Leak through ceiling below

[Dpchi1121]

Hi- we remodeled a bath upstairs nearly a year ago. Everything was fine until few days back we noticed a wet spot and water dripping ..seems right below shower drain. And seems to happen even when no water is running (we haven't used the shower since spotting the problem). Drips every 30 seconds. And has been going on for few days now.

We have a drain similar to the one in the picture and I have circled in red where I see the drips coming from. The wet spot is mirrors the flange as everthting in it's vicinity is dry! See pic with yellow arrows pointing to wet spot.

Any idea what could be wrong. The remodeler came and checked and said everything looks dry and a clogged shower drain may have caused water to seep in and now is slowly dripping ot- so waiting game!

Appreciate any help.

Dee

 

[Twowaxhack]

Sounds like it’s a water line leaking, not the drain.

The water may be dripping off the drain but the leak isn’t originating from the drain pipe.

 

[Dpchi1121]

Thank you. But we don't see water spots anywhere else where the supply lines etc are.

Could it be that water snuck in where the membrane is for example (tear, poor seal etc) and pooled over the last several months and now beginning to weep out?

 

[CT18]

Is it a tile floor

 

[Dpchi1121]

Yes, it is.

 

[Twowaxhack]

it should eventually stop dripping if it’s the drain or shower pan if you quit using the shower.

 

[CT18]

There maybe a grout issue on the shower floor. The membrane should be stopping it from getting to the floor. It may be leaking higher up in the shower and running down and getting behind the membrane.

 

[TomFOhio]

Its probably leaking up above the drain at the faucet somewhere. You probably need to make an access behind the
shower faucet..

 

[Dpchi1121]

We do have a tiled shower bench. A pro came with one of those moisture meters and it appears the shower bench had moisture about 4-6 inches above the tiled floor. I read on the internet that shower benches can be a notorious spot for bad waterproofing jobs. Looks like a tile redo...sigh!

Here's a pic of the shower bench

 

[Twowaxhack]

I don’t see how him measuring moisture on the outside of a bench tells you anything other than the shower has been used recently.

 

[Dpchi1121]

Yeah, I had my doubts if it can even penetrate tile!

Can't figure out how water could have made its way as everything else looks dry. As one of the members points out..some hole in the grout or a crack somewhere perhaps..water pooled over the several months until it started leaking.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Yeah, I had my doubts if it can even penetrate tile!

It penetrates the grout. But that’s normal, the bench should have a liner or otherwise sealed and the water that does penetrate the grout is then conveyed to the shower pan and drain below..

The bench could be leaking and they are prone leaks because a lot of them are not sealed properly, but I still don’t see how that test proved anything of value.

 

[Dpchi1121]

This has been valuable feedback. Appreciate it. At this point, it does look like a tile redo. Can't think of any other checks to do - any other ideas worth trying, would love to know. A tiny leak somehow channeled..am guessing would be hard to spot anyway

 

[Hamberg]

So, wait, like @Twowaxhack said, if you've stopped using the shower, and it's a tile or drain issue, the leak would have stopped. Has it stopped?

 

[Dpchi1121]

It has slowed..it's still dripping...the shower has not been used now for 4 days. I am told whatever is leaking has saturated the membrane/sub floor and that's what is weeping out ...

 

[Twowaxhack]

It has slowed..it's still dripping...the shower has not been used now for 4 days. I am told whatever is leaking has saturated the membrane/sub floor and that's what is weeping out ...

Don’t do anything until it stops for a few days.

 

[Dpchi1121]

Don’t do anything until it stops for a few days.

Yeah...but it looks like a tile redo anyway since the source of the leak is still unclear and may happen again.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Yeah...but it looks like a tile redo anyway since the source of the leak is still unclear and may happen again.

If it never stops, it points to another cause other than the pan or drain.

 

[Hamberg]

Yeah...but it looks like a tile redo anyway since the source of the leak is still unclear and may happen again.

You had the remodel done 1+ years ago and it just started? Was something damaged/altered?

If you want to redo the tile I say go for it - BUT fix the leaking fitting while you have everything apart

 

[GReynolds929]

Has the ceiling been opened up to see where the water is coming from?