I can see drips of water coming from the lower right-front corner of bath tub, all water, drain lines and walls are dry. The sub floor is soaked just below the drip. It only doses this when the shower is running. What could be the problem?
Leaking Tub
- Thread starter Maint Dog
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Run the faucet into the drain of the tub. If no water appears, it is not the tub at fault. The problem would be at least one of these:
1. water hitting wall from shower is leaking under the tub. The seam at the top of the tub would be most probable. If you have your shower head on a hose, you could spray areas selectively to spot the leak area(s). Remember to allow time for the water to migrate.
2. a pipe or connection between the valve and the shower head is leaking. The common thread on US shower heads is 1/2 inch NPT. You could remove the shower head, and cap the pipe. Turn on the shower control. Any water that appears is from the path up from the valve to the shower head
On the other hand, if water leaks when you just flow water into the tub from the faucet, that would be different.
1. water hitting wall from shower is leaking under the tub. The seam at the top of the tub would be most probable. If you have your shower head on a hose, you could spray areas selectively to spot the leak area(s). Remember to allow time for the water to migrate.
2. a pipe or connection between the valve and the shower head is leaking. The common thread on US shower heads is 1/2 inch NPT. You could remove the shower head, and cap the pipe. Turn on the shower control. Any water that appears is from the path up from the valve to the shower head
On the other hand, if water leaks when you just flow water into the tub from the faucet, that would be different.
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Shower Leaks
Start at the bottom. Lift the grid and check to see if the floor drain is loose. Sometimes the plumbers putty has been an issue. We replace new shower drains using Silicone.
Tub Leaks
1) Start low. Fill the tub using the tub spout, and see if the lower part of the drain is holding water. Older tub “waste and overflow” drains used slip joint nuts and washers. Those can leak over time. Recent plumbing code requires that drains that are not accessible for repair, be solvent weld joints. With PVC and ABS that would be the proper cement for them.
2) A little higher on the tub drain is the overflow. If there is a bad seal there, sometimes just a misalignment of the rubber washer, a person taking a full bath can slop water into the overflow, and water can leak from that bad seal. Sometimes a new washer is needed, or shifting the washer to the correct location.
3) Check the tub spout. When the tub water is diverted to the shower head, a bad seal on the tub spout can force water into the wall. A new tub spout can fix this.
4) Check for sealing around the valve plate and valve stem from the wall. Open gaps in the caulking can leak through. Sometimes even loose screws holding the plate.
5) The shower head and arm. Make sure the shower head is tight and sealed to the shower arm. Is the arm solid feeling? Sometimes the shower arms can crack inside the wall.
6) Make sure that if a person is showering, that the curtain is pulled and/or the sliders are closed.
Toilet Leaks
1) Check for water dripping down between the tank and bowl. Tanks can crack, and bolts can rust out. Sometimes it’s a bad washer between the tank and bowl.
2) Check the supply line and shutoff to the toilet. Those connections should be dry.
3) Is there water leaking from under the bowl during a flush. Often, if the closet flange is lower than the finished flooring, it will take two wax seals, or a thick wax seal. Unless the flange is above the finished flooring, you may need more than a single wax seal. When setting the bowl, you should feel the wax compressing.
Sink Leaks
Check for any leaking connections. Look at the shutoffs. Often over time, the stems can develop leaks. There is a bonnet nut that compresses a washer, and snugging with pliers or wrench is sometimes enough for stop the drip. Homes over thirty years old, I like to replace them if I’m doing other work like replacing a faucet. The hot side tends to go bad first.
Start at the bottom. Lift the grid and check to see if the floor drain is loose. Sometimes the plumbers putty has been an issue. We replace new shower drains using Silicone.
Tub Leaks
1) Start low. Fill the tub using the tub spout, and see if the lower part of the drain is holding water. Older tub “waste and overflow” drains used slip joint nuts and washers. Those can leak over time. Recent plumbing code requires that drains that are not accessible for repair, be solvent weld joints. With PVC and ABS that would be the proper cement for them.
2) A little higher on the tub drain is the overflow. If there is a bad seal there, sometimes just a misalignment of the rubber washer, a person taking a full bath can slop water into the overflow, and water can leak from that bad seal. Sometimes a new washer is needed, or shifting the washer to the correct location.
3) Check the tub spout. When the tub water is diverted to the shower head, a bad seal on the tub spout can force water into the wall. A new tub spout can fix this.
4) Check for sealing around the valve plate and valve stem from the wall. Open gaps in the caulking can leak through. Sometimes even loose screws holding the plate.
5) The shower head and arm. Make sure the shower head is tight and sealed to the shower arm. Is the arm solid feeling? Sometimes the shower arms can crack inside the wall.
6) Make sure that if a person is showering, that the curtain is pulled and/or the sliders are closed.
Toilet Leaks
1) Check for water dripping down between the tank and bowl. Tanks can crack, and bolts can rust out. Sometimes it’s a bad washer between the tank and bowl.
2) Check the supply line and shutoff to the toilet. Those connections should be dry.
3) Is there water leaking from under the bowl during a flush. Often, if the closet flange is lower than the finished flooring, it will take two wax seals, or a thick wax seal. Unless the flange is above the finished flooring, you may need more than a single wax seal. When setting the bowl, you should feel the wax compressing.
Sink Leaks
Check for any leaking connections. Look at the shutoffs. Often over time, the stems can develop leaks. There is a bonnet nut that compresses a washer, and snugging with pliers or wrench is sometimes enough for stop the drip. Homes over thirty years old, I like to replace them if I’m doing other work like replacing a faucet. The hot side tends to go bad first.
Plumber69
In the Trades
Once went to a job, I checked all the things Terry said, there was a insurance claim guy there and a construction guy there, all saying it was the toilet seal. I told them it was most likely the tub surround leaking. No one believed me cause I was just a young buck. Pulled toilet, cut holes in the wall and ceiling below, and what do you know, it was the surround leaking. Also old tubs don't have the upper lip slope towards the drains like new ones
hj
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Probably water from the shower draining off the edge of the tub.
I just saw this. We've all seen screws in pipes before. I have not seen screws like this in a p-trap before though.
And what is with the PVC tub drain glued to ABS? I can't get away with something like that.
And what is with the PVC tub drain glued to ABS? I can't get away with something like that.
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