don't want to get ripped off, but equally don't want to leave it to get worse (especially as going away Xmas day & overnight!)
Does it sound like something that could be sorted under buildings insurance as walls are quite wet?
I don't know where to start or what to do :-( So any suggestions (ok, guesses, lol) would be much appreciated. Or any MSE plumbers in Eastbourne :-)
Thank you.....

Canucklehead

Hi

Was it fitted over the bath?
Can you take the bath panel off and see any damp?
Separate shower? Leaky waste.
Were any floorboards taken up when the shower was done, maybe a pipe was nailed.
Loose joint , poorly soldered joint the list is long!
When you go away turn the main stop !!!! off.

Corgi Guy.

Squiggly_Diddly

Hiya,
yes, it was fitted over bath - I may have to ask a brave person to get the (old chipboard rotten) bath panel off... dread to think what else is behind it!!!

I can't see anything else damp anywhere, that's what's strange. The only place that's really wet is in the downstairs loo, and on a slightly different wall. It doesn't make sense :-(

If I turn the stop.... off does it affect the boiler/central heating & how that works?? Do I need to switch the heating to off?

Thank you :-)

Canucklehead

Hi

Water will track along to the lowest point , so it's no surprise that it appears elsewhere downstairs.
The heating will be ok with the water turned off.
What's the seal like between the bath and the wall? Any cracks?

Corgi Guy.

Squiggly_Diddly

Hiya

The seal was redone last year as that kept going mouldy, having said that Council contractors workmanship round here has never been very good (ex council house & in fact it's been a very long way from good!!!) and the grouting on the old wall tiling is looking very weak (little bits coming out) and that is the wall directly above the damp one downstairs - so I wonder if water is getting behind it?

I peered into downstairs loo earlier & some of the damp patch around the window has now dried out a bit??? Will not use the shower for a while & see if it starts to dry out. Whole bathroom needs replacing really - may have to try & do it sooner than planned.

Thank you for your advice Canuckle, has been very much appreciated. Was really worried earlier - not the greatest of timing for something like that to go wrong.... Fingers crossed it won't turn out to be too bad. But will still turn water off when I'm not here!!!!

Squiggly