I own a 3rd floor walk up condo with concrete floor/ceilings. My 3/4 bath shower drain leaks into the owners recessed light/shower ceiling below me (causing her shower ceiling to sag and much panic on her part).

After caulking the usual suspects and checking for other obvious signs, I still leak (it ONLY happens when water runs down the drain). I decided the likely culprit is bad drain.

When I realized there might be more mud/concrete than a weekend would afford, I peered into the drain and saw what looks like a hole eaten in the bottom of the pipe - I could be very wrong on this though...

After 47 years, many houses and small office buildings, I've done my share of DIY plumbing, but this one caught me flat footed.

Not sure where to start... can this even be done? Do I get out the air chisel? Would it be easier access from the neighbor's shower ceiling? Should I cap the drain/supply and turn the space into linen closet? Thoughts? I don't need this shower now, but am thinking about resale.

Any and all help appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jan

If this is ,indeed, a hole in the trap it can be addressed best through the neighbors ceiling. What material are your drainage pipes? Before you can mount a repair you have to find out exactly where the source of the leak is. To do that you'll have to go in through your neighbors ceiling. Let us know what you find. Good luck, Tom

Exactly as Tom said: Go to the condo below, cut the ceiling, replace trap, fix the ceiling and you are finished. It is not a big deal at all. All can be done in one day. There is really no other way of fixing it - unless, of course, you want to do it the hard way: break the shower floor, fix it from above... etc...