Hi my husband and I recently had our shower stall hotmopped for our membrane. We were told to do a water test by plugging the drain hole, filling the pan w/water and see if it held overnight. Well we bought an appropriate water test plug and the water goes down while we're standing there watching it! Are we supposed to cover the weep holes to do this test? I think the weep holes are the four small holes around the drain by the bolts, am I wrong? I see them and it seems like the water is going down them or the bolt thing. I mean you know how the bolt goes in a big hole then is tuned into a thinner area to hold it and then tighten it? Is that supposed to be covered? I don't know what to do because we see the water going down that area. We can't move forward on our diy remodel until we can pass this water test. PLEASE HELP!!

Make sure that the plug is in the pipe a couple of inches below the shower drain itself because you want to check all of the connections above the pipe.

As usual Letmetellu was bang on with his answer. Weep holes are there to remove and drain away any water that happens to seep through the tile and mortor floor. Without weep holes water would colect and build up until it ran out on the floor. Hlowever, for a test the plug, (if you don't have a plug a balloon blown up in the drain will work just as well) to be effective it must be placed below the weep holes. Good luck, Tom

OK so put a flat balloon in the drain pipe and blow it up while it's in there right? OK I'll try that. Thank god there's no cameras around because that's going to look REAL cute! Thank you both and I will let you know. :-)

If the balloon grosses you out then purchase a 2" test plug, (see image) from any working plumbing company. Cheers, Tom

THANKS A MILLION to you both- letmetellu and speedball1. I did put a balloon in the drain well below the weep holes and wouldn't you know it the water held! It's nice to find competent people who are willing to share their knowledge so givingly and FREE :D I owe you a debt of gratitude. Thanks again. Lisa in California