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Author:
jovan (PA)
Hi,
We had leaking from the second floor bathroom to kitchen ceiling six months ago. The plumbers came and exchange both the pipe from the bath tub and the sink, put new tiles... A month later, the fresh water started coming into basement down the wall each time we were using either sink, toilet or the bath tub. I thought that the plumbers did something wrong, but did not have time to do anything immediately. After a week or two, water stopped leaking. Now, 3-4 months after it started to leak again even more. I opened the kitchen ceiling last night, but all the plumbing work seems to be fine. Where does it leak from? Vertical drain? How come that it is only fresh water? When we don't use bathroom it does not leak. I have to mention that the drain pipes are old cast iron ones, but friend of mine, a contractor, says that vertical drain usually does not leak. What else can I do before ripping the walls?
Thanks,
Jovan
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
If it leaks when you either of the 3 fixtures in the bath, that tells me its probably the main 3" or 4" stack. And if it drips on down to the basement that tells me that its probably the vertical pipe in the wall. Possibly a bad joint, rusty hole, etc. I'd plan on opening up a wall to see whats going on.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
Are you sure it's a drain?
You can do the food dye test. Pour food dye into the lav drain, wait a while, and check in the hole you opened.
Use a different color in the tub.
If you don't see any color change, I would start looking for a pinhole in a pressure line
NC Plumber also has a good idea
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
jovan (PA)
Thanks for the quick response. The drain is visible only in the basement. How do I know where to open the wall?
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Author:
North Carolina Plumber (NC)
Take some measurements and see where the pipe passes thru the wall on the first floor. If its on an inside wall you get to choose which side to open.
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Author:
hj
To be perfectly frank, YOU do not. You call someone who knows what he is doing, and knows how to get the leak to happen so he knows what it MIGHT be, and then HE opens the wall or ceiling if it is necessary. The way you are going at it, you will probably create a lot of repair work, and NONE of it might be necessary, depending on what is leaking and how it can be fixed.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
which is why I suggested the dye test. Was I wrong, HJ?
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Author:
SMSPlumbing (PA)
Can you see if the drain lines from the vanity and tub go into the 3 inch drain before turning to go down the wall. I have see setups where the 2 inch line and 3 inch line both 90'd into the wall and then there was a Y in the wall. Since you have the ceiling open I would just cut small holes and follow the drain there until it gets to the wall.
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Author:
PlumberManDan (IA)
You buy a $250.00 camera, drill a 1" hole where the leak presents, then keep drilling 1" holes folowing the "WET" until you finally find the leak, and BTW if it is NOT leaking ALL OF THE TIME whether or not you are using the bathroom IT IS NOT "FRESH" water. If it only leaks when you use any of the fixtures in the bathroom it would most likely be a drain problem OR "fresh" water that is not getting to the drain for one reason or another.
 PlumbCat TM 2003
Plumbermandan
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Author:
hj
The $250.00 camera is not $650.00, because they have upgraded it. First you get it to leak, and then you start tracing it back, but not by drilling holes every few inches.
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Author:
hj
Not necessarily, but it depends on how soon the water appears after running the water. Usually the location of the leak will give a general idea of which fixture is causing the leak, so using dye to determine that may not be needed. I have never had to use coloration.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
PlumberManDan (IA)
HJ, My camera reaches 30 feet If you can get that far with the obstructions, I found leaks in walls of a 3 story apt building by drilling 3 holes, one on each floor NOT one every few inches
PlumbCat TM 2003
Plumbermandan
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Author:
hj
quote; drill a 1" hole where the leak presents, then keep drilling 1" holes folowing the "WET" until you finally find the leak,
Following that advice COULD result in holes every few inches, not one on each floor.
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