Question about possible leak in neighbor's bathroom

[LouBrandt]

Hello,

Our next door neighbor’s house is a brick, one story ranch, on a concrete slab. The house was built in 1975.

In the last several days, my wife and I have noticed that there is a large “wet area” on the outside brick. The area covers maybe ten bricks wide and extends from the slab up about eight or ten bricks high.

The wet area is directly below a small window, which is located in one of his bathrooms, and the wet area is almost up to the bottom of the window. We felt the bricks, and they are wet.

The window is directly above a sink in the bathroom. A few feet away on the same wall is an enclosed shower, but the wet brick doesn't seem to be on the other side of the shower, only on the other side of the sink.

We have had no rain recently, and no one in the area has been watering lawns.

We live in the deep south, and we have had no snow or ice.

We have not mentioned this to our neighbor. He is old and doesn’t really take a lot of interest in his house. He is also somewhat rude, so we don't really get along very well with him, but we don't want to see his house ruined.
We have called his daughter and told her of our concern. She says that she will come and check in a day or so.

We assume that he hasn’t seen any water in his house, since surely in that case, he would have realized that there is something wrong.

What is your opinion?
Louis

 

[Smooky]

A small hole might have developed and be spraying against the brick wall from the inside. I would go over and discuss it with the neighbor.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

A drain line could have cracked and is leaking in the wall

 

[Kreemoweet]

If the water meter is outside, like it usually is where I live, you could look and gauge just how bad the leak is. A day or two until
the daughter shows up is not likely to make much difference. The old man is lucky to have such a daughter around. I've seen many
out-of-it oldsters living in unbelievable filth and destruction because they had no family or others around to check up on things.

 

[LouBrandt]

If the water meter is outside, like it usually is where I live, you could look and gauge just how bad the leak is. A day or two until
the daughter shows up is not likely to make much difference. The old man is lucky to have such a daughter around. I've seen many
out-of-it oldsters living in unbelievable filth and destruction because they had no family or others around to check up on things.

Yes, the water meter is in his front yard. I'll check it when I know that he's not home, because I'd rather not have him see me doing it.

 

[Standardairconditioner]

He is old and doesn’t really take a lot of interest in his house. He is also somewhat rude, so we don't really get along very well with him

This is like trying to diagnose engine problems of a locked car over the fence in an impound lot.

The problem can be ANYTHING and ANYWHERE.

A professional would make a detailed and correct assessment only from being at the site.

Regardless of what is discovered, what is going to be your actual involvement in this? At this point, we are more interested in good pictures that can invite better feedback, and less interested in neighbor drama which does no purpose in a technical plumbing forum.

 

[LouBrandt]

This is like trying to diagnose engine problems of a locked car over the fence in an impound lot.

The problem can be ANYTHING and ANYWHERE.

A professional would make a detailed and correct assessment only from being at the site.

Regardless of what is discovered, what is going to be your actual involvement in this? At this point, we are more interested in good pictures that can invite better feedback, and less interested in neighbor drama which does no purpose in a technical plumbing forum.

I did check the water meter today, and as far as I can tell, the dial isn't moving. If this means that there is no leak under pressure, then what could possibly cause such a wet area on the outside of his brick, several bricks high?