Upstairs shower leaking downstairs into 2 separate rooms

[chrissymouse12]

Hi Terry:

I have a dormer in my home that was built 9 years ago. There is an upstairs shower (stall, no tub). The leak started within 3 months of the dormer being completed. We had contractor back. He replaced shower base stating there was crack in it. Leak stopped temporarily but restarted again. This has been an intermittent problem over the past 9 years. The leak is in two different rooms downstairs. I have had 3 different plumbers to the house. None can figure out leak. I have towels placed outside the base when someone showers, so I know water isn't getting out that way. The last plumber I spoke with this morning said he doesn't believe it's a plumbing issue even tho this has been going on for years. I don't know what to do. The ceiling is open in the downstairs room where it leaks. There is a smell of mold coming from there. I don't know what to do. I can't seem to get a plumber to the house because they all feel it is not a pipe issue and rather a person showering issue. I'm at my wits end.

 

[Reach4]

Consider some tests:

1. run drain only. This could be done by removing the showerhead, and running a hose from the shower arm to the drain. Run water long enough to see if any water leaks down. You can probably stretch some non-reinforced 3/4 inch ID tubing over the shower arm. This is checking the drain piping.
2. fill the shower base with water by corking the drain and adding water with the hose from before. This mainly checks the seal around the drain to the base, plus looks for cracks in the base. Again, allow time. Also, maybe look for a drop in water level. The cork leaking could drop the level, but so could a leak.
3. Play water on the joints in the shower are, one joint at a time with plenty of time between.

I am not a plumber, and I have no experience with such tests.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Plumber69]

Ran into the same problem once. Ended up the wall joints were not sealed right