leak from upstairs, need help to locate!

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plumbbob

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Hi - i came home about 2 weeks ago to find a small puddle (maybe 1/4 cup) on the floor. There were no signs of where it came from, and had clearly stopped. About 3 days later I was sitting in the room and heard a drip drip.

It seems as if the water is eventually coming out from the molding in the doorway directly BELOW our shower. The water is also rust colored, if that matters.

The shower pan seems fully sealed and I can see no leaks. The leak is not related to us using any fixtures in the bath group. It can even be several days between leak events,

My thinking is there may be some small leak in the drain pipes (my wife claimed to smell something musty after the last leak).

Any thoughts on the best way to figure this out? Should I rip up the tile floor in the bathroom/shower to examine the plumbing? Is there a better way to find the leak?

We have an older house with plaster walls and cielings, so going in from below is more costly than ripping up tile from above.

Thanks, Matt
 

Jadnashua

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Could be numerous things. You could check out the shower pan fairly easily if you can remove the grill over the drain. Get a long balloon, blow it up stuck in the drain so a good portion is below the surface (in case there are weep holes in the drain - there should be - you want the plug below the weep holes). Then, using a bucket, fill up the pan to just below the top of the curb. Let it sit overnight and check the level.

If the plumbing is galvanized, then it might need to be replaced, either supply or drain.
 

Mikey

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What else is up there?

The one thing I know about leaks is that although water runs downhill, it doesn't necessarily run straight down hill. Depending on the structure above the doorway, this could even be a leak from outside, due to bad flashing around a window, for example. I generally start from the leak's exit point and work up, although in your case that doesn't look like an easy task. Alternatatively, just try to correlate the use of some fixture(s) above, weather events, etc., with the leak and see what you can find. It won't be quick, from the sound of things. If you've got a good plumbing and DWV plan for the house, that will help.
 

plumbbob

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great input, question on piping replacement

thanks to all for the great input - i'll get set to try that pan test idea. One question while I wait for the balloon test overnight:

I know the DWV and supply in that part of the house are original (1920s) and it's the last on my list to replace. If I need to replace the DWV are there any great soundproofing tricks for using PVC? I used PVC in the kitchen and downstairs bath remodel and they are noticably louder than the original cast iron. I tried spray insulation (hilti in one place and DAP in another) but it's not great. Given the volume of water and placement of these pipes I want to do all I can.

again, thanks for the testing ideas!

Matt
 

Gary Swart

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Sound proofing PVC and ABS drains usually isn't highly successful, but if you have enough room around the pipes, you might box them in with batt insualtion in the box.
 

Lithnights

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plumbbob said:
thanks to all for the great input - i'll get set to try that pan test idea. One question while I wait for the balloon test overnight:

I know the DWV and supply in that part of the house are original (1920s) and it's the last on my list to replace. If I need to replace the DWV are there any great soundproofing tricks for using PVC? I used PVC in the kitchen and downstairs bath remodel and they are noticably louder than the original cast iron. I tried spray insulation (hilti in one place and DAP in another) but it's not great. Given the volume of water and placement of these pipes I want to do all I can.

again, thanks for the testing ideas!

Matt

Acoustical Surfaces makes a product that is supposed to severely eliminate much of the noise from PVC. It is an extremely dense material and supposedly does a great job from what I have read on other sites. I just recently ordered some so I can't tell you how it works YET.

Here is a link.. http://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/noise_barrier/bardec_pvc.htm?d=14

It is expensive though.. about $2.25 a square foot plus shipping. But I am a noise freak and it is worth the money to me when compared to other alternatives.. which there aren't really any except to put up with the noise...

I'll let you know how it works once I receive it.
 

Plumber1

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leak

Start with Jim's suggestion and check the shower pan.

Plug the drain and don't run the water in the shower. Bring in water with a pail and pour it on the shower bottom and wait and look downstairs.
 
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