Problematic thread on TilersForums might be a leak in shower - can you help us?

[Dan]

Okay okay so we're having to admit defeat in a thread and might actually (only might ) need the help of a plumber, or two.

Help! Tiled wetroom floor looks perfect but grout doesn't dry out!

Please checkout this thread. If you have a moment. If you want any of the images and don't have and account and don't want one, let me know, and I'll get the images for you.

We appear to have some grout that's pretty much permanently wet. Whether the shower is used or not. Took a couple of weeks (customer away on hols) for one area to dry out IN the actual shower.

Tilers has gone and re-grouted with Epoxy resin. (Can't let water through, either in or out from behind the tiles) so it APPEARS fixed. At least in the shower.

BUT - Now customer has water showing OUTSIDE the shower former area, and beyond the screen.

Can you helps us come up with a way to test whether it's the trap, or the mixer or some pipe behind the shower or something?

Help! Tiled wetroom floor looks perfect but grout doesn't dry out!

 

[Dotty]

I'm sorry?

Tilers actually asking for help?

Has the world stopped spinning?

 

[Phil]

Hi Dan I've been following that thread with interest....what you need is a good plumber to have a look. Have you tried looking on the Screwfix forums? ha ha ha

Separate tiler and plumber....shower leaks 6 months down the line...who's fault is it?
Tiler for dot & dabbing or plumber for having a drip on a 1/2 male iron going into recessed shower valve.

Although it did dry out when she was on holiday....could be leak in pipe going to shower head if built in.

 

[Dan]

Help! Tiled wetroom floor looks perfect but grout doesn't dry out! | Page 6 | Tilers Forums | tile advice and tiling forum - Tiling jobs, tiling courses, tile adhesive and grout. Tile advice for professional and DIY tile fixers

An update.

The plumber has pressure tested the shower heads or something and it isn't that. Apparently at 2 bar it didn't drop at all over half a hour (is that the way to test leaks to showers?).

So does anybody have any clues as to what could be causing water to sit on top of the grout 2ft away from the trap?

 

[hammers4spanner]

If its a small weep not sure if half hour of testing would be enough imho.

Wouldn't be surprised if a pet cat is wee'ing on the floor

 

[kris]

Paulas not having much luck with finding out an answer eh ??

 

[kris]

If its a small weep not sure if half hour of testing would be enough imho.

Wouldn't be surprised if a pet cat is wee'ing on the floor

exactly , also i just posted in the tiler forum as if the guy done the test using the shower valve to pump up pressure then switch off then hes only testing the outlets and not the inlets but only way to test the inlets is by switching mains off opening shower valve and switch main on , get pressure then switch off,,, only problem this tests whole house lol

 

[lame plumber]

try some drain dye down the shower waste, careful not to stain the tray and see if the grout picks up that colour, help prove the trap and waste pipe is watertight.

 

[kris]

try some drain dye down the shower waste, careful not to stain the tray and see if the grout picks up that colour, help prove the trap and waste pipe is watertight.

Nice one lame, that would defo eliminate the drain lol

 

[lame plumber]

Nice one lame, that would defo eliminate the drain lol

been there and done it to find the leak before, nice when you end up with pink grout after some muppet has stuck some nails in your waste run for what ever reason

 

[hammers4spanner]

been there and done it to find the leak before, nice when you end up with pink grout after some muppet has stuck some nails in your waste run for what ever reason

Probably still the plumbers fault

"pipe in wrong place'

 

[lame plumber]

nope mine was a carpet fitter using very long nails to hold down a thresh hold strip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tilingproblems]

Hi Lame it's Paula. Thanks very much for trying to help with this! Just one thought: our grout is dark grey so would the dye show up?

 

[tilingproblems]

If its a small weep not sure if half hour of testing would be enough imho.

Wouldn't be surprised if a pet cat is wee'ing on the floor

Do you really think half an hour at 2 bar is not enough? The needle didn't move at all and the pump for the shower is only 1.5 bar. How long should he have left it?

And we don't have a pet cat!

 

[Paulplumb]

Hi Lame it's Paula. Thanks very much for trying to help with this! Just one thought: our grout is dark grey so would the dye show up?

Great question. Just had a look and the drain dye on the website below can be seen using a uv light.

Drain Tracing Dye - Toolstation

 

[hammers4spanner]

Do you really think half an hour at 2 bar is not enough? The needle didn't move at all and the pump for the shower is only 1.5 bar. How long should he have left it?

And we don't have a pet cat!

Nope

Have done tests at 7 bar for hour nothing showed then gave it another 10 mins and needle then very slowly drop pulls.You need piece of mind imho half hour at 2 bar won't show much .

 

[tilingproblems]

Nope

Have done tests at 7 bar for hour nothing showed then gave it another 10 mins and needle then very slowly drop pulls.You need piece of mind imho half hour at 2 bar won't show much .

Gosh, are you sure you wouldn't bust the pipes at that sort of pressure??! Do we really need to go that high? Or perhaps do it for a bit longer?

Builder has now, as a result of plumber's tests, ruled out any problems with the shower outlets or valve. He thinks, after drying of the grout, we should run the bath for 30 mins to see if the water comes back, then, if not, the sink, then wait again. I can't quite see the point of testing the sink as the waste goes straight out the back wall into the room next door and there is no sign of wetness here. I suppose it is possible that there is a leak from under the bath, but we've never had any wetness of the grout near the bath! He's now saying if neither of these tests produces any more wetting, "it can only be general use of the en-suite, it is a wet room after all". Can you believe it?

 

[tilingproblems]

Great question. Just had a look and the drain dye on the website below can be seen using a uv light.

Drain Tracing Dye - Toolstation

That's a great idea, thanks! But I must admit I'm finding it hard to believe that there could possibly be a leak from the drain: as it runs UNDER the waterproof membrane, wouldn't any leak here show up on the ceiling down below rather than on the grout above the membrane?

Put me right if I'm not understanding this properly!

Paula

 

[lame plumber]

Hi Lame it's Paula. Thanks very much for trying to help with this! Just one thought: our grout is dark grey so would the dye show up?

you never seen what happens when the muppet works experience helper drops a bucket of water n drain dye then, it will show especially the red one