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Question:
Hello, I am looking for some help or ideas with a leaking shower problem
that I am experiencing. My house is 4 years old and the problem I am having
is that when we run the water for taking a shower on the top floor of the
house we are seeing water leaking in the basement, coming from the copper
line which takes the water up into the bathroom. I initially thought that
there must be a bad weld joint, and it is leaking a bit of water, which then
runs along the pipe down into the basement.
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But, then I
thought to myself that if there was a leak on a copper supply line, it would
leak all the time, and not just when we were using the shower because there
is always pressure in the line, right? But the only time I notice the
water leaking is when we are running the shower water.
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This is very
frustrating because I think the only way to find out where the leak is
coming from is by ripping down some drywall to see the plumbing pipes.
But what really is upsetting is that I don’t know where the leak is on
the first floor or on the top floor. I think it is going to be a
big headache. I don’t even know where all the plumbing pipes run
behind the walls. Do you know if the home builder keeps the
drawings of all the water pipes so I can see what I am looking at?
Please can you get back to me with your thoughts? Thanks a lot for
your time and I hope to hear back from you soon.
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Answer:
This type of problem can be very frustrating and expensive, both from
a damage and a repair standpoint. The good news, from the way it sounds, is
that you have no water damage.
More than likely your leaking
shower problem is associated with the drain pipe, rather than with the
copper supply lines. The problem most likely is at the P-Trap or shower
drain itself. As you have already figured out, if it was the copper supply
lines, you would always observe a water leak.
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The first thing I would
check is to see if there is any sign of water damage to the ceiling on the
lower level, specifically underneath the shower stall area. If there is,
then it is a sure bet that your leaking shower problem is associated with
the shower drain assembly. If no water stain is observed, it is still
possible that the water is slowly leaking from the shower drain and then
running along the drain pipe before it drips off of it, possibly onto the
hot copper supply line. Once the water hits the supply line it could travel
along it until it then drips onto the floor in the basement.
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Unfortunately you may have no choice but to cut into the lower level ceiling
just below the shower unit. P-traps can sometimes have a large nut that can
be unscrewed to get access to the inside of the trap. One possibility is
that this nut could be loose. Also the drain could be cracked and/or
damaged. However before going down this route, first take off the drain
strainer plate that sits at the bottom of the shower unit and check the
gasket underneath it. It may not be seated well, or could be damaged. Also
check the drain area for cracks or damage. With PVC shower units that have
glued in shower drains this is a frequent problem.
In addition, you may want to apply a bead of plumbers putty right under the
rim of the drain strainer plate. Sometimes water that may be leaking around
the shower drain strainer plate and drain can be eliminated this way.
If addressing the drain strainer plate does not solve your problem then you
will probably have no choice but to cut into the ceiling to get access to
the P-Trap and shower drain assembly. If the shower drain and/or P-trap
assembly is broken contact a plumber and have them replace it. Hiring a
plumber may help to minimize the amount of drywall cutting.
For information on how to install a new
faucet, See HomeAdditionPlus.com's "Installing
a New Faucet Ebook". It provides in-depth, easy to
understand, step-by-step instructions and pictures, on how to install a new
Faucet.
Additional Home Plumbing Resources
Shower Drain Accessories from
Amazon.com
