This is my 1st post and I apoligize in advance, as I just about tackled this leakage/drainage problem myself, by trying to repair/ make a new shower pan. I know nothing about plumbing or tile work.Fortunately I got on the net and went to a few forums. I need help, so Im hoping you all can give me some advise.
We recently bought a house that was built in 1961. When the 3 kids take their/a 30 minute shower. LOL. I have a wet spot in the carpet. The leak is not immediate after showering but accumalitive.When they take short showers we have no problemos. In other words after heavy week of usage, a week or more later i have a wet spot in the Master bedroom at the door/entrance to the bathroom. Seems to me if it was the pan/tile/grout/caulking problem it would be immediately after usage.
Looking down the drain there is 40+ years of SCUM build-up, maybe 1.25 inch opening. Alot of build up.........
Could the weep holes be partially blocked or could the drain not be working like it should cause of the 40+ years of build-up???, Maybe there is just enough back-pressure that the weep holes don't work like they should???
Water doesn't come out over/under the curb or shower door. But must build up enough condensation underneath??? which turns to droplets -then water runs along the bottom of the wall that seperates the bathroom from bedroom. With heavy usage it must build up enough condensation that turns to moisture, that has no where to go that it ends up leaking right behind the wall in our bedroom, as the shower pan is on the other side. As I've lifted up the carpet ,and the wooden carpet fastners along that wall can be damp ordry with staining. Fortunately it's a concrete floor so no rotting of sub floor, but I'm sure the bottom plate don't look so good.
Can snaking the drain or de-scumming said build up help the weep holes to work better?? Have you all heard of this.
Could they be partially blocked?? It seems like when the kids take short showers,i.e less then 5 minutes we have no problems.LOLwhen they obey me, but when I'm not around they go back to their 30minute showers.. Have gone weeks/month without a wet spot. I've regrouted and sealed and caulked. Water seems to drain fairly good and quick but you can see some water in the drain, even though it doesn't back-up into the shower.
I've gotten a few phone quotes and everyone wants to replace the whole shower @ 2K, without even accessing the problem. Where as one gentleman Plumber called back and said the shower pan/weep hole system could possibly at end of life. He said alot of times it's not the tile, it's the weep system , have any of you pros heard of this theory. I'm hoping it's valid as I can't afford 2k right now.
He was the 1st and only one to say make sure plumbing is draining properly(gravity based), to snake/ream it out real good to the street so that there is no hint of back-pressure to that particular drain, that sometimes with even a little/slightest backpressure that old weep holes aren't able to work properly, so condensation builds up which if not relieved/drained turns to droplets which eventually builds up enough that it finally turns to enough water build up that seeps under the pan and down under the wall. That the build up we are seeing is probably from the heavy usage(kids take a shower everyday) and is the accumalitive effect of at least a week or more.
I forgot to ask him Is there any way to unblock weep holes without replacing the plumbing/drain/membrane and shower pan. Would knocking off or using some type descuming agent,on all that scum help the shower pan to breath/perspire/drain???? I guess I'll try this 1st, maybe I can get a little more life out of the pan. Which I'm sure will need to be replaced eventually.
Man I can rattle on . Thanx in advance
We recently bought a house that was built in 1961. When the 3 kids take their/a 30 minute shower. LOL. I have a wet spot in the carpet. The leak is not immediate after showering but accumalitive.When they take short showers we have no problemos. In other words after heavy week of usage, a week or more later i have a wet spot in the Master bedroom at the door/entrance to the bathroom. Seems to me if it was the pan/tile/grout/caulking problem it would be immediately after usage.
Looking down the drain there is 40+ years of SCUM build-up, maybe 1.25 inch opening. Alot of build up.........
Could the weep holes be partially blocked or could the drain not be working like it should cause of the 40+ years of build-up???, Maybe there is just enough back-pressure that the weep holes don't work like they should???
Water doesn't come out over/under the curb or shower door. But must build up enough condensation underneath??? which turns to droplets -then water runs along the bottom of the wall that seperates the bathroom from bedroom. With heavy usage it must build up enough condensation that turns to moisture, that has no where to go that it ends up leaking right behind the wall in our bedroom, as the shower pan is on the other side. As I've lifted up the carpet ,and the wooden carpet fastners along that wall can be damp ordry with staining. Fortunately it's a concrete floor so no rotting of sub floor, but I'm sure the bottom plate don't look so good.
Can snaking the drain or de-scumming said build up help the weep holes to work better?? Have you all heard of this.
Could they be partially blocked?? It seems like when the kids take short showers,i.e less then 5 minutes we have no problems.LOLwhen they obey me, but when I'm not around they go back to their 30minute showers.. Have gone weeks/month without a wet spot. I've regrouted and sealed and caulked. Water seems to drain fairly good and quick but you can see some water in the drain, even though it doesn't back-up into the shower.
I've gotten a few phone quotes and everyone wants to replace the whole shower @ 2K, without even accessing the problem. Where as one gentleman Plumber called back and said the shower pan/weep hole system could possibly at end of life. He said alot of times it's not the tile, it's the weep system , have any of you pros heard of this theory. I'm hoping it's valid as I can't afford 2k right now.
He was the 1st and only one to say make sure plumbing is draining properly(gravity based), to snake/ream it out real good to the street so that there is no hint of back-pressure to that particular drain, that sometimes with even a little/slightest backpressure that old weep holes aren't able to work properly, so condensation builds up which if not relieved/drained turns to droplets which eventually builds up enough that it finally turns to enough water build up that seeps under the pan and down under the wall. That the build up we are seeing is probably from the heavy usage(kids take a shower everyday) and is the accumalitive effect of at least a week or more.
I forgot to ask him Is there any way to unblock weep holes without replacing the plumbing/drain/membrane and shower pan. Would knocking off or using some type descuming agent,on all that scum help the shower pan to breath/perspire/drain???? I guess I'll try this 1st, maybe I can get a little more life out of the pan. Which I'm sure will need to be replaced eventually.
Man I can rattle on . Thanx in advance
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