I have discovered my pipes behind my bathroom wall leading down stairs LEAKING,, my ceiling is soaked,and water has drained into my light fixture..I can hear the water dripping behind the bathroom wall when someone is taking a shower, or even just running water, how can I find this leak WITHOUT tearing down the entire wall??? Needs to be done ASAP !! How can I tell if its the shower pipes leaking or the main drain pipes???

 

I think you already know the answer...

I would start looking above where you see the water. You can cut a hole in the wall inside the bathroom vanity cabinet to get a peek. There the hole is easily patched without it showing out in the open. You can make a small hole and look inside with a flashlight. If you don't see the leak or any pipes you can stick a mirror in the wall to allow you to look throughout the wall cavity. If the leak is not there it's time to cut a new hole somewhere else. Keep in mind that any holes will need to be repaired and you don't want to do any more damage than needed. Hopefully your walls are some type of wall board. It can be easily cut with a box cutter knife. Avoid using a saw which may cut water or power lines. I like to cut a small (4-6") square holes between the studs about 28-24" above the floor.

 

Yep, small holes

Might take a few of them, though

Just not a pleasant scenario

 

You may be able to tell if the leak(s) come from the water lines or the drain lines.

I will turn off the main water valve and open all faucets to release the pressure inside the lines and drain them. Since you said that you can hear the water dripping, pay attention now to see if you can hear any dripping sound. If yes then it should be the drain line(s).

As it was said above, not a pleasant situation.

Good luck

 

If the ceiling below is soaked, it'll most likely have to be repaired/replaced. Sorry to say that opening it up to see what's leaking is probably the least of your worries.