Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Do you only have a stand alone shower, or a combination shower/tub in that bathroom? If it's a combination shower/tub unit then try filling the tub about half full of water and let it sit for a few hours. Do you notice any water leaking from the ceiling in the laundry room? If so then you might have a weak seal around the drain.
If not then open the drain stopper and allow the water to drain out. Do you notice any water leaking from the ceiling in the laundry room? If so then you might have a crack in the drain line itself.
If no water is leaking from either of those "tests", but only leaks when you're using the shower, then a fitting for the shower pipe (from the diverter valve to the shower head) might be leaking, or the shower pipe itself has developed a hole or crack.
As for your question, Yes, plumbers have to cut into walls all the time to get to the pipes inside the wall. They should be able to fix the wall afterwards.
If not then you'll have to call in a sheetrock repair guy.
I tried the tests, and no water leaks from the tub, only when the shower is running. I am awaiting a return call from a plumber, hopefully he will be able to come tomorrow.
I tried the tests, and no water leaks from the tub, only when the shower is running. I am awaiting a return call from a plumber, hopefully he will be able to come tomorrow.
Then it sounds like you have a shower pipe fitting that is leaking, or the shower pipe itself has busted.
That, in itself, is a very easy fix. The problem is that the plumber will need to get into the wall to do it.
What is on the other side of the bathroom wall where the showerhead is located?
Then it sounds like you have a shower pipe fitting that is leaking, or the shower pipe itself has busted.
That, in itself, is a very easy fix. The problem is that the plumber will need to get into the wall to do it.
What is on the other side of the bathroom wall where the showerhead is located?
It is my bedroom, actually a closet in my bedroom, that is on the other side. The closet is a medium sized-walk in, and the wall that is up against the shower is the back wall of the closet.
It is my bedroom, actually a closet in my bedroom, that is on the other side.
That's good because a big hole in the wall, in this case in your closet, won't be a big eye sore for you to look at.
That will give you more time to find someone who can repair the sheetrock for you and give you a little more breathing room if you're not financially able to pay someone to fix the hole yet.
Naturally the biggest concern is the leak. If the plumber can't fix the sheetrock, or just refuses to do so, then having a temporary hole in the closet won't be as bad as having to look at it everytime you walked into the room.
That's good because a big hole in the wall, in this case in your closet, won't be a big eye sore for you to look at.
That will give you more time to find someone who can repair the sheetrock for you and give you a little more breathing room if you're not financially able to pay someone to fix the hole yet.
Naturally the biggest concern is the leak. If the plumber can't fix the sheetrock, or just refuses to do so, then having a temporary hole in the closet won't be as bad as having to look at it everytime you walked into the room.
Yeah, I am fine with a hole in the wall for awhile. It is the leak that I need to get fixed first.
I can always hang a picture up in my closet to cover the hole.
It maybe the shower arm that has split at the threaded joint with the wing ell in the wall.
Picture of typical wing ell
Before cutting into the wall I would have a plumber remove the shower arm and install a capped off nipple into the wing ell and turn the shower on to see if anything leaks.
(the arm may break off from the wing ell, you will need an easy out tools to remove the broken piece out of the ell) I have seen this many times.
Thanks to all for your suggestions. Since the first two plumbers failed to call me back with an estimate, I called plumber #3. And I'm very glad I did!
Forgive my lack of technical jargon, but he took off the round plate around the tub faucet, and looked through the hole with his flashlight. He ran the shower while looking at the pipe that runs up to the shower head. He showed me, and said that if there was a leak in the shower you would be able to see it dripping along that pipe. So he didn't think the leak was coming from the pipe behind the shower.
He said that the front of the shower head Ithe part that hangs out over the tub) was not tight, and that was allowing a stream of water to drip down the inside of the shower (along the tile) down to where the caulk was around that round plate around the faucet. He said the caulk was old and loose, so that stream of water coming from the shower head was dripping into the hole in the caulk and then back behind the shower.
When he turned the shower on to show me, I could see a stream of water running down the tile to the faucet area. So he tightened the shower head, and put new caulk around the round plate around the faucet.
Start to finish, it only took him about 30 minutes.
He told me to wait three days before using the shower, and today was the third day. I could see no water at all leaking through the laundry room ceiling.
I am so glad that plumbers #1 and #2 never called back with an estimate, because they both said the only way to find the leak was by cutting a hole in my bedroom wall.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
