We have just discovered a wet spot on the ceiling under the second floor stall shower. The shower is fiberglass and is nearly 30 years old. Will the entire shower stall have to be replaced or could it just be the drain? Our house has the plastic piping.

Just trying to get an idea of cost involved here.

Thank you.


Thanks for the helpful hints, guys. My hubby travels most of the time so I thought I would try to figure this one out. About a week or so ago, I noted a small (maybe one inch long) slightly darker area in the ceiling downstairs under the stall shower. Then, last night it is the size of a round toilet base (as if it was a toilet leak). However, by measuring the distance from the outside wall, etc. downstairs, I determined the round wet area on the ceiling has to be under the stall shower on the second floor. After using the shower this morning (and remembering the spot on the ceiling downstairs), I have decided to use one of the other bathrooms to shower. There is still water standing in the drain (I can see this when I lift the drain strainer) and I will try to get that out of there tonight somehow, and then try the trick from Tom. I don't think I can get the shower valve plate off, so I'll try the drain elimination idea first. I'm hoping it is just the grout, as it would be old enough to cause a problem.

Thanks again, guys. I sure appreciate the help.

Hey Mom,
Before you can begin to repair the leak you must first locate it. Some tests should be done before you open up the ceiling. Let's start with the drain. Before you go to bed remove the strainer and put some wet rags in a baggie and stuff them down the drain to seal it off. Now run about a inch or so of water in the shower floor and let it set over night. Make a pencil mark at the water level. Next morning check the mark and your ceiling. Water level down? Ceiling wet? No? Then let the water out and check the ceiling again. Still no wet on the ceiling? If the ceiling stays the same then it's a pretty safe bet the shower drain,trap and drain line's OK and the ceiling won't have to be opened up.
This places the leak in the tile grout. Tile grout shrinks over time and allows water to enter above and outside the shower pan where it will run past the pan and leak out onto the floor. To fix this note where the stream hits the tile when you're taking a shower and regrout the tiles in the area. Good luck, Tom

Hi Mom...

I would also have you remove the shower valve chrome or brass trim plate, if possible, and check behind that plate for a leak.

Here, once shower valve handle and the chrome trim plate have been removed, run the shower and then look in behind the wall and see if you can see anything obvious. If not, proceed as Tom has directed...

Keep us posted...

MARK

The chances are very high that the drain or mixer are your problem. Tile grout can leak but very, very rarely. I do ton's of custom shower stall. Before the tile goes up you can use the shower, no tile and no grout and it will not leak. Then again we don't know if the original installer did the backerboard correctly. My bet is the drain is faulty, you soon won't be worried about that wet ceiling cause its coming down no matter which way this goes. Drywall that gets wet repeatedly need to be replaced and you'd have to pull it anyway to repair the drain. Keep us informed