I have an 100 year old home in DC and recently had contractors do work in my bedroom. They replaced some of the hardwood floor that is right ontop of three copper pipes. Right after they finished this section started leaking into my downstairs, but only when water was running in the bathroom upstairs. There is no noticeable leaking without the water running, but minutes after running water I can hear drips. Why would the pipe only leak then? Possible they put a tiny hole in a pipe with a nail or other tool? I have pictures.

Those appear to be water lines, so if they had any kind of hole in them they would ALWAYS leak, not just when you were using water. You have a drain leak somewhere. I hope they installed thick "protector plates" over the water lines before they nailed the flooring down.

The drain is about 20 ft away from those pipes.

And the leak is directly below those pipes. But only when shower is on.

It would be VERY unusual for those pipes to just run to the shower, even if there were some way for them to only leak when it was turned on. My original statement might need modification. It is either a shower wall leak or a drain leak, regardless of how far away they are. Water will flow until it finds a way to escape through the ceiling.

The shower toilet and sink are the only things upstairs. And we have never had an issue until they repaired this floor. It's too much of a coincidence for it to leak directly under the repair work.

Have a "leak locator" check it out. He will remove the ring from the light fixture and insert his videa camera head and MAYBE see where the leak is.

apparently there had been a previous 'access hole' patch done in the sheetrock

this is where a leak will BECOME visible

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

That might indicate that this is not really a "new" leak, also.

The square ring is around the joists. That the water pools around it. They cut into it. There is a nail right through the middle of the pipe. No one knows why it only leaks when water is running.

That isn't a patch. One clean piece of sheet rock.

here is the photo

that is a nail shot right thru a copper pipe.
I would say the workers were sloppy and did not protect nor even mar4k where pipe are located.
they owe you a new pipe and new ceiling.

OP:

the good news is the leak has been found and is/will be repaired

photograph the piping and TAKE MEASUREMENTS of its location

Packy & OP:

this is another example of 'good practice' not being followed

the joists should have been drilled in the center for the installation of soft temper 'roll tubing' which would have made the nail penetration IMPOSSIBLE

? costly ? how much to repair the ceiling below TWICE ?

with solid wood flooring 'nailing plates' could NOT have been installed

live and learn

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

quote; solid wood flooring 'nailing plates' could NOT have been installed

So you just trust to "dumb luck" that they remember where the pipes are, but since the planks are parallel to the piping it should have been visible when they put the piece down. Not only is there "nothing" to nail the plank to, but the joint between the boards runs right over the "slot" for the pipe so it has no support either.



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hj,

the joists should NOT have been NOTCHED

they SHOULD have been drilled in the CENTER with soft temper tube run

THEN

the tube could NOT have been nailed (unless they used 6-8" nails)

? cost of soft temper versus cost of 'sistering' joists to install hard temper ?

DOH

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

hj,

you may need a better monitor

all plank ends are centered over wood

some original joists, some 'sistered' reinforcement



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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

You can talk all you want to about how the pipes should have been drilled through the joists, but he is dealing with HOW it was done. IF you look at the original picture the EDGES of the planks parallel the copper so they have nothing to support them.

the planks are supported every 16" on the joists

each 'end joint' will be centered over wood

these planks are probably 3/4" thick OAK or Maple or HICKORY ~ they are NOT todays engineered junk

you now have a visual explaining why the old floors 'creak' and 'groan'

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

sometimes old plumbers back and knees creak and groan.

thank god i'm also almost deaf

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

quote; the planks are supported every 16" on the joists

Except where there is a 'notch' and there is no support.

look AGAIN at the 'sistering' and you will see that every plank has a solid 'nailing and support point' within 1.5" of the 16" centers - albeit their may be a sliiiiiight cheat

after reexamination I think you will be impressed with the structural stability of the rube goldberg

however, it would have been cheaper and MUCH quicker to drill center and use soft shell

let us agree to disagree on this 'nit pic'

always a pleasure to chat(ter) with you, hj



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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638



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