How To Check For Plumbing Leaks In Your Bathroom

The first sign of plumbing leaks in your bathroom is usually finding water stains on the ceiling of the room below your bathroom. This usually means that the leak may have caused extensive damage to other hidden areas and the best thing to do is call out an emergency plumber to come and take a look and repair the plumbing leaks.

The most common places for plumbing leaks to originate are plumbing fixtures such as showers, bath tubs, toilets and sinks. You can save yourself the hassle and expensive repair bill of the damage caused by plumbing leaks in your bathroom by just keeping an eye out for a few tell tail signs that there could be a leak in your bathroom.

Shower Leaks

Checking the seals around your shower every now and then is a good idea as this is a common area for an undetected leak to cause a more serious problem. Serious damage can occur if water is leaking and coming into constant contact with the floor and surrounding walls. If this plumbing problem is left then it can quickly become expensive to repair as there may be a lot of renovation work involved in repairing the damage caused. Floorboards and joists tend to swell over time and eventually start to rot when they keep getting wet, this can lead to a costly project to replace them where you may have to remove your shower tray or enclosure to work on the damage below.

Signs to look out for to avoid an expensive repair from damage caused by plumbing leaks in your shower are things like peeling paintwork and rotting flooring. If you have vinyl flooring you also need to be aware of puddles forming on the surface as this can cause the flooring to curl and deteriorate meaning it will start to allow water to pass and come into contact with the floorboards below. If you use a shower curtain it should be kept inside the bathtub when you are in the shower, this reduces the risk of puddles forming on your flooring. Another sign there may be plumbing leaks in your shower is mould spots on the silicone seals around your shower, this can indicate that there may be gaps in the silicone that need to be repaired. Check your shower doors, make sure the rubber seals in good condition and there are no gaps where the shower tray meets the floor. If you do find that there are gaps or rot then you need to scrape it out and apply fresh silicone to repair the seal, make sure the silicone is completely dry before you test or use your shower.

Bathtub Leaks

When checking for plumbing leaks around your bathtub the same apply’s to what you would do when checking your shower. Check the silicone for gaps and rot and repair if necessary. It can be quite difficult to find some leaks as water tends to disperse slowly. It can be hard to detect a leak from the pipes as they tend to be hidden behind panelling and walls. In this case your first clue for this sort of leak will be water stains on the ceiling of the room below.

Bath Drain Leaks

One of the most common places for plumbing leaks to form in the bathroom is around the plugs and drains. As it is with most leaks the water will leak slowly meaning it may be difficult to detect. The best way to check for a leaking drain or plug would be to fill the bath with a small amount of water and check back in an hour or so to see if the water level has dropped. If the water level has decreased this is more than likely the sign of a leak, however it could also be the seal of the plug stopper so make sure you check this as well to save money on removing a bathtub to find there is no damage below. Drain leaks tend to be more common with fibreglass and plastic bathtubs than that of ceramic as the material is softer so it can move slightly as you move on top of them. This can lead to the seal breaking around the plug hole allowing water to get into the area underneath.

Bathroom Floor Leaks

The most common cause of plumbing leaks in your bathroom floor is due to vinyl flooring, which is prone to rot and will start to curl at the edges from constant exposure to water. Tiled floors can also be an issue if the tiles crack or there is a problem with the grouting as water can leak trough causing damage to floorboards.

Tiling Leaks

If there is damage to the silicone or grouting around the tiles this can allow water to escape through. This can manifest behind walls or drip down onto the flooring and cause damage. Mouldy tiles are the biggest warning sign of plumbing leaks and they can often come loose or fall off.

Toilet Leaks

Most plumbing leaks coming from the toilet are caused by a leak between the toilet and the waste pipe. This means that every time you flush the toilet water will leak from it. As your toilet is probably used the most in your bathroom an undetected plumbing leak can quickly escalate into a lot of damage and an expensive plumbing repair job. If you toilet moves when you sit on it this could cause a major problem over time as the movement could potentially break the flange seal and lead to a leak. Make sure you check the seals around the bottom of the toilet to ensure that the toilet is secure.

Tap Leaks

It can be hard to detect plumbing leaks around a tap as it will often lead to a place that is hidden. If the seals are damaged or the silicone is deteriorating around taps and faucets then water can seep through and cause damage to the area below. It is usually easier to get a clear view of what’s going on with taps on sinks and basins so the best way to detect plumbing leaks on these is to poor water around the tap area and then check the area below.

Sink Leaks

Plumbing leaks from your sink can occur at pipe joints and sometimes even from the pipes themselves so it is a good idea to check the pipes regular as over time water running down the pipes onto the floor will cause a lot of damage to your floorboards.

If you find that you have any hidden plumbing leaks call us now to get the problem resolved and prevent further damage. https://www.jwcplumbingandheating.co.uk