The water leak marks on my kitchen ceiling told me something was wrong in the bathroom that was installed 2020. As often is the case, these look great until you need access!!
Peeled all the silicon away from the bath panel and then with the aid of a glazer’s suction cups, managed to remove the panel. After various tests I discovered the leak was coming from the overflow drain.
My overflow is one of these combined drains/ rotary control to lift and drop the plug. From a YT video it looks like it has probably came loose due to the rotary action so need to strip it and retighten it.
My concern is if the same thing happens again? How can I set up an early warning system??
I am thinking an empty tub under the drain hole with some sensor of some sort in it that will be happy to lie dormant for years but would alert me if water got into tub.
No doubt Smokie had something similar already set up in his house but any clever suggestions ??
And finally, other than making sure kitchen ceiling is dry, should I be applying anything to the black marks before I try and paint over them again??
|
The only time Ive had this happen was when Mrs FC started, unbeknowingly, poking a screwdriver around the bath drain hole and loosened it resulting in water coming through the ceiling below.
In the first instance there is a small screw holding the knob onto the shaft. Slacken off and pull off the knob. You will see the overflow and a large nut which tightens everything up. Check everything is centered, the gasket in the correct position re-tighten. Everything should be good. However if the fitter has used copious amounts of silicon it may be best to clean and restart the fitting.
Ive fitted a couple of these: tinyurl.com/y3sjswv7 (Screwfix) which have been easy to fit providing everything is clean.
Never had a subsequent leaking issue providing you fully tighten and check everything.
Zinsser Cover Stain as a primer is good once everything has dried out properly. It seals the stain.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Thu 28 Dec 23 at 23:52
|
I had something similar with the water supply to my concealed cistern. It was a leaking joint deep down in the boxwork. I remade the joint by feel but couldn’t see how successful it was. So I wrapped it in a Jeycloth which I fed directly down into a tall Tupperware container to wick away any drips. I lift the worktop occasionally but, to date, it all feels and smells dry. Very Heath Robinson but it does the job.
As a separate issue, my bath taps came loose and the bath was also behind a concealing tiled panel. Luckily the other long edge backed onto a wall and I was able to cut an access hole from the other room and tighten the tap nuts, fitting a plastic access panel (from Screwfix).
I still have two concealed tiled-in cisterns that my latest plumber tells me would require considerable retiling if they ever need replacing. The boxes are too tight to work in.
With these experiences in mind if I were getting more concealed pipe work etc I would plan in the need for future access. Even supposedly good plumbers seem to go for speed and neatness of new work, over access.
Too late for Bobby and any existing setups of course.
|
I've had a few leaks through ceilings, fortunately, I've always got to them before they've done permanent damage.
I've always made sure everything was completely dry before re-decorating. This has involved removing floorboards and insulation to ensure thorough ventilation. In one case I had a dehumidifier running in the loft for a couple of weeks.
I've never liked these pop-up plugs and their types. When I had the bathrooms, kitchen and utility re-fitted in this place, I insisted on old fashoined plugs.
Last edited by: bathtub tom on Fri 29 Dec 23 at 09:49
|
I've never liked these pop-up plugs and their types. When I had the bathrooms, kitchen
>> and utility re-fitted in this place, I insisted on old fashoined plugs.
>>
I don't think the pop up, lever plugs are very reliable. Not from my experience and others, some of them aren't cheap either.
|
As a follow up to this, took the plug/ overflow contraption apart and sure enough just needed tightening. Also explained to the two users of the bath how it operated ie. Only a quarter turn needed!
Unfortunately I really struggled to get the bath panel back on. Due to it being a small bathroom, exactly the length of the bath, and the sink cabinet being butted up to the bath. I used glazier suction cups to pull it out and flex it to get it out the door but couldn’t do the same going back in as the panel just wanted to push under the bath at that angle.
So I had to build a frame under the bath so that the panel would glance off that and line up but I was a couple mm out so it still didn’t work. So after searching for an inspired idea, I needed something about 2 feet long, thin and flexible to jam in so that it glanced off it and slid into place, guess what did the trick???
An old number plate!!!
Now to deal with the kitchen ceiling. Of all the spare paint tubs I have, none are the white ceiling emulsion so no chance of a touch up job!
|
The machinations of DIY :)
Every problem is a solution opportunity.
Often find that previous works have never factored in that somewhere down the line someone will have to access and perform some maintenance. Well, more a case of 'wont be my problem'.
|
>..somewhere down the line someone will have to access and perform some maintenance.
I replaced a parking sensor recently. To release the sensor the front bumper cover had to come off. To get the bumper cover off, the radiator grille and the undertray has to come off. All the bits are plastic and all of them are held together with those awful Chimney nut fasteners. 6 of the 13 undertray fasteners were missing, 3 of the remaining 7 were rusted solid and 1 had been broken away from it's tab because someone couldn't get it undone.
Since the undertray needs to come off to get to the oil drain plug and filter it baffles me why the heck Jaguar used mild steel fasteners where they're guaranteed to get covered in crap and go rusty.
£13 plus 3 broken fingernails spent replacing all the fasteners and bolts with stainless equivalents and threads greased. I just need to remind the workshop to put ALL of them back at it's next service.
|
Bath leak - ingenious ideas needed? - Fullchat
