I sure hope someone knows the answer to this:confused:
my bathtub leaks randomly when someone takes a shower and usually the drained is somewhat blocked with hair. Maybe 1 or 2 people have taken them back to back. This is a first floor bathtub and I can see water on the floor in the basement and can even see a drip down the wall.
At first I thought it has to be the tile, so then I put a nice layer of silicone in all areas that I could tell needed it.
I've looked behind the tub when someone is showering to see if I could see where it comes from, the drain and all the pipes look dry, but the floor is clearly wet. I do not understand how it is possible, but it seems as though the water is coming from top edge of the front corner of the tub. But I've got a good thick layer of silicone all around the top edge of the tub and can not see any missing grout around the tile.
Can someone please help me.

Thanks:-)
GaleR

Have you inspected the piping and mixing valve inside the wall? A leaking pipe and/or mixing valve are likely sources that should be explored. Remove the escutcheon plate and get a flashlight.

I have looked in the access panel to see the pipes, bone dry. But the floor is wet, and the side of the tub next to the wall, you can see and feel is wet, I've even put a small bowl on the floor and have caught some water in it.
Where is the mixing valve and the escutcheon plate located? Not sure what they are.

Remove the shower head, and pipe. Coat with a good coat of pipe dope and reinstall. After removing the shower head, insert a large Phillips screwdriver inside the pipe to unscrew pipe. Move handle of screwdriver in a circle for greater leverage.

I'll tell you what the plate and valve is if you tell me about your access panel. LOL The escutcheon plate is the plate behind the handle that forms seal againist the shower wall and hides the piping and valve which are located immediately behind the handle. If you caught water in a bowl then it is dripping down from above that point. Looks like Harold thinks the leak may be higher up than the mixing valve, up where the pipe comes out of the wall. I doubt your problem has anything to do with the shower head but he could be right about the pipe, we need to get more info to see where it leaks. When you did your inspection I would assume the shower was not running and that can be why your floor is wet but the pipes are dry. With the access open or escutcheon removed turn the shower on and look for drips and leaks again.

If the leak were from the shower valve or raiser you would have moisture on the pipes so I don't think you'll find it there.
I have a hunch you'll locate your leak where the stream from the shower head hits the tiles. If the pipes are dry behind the access panel then that indicates a tile leak to me. I know you siliconed around the lip of the tub but tile grout can shrink over the years and not be noticed. Check where the stream hits and recaulk the tiles. Good luck, Tom

Lol, sorry, I just don't know what else to call it... but I will explain it as best I can.
k, like here's my bathroom, my diningroom is nest to the bathroom, so in the dinding room, there is a thing tha opens up and allows me to see the entire length of the end of my tub pipes from the shower head on down to the drain. It's dry all the way through there until you look at the floor, the floor clearly tells you something has been leaking and it drips down into the basement, I can stand under the tub in the basement and see no leak around the drain, it seems to be coming from... like the side of the house and drips down the wall in the basement, other side where you get in the tub from is dry. The floor seems to stay wet. The leak seems to have a mind of it's own, only seeming to drip down the wall into the basement sometimes. Not every time we shower. I've filled the tub with water several times, and I stand there in front of the pipes trying to hard to see where it's comeing from with no luck, seems like when I look, it doesn't want to do it, lol. I've ran the shower several times and stood there and looked, nothing, not even any water stains.
I can stick my arm into the opening and put my hand on the side of the tub and seems to always be damp, it's like it's running down the side of the tub, it's a heavy , I'm going to say old ceramic type tub, not sure really what it is. And one correlation seems to be, there is always hair from the person before and the one that just got in did not clean it out before getting in so the drain is some what blocked and of course water accumilates in the tub while they are in there. One time while I was washing my hair in the shower, and I have very long thick hair, the drain got somewhat blocked and by the time I got out, my youngest was yelling about a leak down in his room, lol and that is the next room over in the basement. But how could the drain being blocked have anything to do with it? It's just maddening, it's almost like and I know this sounds stupid, but it seems like maybe there is a space in between the layer of tub we stand on and the outide layer that I can see and some how water gets in there where we can't see it and over flows over the top edge of the bathtub.
My bathtub is possessed:-(
I still don't understand what the escutcheon plate is and only handle I have is the one that open and closes the drain, and it has'nt worked in years. But I'm copying all of this so that maybe my dad can try it.
Thanks so much for all your help. I've been dealing with this for months and have has several people in to look at it and no one seems to be able to figure it out, all they want to do is take the whole tub out and replace everything, and I just don't have that kind of money.
So anything anyone can tell me is so much appreciated, hopefully when dad reads it all maybe he can pin point it better.

GaleR:-)

Should I post my answer again? Tom

Gale. Somehow I pictured a shower stall instead of your tub/shower combo. A shower stall mixing valve would have a escutcheon plate but tubs do not always have them. Your tub is likely cast iron with a porcelein surface. You made a very good observation about hair blocking the drain. Can you get flat on the floor and see any of the drain or trap below the tub? It is highly probable that the basement ceiling below the tub will need to come out to repair the water damage anyway. If there is a leak at the drain or trap the ceiling would come out so you might as well tear it out now so you'll get a better look. You have 3 detectives working on your case, we'' apprehend the problem maker.

Bob makes a valid point. Did you feel around the trap raiser and the tub shoe for moisture?

I need to leave so I'd have to correct myself and say you now have two detectives. Tom will stick with this I know. Good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GaleR

one that just got in did not clean it out before getting in so the drain is some what blocked and of course water accumilates in the tub while they are in there. One time while I was washing my hair in the shower, and I have very long thick hair, the drain got somewhat blocked and by the time I got out, my youngest was yelling about a leak down in his room

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How much water? Do you mean an inch or two or do you mean a tub full?

Quote:

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I can stand under the tub in the basement and see no leak around the drain, it seems to be coming from... like the side of the house and drips down the wall in the basement, other side where you get in the tub from is dry. The floor seems to stay wet.I have looked in the access panel to see the pipes, bone dry. But the floor is wet, and the side of the tub next to the wall, you can see and feel is wet,

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That should tell you what I've been saying all along, that you'll locate your leak where the stream from the shower head hits the tiles. If the pipes are dry behind the access panel then that indicates a tile leak to me. I know you siliconed around the lip of the tub but tile grout can shrink over the years and not be noticed. Check where the stream hits and recaulk the tiles. Let me know, tom..

Get a plummer before the floor boards rot, if that happens you'll need a builder and a plumber. Save some money, sort it asap. Water damage is under-estimated.

Hope this helps,
Louis.

Wow, I did not realize even OK looking tile grout could still let in water, the house is close to 30 years old, but yes the hair clog keeps throwing me on that, or could be both:-(
I can see the drain from the basement on the bottom of the tub, it had started leaking several years ago, but I siliconed it really good and it remains dry today, that's the first place I always look when I notice water on the basment floor and I have not seen any water coming from it. It's always against the basement wall and trickles down, can even see it seeping through the floor here and there about a 2 foot length along the edge of the wall. Think I may have dad put one of those nice looking things completely over the tile and seal the whole thing up.
And maybe just have him replace the drain too, that would have to take care of it would'nt you think?
Thanks so much guys, you all are really nice and helpful, wish I'd came here sooner:-)
GaleR

Sorry hkstroud, did'nt see your question, it's usually about 4 to 6 inches when the drian is clogged