Find the leak?? Damp drywall seams below master bath.

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Eric Combs

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I found small area (1 foot length) of bubbled paint over drywall seam under the master bath. Peeling the paint back showed damp drywall which has now dried indicating a leak only with use of the shower. We have stopped using the bath and no more water noted. Diverters seem to be common cause of leaks. We however have a tub spout diverter which has threading almost at the spout so this does not seem to be the problem. Our water supply is single knob for hot/cold. Have read to try filling tub with external water source to test the drain and also run only hot or cold to test these supply lines. I have closet behind the tub but would like to avoid ripping this out. Any advice in this situation?
 

Reach4

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Be glad there is a closet there. Empty the closet. Open the closet wall. Do your stuff. Put an access panel over the hole. Put stuff back into the closet.
 

Terry

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Starting at the top,
How good is the shower arm? Sometimes hose crack over time.
How good is the caulking around the pie pan of the shower control?
Caulking around the tub spout
Does the rubber seal at the top of the overflow mate up to the tub?
Sometimes waste and overflows go bad, those with slip joint nuts and washers in general.
 

Reach4

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Maybe somebody left the shower curtain outside of the tub and took a shower.
 

Jadnashua

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If the walls to the tub are not constructed well, that can leak. Check the level of the tub lip L-R and F-B for level. If it's not, water can pool towards one or more walls, and leak. The drain shoe could be leaking. There are lots of places things could leak. If you can take the trim off of the valve, you may be able to look inside and you might notice if water was coming from the shower riser, or the valve itself. Lots of places these things can leak. IF you have a shower door, especially if the tub isn't level, it could be leaking out around the door seals. If the tub flexes when you are standing in it, that might open up a caulked seam.
 

Eric Combs

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If the walls to the tub are not constructed well, that can leak. Check the level of the tub lip L-R and F-B for level. If it's not, water can pool towards one or more walls, and leak. The drain shoe could be leaking. There are lots of places things could leak. If you can take the trim off of the valve, you may be able to look inside and you might notice if water was coming from the shower riser, or the valve itself. Lots of places these things can leak. IF you have a shower door, especially if the tub isn't level, it could be leaking out around the door seals. If the tub flexes when you are standing in it, that might open up a caulked seam.


Thanks. Yes it seems to be coming from the valve. The bottom screws holding the cover plate ring are corroded as well as the temperature stop. Wiggling the stem up and down causes water to flow out of the cover plate bonnet. The back of the stem is pretty beat up. I can't get the balancing cartridge assembly out of the housing to check the o-rings in the back. Was going to order new complete valve-stem assembly and try this out. Is it vital I get the cartridge out as well?
pp_ox8_parts.gif
 

Jadnashua

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PF may send you new parts for free. While I was in there, I'd prefer to rehab it to like new.
 
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