I recently returned home after being out of town for 4 days. The bathroom seemed normal at first, but the rug in front of the toilet was soaking wet. After more investigation, I found that a tall, floor to ceiling pipe in the corner was streaked from top to bottom with brownish residue of some kind-- as though it had been wet but then dried. I am not sure exactly what this pipe does. It definitely is involved in the heating system-- it is hot in the winter when the the heat is turned on-- but it might be a radiator or carry hot water. I also found brownish droplets caught in exposed folds of the little garbage bag in the bathroom garbage can; the way those droplets are collected looks like the water must have fallen from above the garbage can. However, there is no evidence of water damage on the ceiling or the walls, just the pipe, which is across the room from the garbage can. There is also a small puddle of yellowish-clear water on the floor behind the sink, and possibly some residue on the wood floor just outside the bathroom door, as though the water had flowed out and then dried. All the plumbing seems to currently work fine and with normal, clear water. The sink and the toilet are functioning. I haven't tried the shower yet, but there is no evidence of this leak in the shower.

I live on the 3rd floor of a 6 story apartment building. About 2 weeks ago, a man from the next floor up came to the door and said that the person who lived above him was experiencing some kind of terrible overflow in their bathroom (possibly they couldn't turn off the tub? It was not clear), and that the water had come through the ceiling from around the light fixture and flooded his bathroom, and he had every confidence our bathroom would be flooding soon. It did not, and there was no evidence in our bathroom of any problem until now, but I thought it might be relevant info.

Basically, I am just trying to figure out if anyone with more plumbing knowledge has encountered this kind of thing before and can help me understand what is likely to have happened while I was not at home, how serious it is, what this fluid is, and what steps I should take next to clean up, stop any potentially ongoing leaks, and make or arrange for any repairs that might be needed.

Thank you all for any help you can offer!

You are correct, the floor-to-ceiling pipe is heat related and connects to a radiator on the floor above. The leakage very likely is either at the radiator connection with the pipe or the union, or valve, both of which are parts of the radiator. It may be dry when you do a check there because that can be the nature of those types of leaks- now you see it, now you don't. The leak would have clung to the pipe itself and travelled floor to floor without wetting the ceiling. It will require a call to maintenance for a fix.

Thank you! This helps clarify the situation.



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sounds like a 'one pipe' steam riser

it goes straight up with an 'air vent' on the top floor

common for older houses kitchen and baths (small rooms, no radiator needed)

the pipe served as a 'path' for an upper level flood



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