I have this annoying leak that for the life of me I cannot solve. Apparently, my basement ceiling leaks when the shower runs. To add to this it tends to leak more when the shower runs for a long time (30 mins +). We know it has to do with the shower and not the tub because we ran the faucet in the bathtub and nothing happens. But when we turned the shower on the steady drippy leak returned. It went away when we turned the shower off. Some factors that come to play is that the bathroom was steaming at the time so I thought maybe condensation? But when I replicated the problem shortly after there was very little condensation so i dont think it’s condensation behind the wall - or maybe it is. I dont know. This league does not always happen which is the weird part. I think it happens after the shower runs for a looong time.

I have an old style bathtub/shower. It’s the one with the three valves. Hot/Shower On/Cold.

I have no access panel either.

The leak is 1-1.5 feet away from the leak as an FYI. No water stains on other side of wall or in bathroom.

Anykne have any idea? Shower Valve? Shower Riser? Condensation? Any help would be appreciated.

you.

 

There are two possibilities, the first, since it leaks only when the shower is on would be the drain or something is leaking at or around the faucet when the water is turned on, it definitely is not condensation!

So the water on the ceiling is the result of the water leak, you need to get upstairs where the valves are located get into that wall and see what is going on.

For the drain, is it one of those drain pipes, they dont seem to be in the vicinity of the leak but water takes route of least resistance so the origin of the leak could be somewhere else!

 

Marq - I eliminated the drain because as I described in my OP I ran the faucet of the bathtub and nothing happened - no leak. I even threw loads of water around the grout and along the bathtub edges and nothing happened.

It was only leaking a few seconds after I turned on my shower head. Again, this only seems to happen when the shower head is running for a long time (30+ minutes). A majority of times it doesn’t even leak when the shower head is on for less than 30 minutes.

 

If this shower/tub has only 1 drain, the problem can't be the drain as it does not leak when only the tub is used. I agree with Marq1 that it has to be in the plumbing from the valve to the shower head. Most likely it is at one of the joints. I would expose the whole area between 2 floor joists. Installing a large patch is no more work than installing a small patch. Good hunting.

 

Figure out the easiest way to get at the showers plumbing so you can find the leak.

Perhaps just removing the covers around the faucets etc.in the shower will let you see it.
I would say it is leaking whenever you use the shower just not enough to get to where it can drip down into the basement.
Is it possible to open up the wall of the shower to get at the plumbing?

 

There is a closet directly behind the shower pipes. I think it’s easier to cut a hole there than cutting a hole between two floor joists no?

I just find it crazy how a 15 min shower creates no leak but a 30+ min does.

Ppl suggested its the shower riser?

 

Could be the way or the amount that the water is collecting in the wall, go over 15 min and the volume of water starts flowing enough to start leaking.

Time is immaterial, there is a leak!

 

I would do the cut in the closet.

Odds are that it is the shower riser and you would not be able to get at that from the basement so why make two holes.

 

Is that a drip on the left copper pipe? You might also check those pipes for pinhole leaks.