Help! Shower Leak

[pocketdynamo]

I've had nothing but problems with our new shower room upstairs.
At the moment we have a large wet patch in our kitchen ceiling which happens to be directly underneath the shower tray.
More than likely there is a leak in the plughole/wastepipe area, but how do I get to it to find out???
Is the only option to take the kitchen ceiling down??
If so, how do I go about it?

 

[masona]

Can you not lift the floorboards where the shower is?

They normally leaks when overtighten or cross threaded.

 

[pocketdynamo]

unfortunately the floor is tiled, which is easier - remove tiles and lift floorboards or cut a hole in kitchen ceiling?

 

[masona]

A difficult one,you dont' know where the floor boards or joists is,unless you have got some spare tiles left over to make up for it.What I did for somebody was the put in 8"dia round light fitting in the ceiling below under the shower trap waste acting as a dummy light,but NOT connected to mains etc.When they get problem they just remove the light fitting for access! The biggest fun is you might end up putting the hole in the wrong place

 

[mave]

I'd go through the ceiling. Probe with a screwdriver to find the joists, then cut the plasterboard along the middle of a joist on each side. This will allow fixing of a replacement panel of plasterboard. Try to make the cuts as straight and square a possible. This will make cutting the replacement panel easier.

 

[breezer]

our "new " bath leaked (into the kitchen below) after some months it turned out to be the waste pipe / plug hole fitting loose. I fitted new one with a bead of silicone selant too. all nice and dry

 

[MANDATE]

Am I missing something here! Why can't the shower tray be removed.
If it's been put in then it can be taken out, agreed some tiles may have to be renewed.
Access through the kitchen ceiling seems a bit drastic, are you sure it's the waste pipe and not between tray and wall.
I suppose if ceiling is wet in won't be long before it drops down and then you'll have access.
I like the light idea, I hope you have plasterboard ceiling

 

[masona]

Am I missing something here! Why can't the shower tray be removed.

Sometime it not practical,depending how the tray is fitted specially when you can only fit the trap waste when the tray is in the correct position.I have a thin shower tray type raise up slightly with a inspection pvc board in front of it for access.I cannot move my shower tray without undoing the trap first and sliding door etc.....

 

[breezer]

I would like to echo that, i saw a tv diy prog and to fit the shower basin it was laid down and the waste pipe was fished up through the plug hole with a coat hanger and tightned up.

oh i forgot to mention the large dollop of fixing material that held it in place to be sure

 

[MANDATE]

What's going on! masona is now in america and not Southend and Breezer is at an unknown location

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

What's going on! masona is now in america and not Southend and Breezer is at an unknown location

I believe masonas gone abo (walkabout) now his summer house is finished, as for breezer see my post under "house key"

 

[masona]

Yoooohooo,I'm back in my own country now,I've been looking for breezer

Oh hang on a minute,what does breezer looks like

 

[skellem]

What you need to do is buy yourself a plasterboard access panel. Cut the correct size hole in the kitchen ceiling and fit it. Make sure the access panel is one with feathered edges so it's not so noticable. Thta's what I'm doing and it means you have access whenever you want!