By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
We are presently selling our two-story home. The buyer's home inspector noticed a small wet spot on the ceiling of the entry hall, located directly beneath the bathroom sink. We had our plumber check the bathroom, but he found no leakage. We also called a roofer to check the vent pipe, but he found no evidence of past leakage in that area. At this point, we don't know what else to do. What do you suggest? -- Virginia
Dear Virginia,
Plumbing leakage is apparently occurring beneath the bathroom, in a concealed portion of the building. My guess is that a water line or drainpipe is slowly dripping in the cavity between the bathroom floor and the hall ceiling. The only way to find and correct this problem is to expose it to the light of day, and this may mean cutting a hole in the hall ceiling. After your plumber makes the needed repairs, you'll need to hire a drywall installer so that no surgical scars remain on the hall ceiling.
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