Plumbers - please help !

Somerset

This is a bit of a saga ! All answers/help appreciated.

History first. Btw it's for my mum but I've dealt with this for her. She lives in a flat and concerns a leak? into the flat under her. The downstairs people first told her about a leak 2 years ago - its coming out in their flat directly below her bath. In the 2 years she's had the side of the bath off about 10 times, there were signs there had been a leak ( wet at side of bath ) so a plumber changed all the gubbins underneath the bath. Since this so sign of wet under the bath. But the leakage into downstairs persisted. Sometimes it goes for months and nothing, then back it comes. It look the ceileing down downstairs which she had to pay for, so occasionally heavy then ...... disappears so definately intermittant. The grouting around the bath has been replaced. The last thing we did last July was get the bath tap ( mixer with shower attachment ) replaced as that appeared to be responsible. She's just rung me to say a damp patch has appeared over the last fortnight of the downstairs ceiling ! She's had about 5 different plumbers 'solve' this problem but basically its still there ( might be reduced ! ) and I just don't know what to do anymore.

For info, the three walls around the bath are tiled with an large inset mirror. The last plumber said the tiles needed redoing as the grout was knackered and some water might get down the back of the walls like that, but not much ? Obviously the loo and whb are close by but there's no sign from them. Problem is the pipes obviously run through the floorboards but all three ( bath, whb & loo ) are against the external wall the water exits.

Any thoughts anyone ??? She's obviously responsible, and desperately wants it fixed but none of the plumbers seem to have been able to identify where it's coming from. HELP !!!

Canucklehead

Hi

I would say the tile /mirror to bath seal is suspect.
Next would be the waste.
Outside possibility... the tap is not sealed 100% in the bath.
Does the bath move at all.?
Get the shower hose ,take the bath panel off, and swamp everything down above the bath. Wait for the leak.
Is there any thing on the other side of the wall of the bath, like the kitchen?
Corgi Guy.

PS.. did you decide on your shower yet?

Somerset

Canucklehead wrote: »

Hi

I would say the tile /mirror to bath seal is suspect.
The mirror is inset about 2 rows of tiles above bath, so she's got tiles to bath. Do you mean regrouting with sealant bath to tiles ? The normal grout in the wall tiles and sealant between mirror and tiles wouldn't be responsible in your opinion ? ( it is pretty old )
Next would be the waste.
Ok a possibility but it was all freshly replaced 2 years ago. It'll be a pain to check because the side of the bath is now 'tiled in' with no access hatch. But if it has to be hacked off so be it.
Outside possibility... the tap is not sealed 100% in the bath.
Will get plumber to check this.
Does the bath move at all.?
No
Get the shower hose ,take the bath panel off, and swamp everything down above the bath. Wait for the leak.
Ok
Is there any thing on the other side of the wall of the bath, like the kitchen?
Other side of that wall is the part internal hallway ( has radiator 3 ft further on ) and part bedroom, bedroom has boiler ( replaced 18 months ago ) . Pipes in the flat run under the floorboards in the void between flats so not sure what pipes run where.
Corgi Guy.

It's the intermittant thing that puzzles everyone. If it leaks, why doesn't it just keep leaking? Like I said she'd heard nothing since the bath tap/shower thingee went in last July ( 6 months ). And it's done exactly the same before - taken long holidays and then restarted ?

Anyway thanks Canucklehead.

Somerset

Canucklehead, I forgot something. When the last plumber was there in July the people downstairs were refurbishing so had that section of ceiling down anyway. Plumber was able to test both mum's and then look up through their's. At first they had dampness 3 to 4 foot from external wall under bath ( but no bath/tap bits there - they are by extternal wall ) ie tap/waste bit by wall. Rob the plumber thought it was the tap/shower. I sprayed bath with old shower and nothing. I sprayed around top of bath where taphole was, bingo spray went downstairs. Hence tap/shower got replaced. I then sprayed walls/mirror with new tap/shower - nothing. So we thought sorted ! Just thinking about it, if something? was leaking slightly ie not drips or spray Rob wouldn't have noticed as it was damp underneath from where it had been leaking and tested. Does that make any sense ?

Btw the downstairs people are saying that there's about a dinner plate size of discolouration to the ceiling, if that makes any difference.

Hitch

It might be intermitent, beceause it will tolerate a small amount of water every now and then without being a problem, it will evaporate eventually. But if she has a few long showers, it may be enough to just and just get through. Then take longer to dry out. So a few more quick showers will have a dramatic effect.

This happened in our house, its only 18 months old. Bath seal was to blame in this case.

Canucklehead

Hi

If I were called out to look at this job I would want to be able to see everything under the bath . You will need to rip out the panel.

Until you can see under the bath it's all total guess work.

Corgi Guy.

Somerset

Canucklehead

If you don't mind, a question on the above. The bath is a non standard size. I'll get the plumber to do and organise this but even non-standard, would it be easy enough for him to get a panel ? e.g. do plumbers have to deal with this type of thing often enough ? Its currently got a wooden framework. Thanks.

Canucklehead

Hi

I usually deal with bath panels, but some don't.Lot's of panels out there. The cheapest is the good old council black hardboard. Also available in white.!
Wickes T&G one is not bad ,a bit thin,but at least it's all real wood not MDF.

Corgi Guy.