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stryker6040 · Nov 2, 2005, 07:27 AM

OK well I just bought a house that was built in the 60s and the tub/shower was falling apart. The grout that held the platic tiles on the wall had dried up and started to fall off. Day by day I would lose more tiles so I went to the home improvement store and bought a tub/shower wall kit. I ripped off all the old tiles and then there was an extra layer of dry wall behind the tiles that was water logged so that came down as well. Now to the fun part well it look the when my house was built they built the bathroom walls around the tub so on each end of the tub it goes under the wall about a quarter inch. So then when I put up my wall kit the put a heavy bead of silcone chauk where the wall meets the tub to ensure that water couldn't get behind the wall in that recessed area. Well so far not so good every since I remodeled I am getting water leaking through the floor into the basement. I have checked and rechecked for leaks and can't find anything anyone have any advice as to what to do?

speedball1 · Nov 2, 2005, 09:58 AM

You first have to ascertain the source of the leak. Drainage or splash. Try bathing in just the tub without using the shower. Is there leakage when you use the tub that way? Now shower and pay close attention to where the stream hits and runs down the walls. Is there a spot where it "puddles" up and sets? My bet's on a splash leak from showering but let me kinow. Cheers, Tom

stryker6040 · Nov 3, 2005, 09:16 AM

OK thanks speedball went home last night and did a few test. First one I turned on both hot and cold water and just let it run out of the tub spout for about 10 minutes. Went down stairs and had no leaks then I changed the diverter valve to shower and pointed the shower head to the middle of the tub to start I let that run for a few minutes then went back down stairs and there the leak was so I am ruling out splash leaks for right now. So then I first took of the diverter valve handle and chrome piece to access the valve and took it off and applied so pvc tape to the threads and put it back on and tested again and still had the leak so then I decided to so the same to the hot/cold water valves and when I took the hot valve out I noticed the nylon oring/gasket was out of shape so I took those off and put thread tape on those valves as well got everything back together and test and found a leak coming through the floor but a lot slower.smaller then before so I went and tighten all the valves as hard as I could get them and tested and seemed to stop. This mourning I took a shower and when finished checked and had no leaks and then my roommate took a shower and after he was done I checked again and then was a few drips but I am leaning to think that his are from water splashing out of the tub cause when I went up stairs I noticed the shower head was in the most downward position and the shower curtain was pealed back off off the wall (when I shower I stick the curtain to the wall to keep water in) so in the end I think I have solved my problem but if it does come back is there anything short of taking down the new shower walls and the dry wall to replace the whole shower diverter/mixer valve. I already had replaced all the stems when I moved into the house to stop the spout from dripping cause of worn out steams, any suggetions or comments

stryker6040 · Nov 3, 2005, 01:26 PM

Another quick question for you can a new shower head cause a water preasure back up and be the cause in the leaks at the water stem valves. Only reason I ask is because that was recently changed when the plastic one that was on there when I bought it snapped off so I replaced it with a well can't remember the name brand but it is similar to a waterpik has like 7-8 different spray settings and is supposed to be a water saver model

stryker6040 · Nov 4, 2005, 06:51 AM

Little update took a 20 min shower this mourning before work and no leaks from mine, then 10 minutes after I am done roommate takes a shower and I notice a small amount of water dripping in the basement after he's done. I don't know what he's doing in the shower to make a leak but this is starting to irritate me

speedball1 · Nov 4, 2005, 07:27 AM

You removed the "O" rings and substituted Teflon Tape in their place? Not such a good idea. Replace the "O" rings.
You ask," can a new shower head cause a water preasure back up and be the cause in the leaks at the water stem valves?"

No, but replacing the bonnet packings with teflon tape can. Stem leaks are eliminated by the bonnet packing which in turn is controlled by the pressure applied by the bonnet packing nut, (see Below), The bonnet packing nut is the top brass nut on the stem.

And,"little update took a 20 min shower this mourning before work and no leaks from mine, then 10 minutes after I am done roommate takes a shower and I notice a small amount of water dripping in the basement after he's done. I don't know what he's doing in the shower to make a leak but this is starting to irritate me.

Perhaps it's time for you and your room mate to discuss replacing that shower curtain with shower doors that slide close. I think a lot of your leakage comes from the shower curtain not being properly used. Shower doors would remove this problem.
Good luck Tom

stryker6040 · Nov 4, 2005, 08:13 AM

Well last night I went out and bought a brand new shower curtain and some water proof tape then I taped the front of the curtain to the front shower wall all the way from the top of the wall down into the tub. And like I said when I took a 20 min shower there wasn't any leaks and like I said I don't know what he does differently in his shower then I do but he had a few drips. Should I go out and just buy a completely new stem/handle kit and start from scratch?

The place where I used teflon tape is where the main stem screws into the water mixer/shower control it originally like I said had nylon washer gasket between the stem and mixer control.

I have the bonnet packing nut as you referred to very tight almost to the point where the handles are hard to turn. Are you saying I should wrap that nut with the tape or leave it as it was cause right now it doesn't have anything on it

speedball1 · Nov 4, 2005, 09:39 AM

"i have the bonnet packing nut as you refered to very tight almost to the point where the handles are hard to turn. are you saying i should wrap that nut with the tape or leave it as it was cause right now it doesnt have anything on it?"

The threads on the bonnet packing nut do not hold water pressure so you don't have to tape them. A bonnet packing nut applies pressure on the bonnet packing to compress it against the stem so that no water escapes.
If you have them cranked tight then the packings themselves need to be replaced. How you adjust the bonnet packing nut is to open the valve a turn or two and back the nut off until water begans to leak from around the stem. Then slowly tighten the nut until the leak stops. STOP! If you over tighten the stem will be hard to turn. Good luck and I hope taping down rhe shower curtain helps. Tom