Leaking Shower - What's the cause? Pipe or washers

[PeterJB]

Hi, As per usual any help will be greatly appreciated. We have water stains in our downstairs utility room. Our bathroom is directly above this area. I pulled the bath panel off...

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• PeterJB
• 23 Dec 2014
• 1

Noticed there's not many floorboards around the pipework. so any leak would go straight down on to the ceiling. Some of the floorboards are rotting away.

Anyway.... when i turn hot water on for a bath, no leak. However if we turn shower on, the hot water pipe circled in red in the below picture starts to leak at the very top, where its fixed to underneath of tap. Only a trickle but i guess it'll be enough to cause damage.

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• PeterJB
• 23 Dec 2014
• 1

Not sure why it doesn't happen when hot water tap opened for a bath, only when shower is used. One thing i should mention, water is escaping from the shower mixer unit, a fine spray. A plumber mentioned the washers in the unit had probably gone and would need replaced. Could this be causing the leak underneath the bath or are they 2 separate issues.

Thanks in advance

 

[Newboy]

It look as if water is not leaking from the pipe but water from the shower is getting under the base of the tap. Try tightening the backnut (the black plastic nut) up

 

[PeterJB]

It look as if water is not leaking from the pipe but water from the shower is getting under the base of the tap. Try tightening the backnut (the black plastic nut) up

Ah, that might explain it as I did say water was spraying from the mixer unit, a fine mist but some of it pointing downwards towards the taps. I'll give that a try.

 

[longdogs]

As above but slap some silicon between the back nut and the bath.

 

[PeterJB]

As above but slap some silicon between the back nut and the bath.

Cheers I'll give this a bash tomorrow and report back.

 

[ree]

The plumbing is amateurish with more fittings than you can shake a stick at.

It would pay you to lift the mixer unit from the tub rim and replace all washers and O-rings, and check any cartridges. If the mixer looks shot then replace it.
Clean and dry the area above and below, and use use brass back nuts if you can get them instead of the plastic back nuts.

The rotted boards must be replaced and the plastic waste pipe from the trap should be carefully examined for a weeping leak - i suspect that you have two leaks.

After drying & cleaning all pipework, use toilet paper to dab for traces of moisture.

You will need a basin wrench and access to the hot water back nut might be tight.

Best leave this work until after the holidays.