Leak in basement bathroom
#1
09-21-18, 03:41 AM
Leak in basement bathroom
I don't know how to best ask the question, but since we started turning the heat on downstairs and leaving it on, I've been noticing more and more water on the bathroom floor. The colder it gets overnight, the more water the heat from our oil furnace seems to produce. I can't see if there is a pipe leaking anywhere, but then again, I am not physically able to examine all the pipes. I don't think anything would have happened that would have damaged the pipes. My question is is it possible for enough condensation to form on the pipes that it makes a small pool of water on the bathroom floor? We have a small dehumidifier running nearby; it gets dumped every few hours, frequently enough that it never fills. I don't know if this is a plumbing issue, a heating issue, or what I can do to resolve the problem. I just don't want to keep finding pools of water on the bathroom floor. Thank youf for any help you can give!
#2
09-21-18, 04:46 AM
Group Moderator
Heating the interior should have the opposite affect and reduce condensation. The only exception I can think of would be if you have a ventless heater that exhausts into the space as burning fuel like propane produces a lot of water vapor. If you can, turn off the water and see if the wetness continues. Or, turn off the heat and see if the problem continues. Since it's a basement I would first suspect water intrusion from the outside but if you have pipes buried in the concrete it's also possible that one of them is leaking.
#3
09-21-18, 05:00 AM
Group Moderator
Heating the basement could also make the cold water pipes sweat more than they did previously as it would likely raise the dewpoint. But we don't know where the water is coming from any more than you do. Figuring that out would be number one I would think.
#4
09-21-18, 09:44 AM
Is your heating system hydronic (water running through pipes)? It's possible you have a leak in one of your heating pipes... and with the extra pressure of the pumped water, it's leaking more.
You'll have to try to discover the source of the leak. Using newspaper or tissues can help track where it's coming from. You may need to open up a wall unfortunately.
You'll have to try to discover the source of the leak. Using newspaper or tissues can help track where it's coming from. You may need to open up a wall unfortunately.
