Leak in basement ceiling from bathtub
#1
12-12-13, 09:42 AM
Leak in basement ceiling from bathtub
Hello everyone, I purchased this home, and the seller told me that the bathtub was leaking. I dont know if the pictures are enough, but my concern is that there significant structural damage.
#2
12-12-13, 11:55 AM
Group Moderator
Has the leak been fixed? That is the first step. After the leak is fixed leave the ceiling open for a week or two to allow the wood to thoroughly dry.
Checking the wood floor joist is the only way to tell if the leak was caught soon enough. Take a screwdriver and jab it into the wood. Good wood should only let it penetrate a bit making a dent. If the wood is rotted it can actually penetrate into the wood. Do you notice any sagging in the joist?
Checking the wood floor joist is the only way to tell if the leak was caught soon enough. Take a screwdriver and jab it into the wood. Good wood should only let it penetrate a bit making a dent. If the wood is rotted it can actually penetrate into the wood. Do you notice any sagging in the joist?
#3
12-12-13, 12:46 PM
It was a short sale, woman was out of the house in August. She turned the water off when she left. So there has been no water for quite some time. She knew she was losing the house, thats why she let the leak go and didnt fix it. To me I do not see any sagging, and wood still appears solid. Once i can get in the home, i need to clear up the area and start checking for rot
#4
12-12-13, 01:01 PM
Banned. Rule And/Or Policy Violation
Got a mess there.
Fungus growing that's going to eat the cellulose that holds the wood fibers together.
Old cast, steel and brass pipe with steel nuts that's always going to leak at some point.
Most likely place it's leaking is under the drain basket where it screws into the drain shoe.
tub drains - Bing Images
Fungus growing that's going to eat the cellulose that holds the wood fibers together.
Old cast, steel and brass pipe with steel nuts that's always going to leak at some point.
Most likely place it's leaking is under the drain basket where it screws into the drain shoe.
tub drains - Bing Images
#6
12-13-13, 01:53 PM
Group Moderator
Fungus, molds and dry rot all need a rather moist environment to survive. Solve the water problem and you largely stop the rotting/decomposition process where it is. It won't "heal" the wood but if you fix the leak the damage to the wood will stop the damage. If it seemed solid you may just be in for fixing the leak and patching the ceiling. The key is stopping the leak, hopefully before you use the tub even once and get the wood wet again. If the house has been empty a while it should have dried well on it's own, even in cold temperatures.
As for how much $ for repairs it depends... You could do it yourself and you'd be out less than $100 in materials and some skinned knuckles. Maybe a hundred or a bit more if you need to buy some tools but it's not a complex repair. Hiring the work done will vary wildly depending on how you do it. The plumbing repair is pretty straightforward. Fixing the ceiling is a bigger problem. Putting something back up to cover the hole is easy. Matching the arcing trowel pattern of the existing ceiling will take someone skilled.
As for how much $ for repairs it depends... You could do it yourself and you'd be out less than $100 in materials and some skinned knuckles. Maybe a hundred or a bit more if you need to buy some tools but it's not a complex repair. Hiring the work done will vary wildly depending on how you do it. The plumbing repair is pretty straightforward. Fixing the ceiling is a bigger problem. Putting something back up to cover the hole is easy. Matching the arcing trowel pattern of the existing ceiling will take someone skilled.
