Seasonal water leak?

[Brandi TX]

Now I don't want anyone turning me in to the looney bin for this, but I have wanted an answer to this for a while now and am going to suck it up and ask.

Is there any logical reason that a leak would come and go throughout the year? Allow me to explain.

Occasionally there will be water on the floor outside the tub after the shower is used (not when only the tub is used). The water appears to be coming from where the tub meets the floor - about a foot in from the drain side of the tub.

I had someone crawl under and all he said he saw was that the drain looked like it had been leaking and just needed to be tightened and puttied.

(Can you tell by my vocabulary in this post that I am clueless as to all things plumbing??)

Anyway - my confusion comes from the fact that this does not happen every shower... nor does it happen all year. It only seems to happen in the spring time for about a month to 6 weeks.

Can anyone explain this phenomenon to me? It defies logic to me and is driving me nuts!

Thanks,
Brandi

[Debbie]

I take it that your house sits on crawl space?

House sits on level topography? Hilly?

[Brandi TX]

Pier and beam foundation on level property.

[Jeffery (LCLA)]

Now I don't want anyone turning me in to the looney bin for this, but I have wanted an answer to this for a while now and am going to suck it up and ask. Just becuase you ask doesn't mean that you'll get the ansswer.
Is there any logical reason that a leak would come and go throughout the year? Allow me to explain. Yep

Occasionally there will be water on the floor outside the tub after the shower is used Sounds like someone is having a party (not when only the tub is used). The water appears to be coming from where the tub meets the floor Well that's certainly logical, seeing how gravity pulls down on water, too. Wouldn't that be a hoot if the plubming leaked and instead of water being on the floor, it was just foating around.- about a foot in from the drain side of the tub.

I had someone crawl under and all he said he saw was that the drain looked like it had been leaking and just needed to be tightened and puttied. Well, there ya go. Then what?? Did someone tighten it? perhaps putty it?
(Can you tell by my vocabulary in this post that I am clueless as to all things plumbing??) Uhhhh, yeah

Anyway - my confusion comes from the fact that this does not happen every shower... nor does it happen all year. It only seems to happen in the spring time for about a month to 6 weeks. Well of course, silly, everone knows spring is the wet season.
Can anyone explain this phenomenon to me? It defies logic to me and is driving me nuts! Hmmm... perhaps we could call this Texas Water Tourture

Thanks,
Brandi

Sorry, that's about all I've got right now.

[Brandi TX]

Well of course, silly, everone knows spring is the wet season.Now why didn't I think of that???


Well that's certainly logical, seeing how gravity pulls down on water, too. Wouldn't that be a hoot if the plubming leaked and instead of water being on the floor, it was just foating around.And to think I was going to save the whole "floating water" incident for another post. What was I thinking??


Well, there ya go. Then what?? Did someone tighten it? perhaps putty it?It just so happens that the guy that made that assessment is the only person in town small enough to squeeze through the opening to get under the house. As he was leaving, he mumbled something about a yellow brick road and hasn't been seen or heard from since.

[Aldo]

Though it wasn't seasonal, I had a similar problem in an otherwise high and dry third floor apartment and, yes, only when the shower was used. It actually cost me the bathroom ceiling in the apartment below. I can't count the hours spent trying to figger this one out. I'll spare you the long list of details and cut to the chase.

The problem turned out to be so common sensical (I made that word up) that I never considered it a possibility. The tenant had a friend visit periodically and when that friend took a shower he didn't properly close the shower curtain which allowed water to run over the edge of the tub and onto the floor.

This may not be your issue, but I thought I'd offer at as something to consider.

[Brandi TX]

That is actually what I thought was happening since it would pool up in the corner - making it look like what you suggest. However, once paranoia kicked in, I started peeking out every few minutes (from the dry end of the shower of course) to "catch it in the act".

That is when I noticed that the water was coming out from where the tub wall meets the floor about a foot in from the drain end of the tub. (Not in the corner where it ends up and makes it look like it came out of the shower.) I looked for evidence of the gravitational pull Jeffery so kindly referenced - and there was none.

As I said in the beginning - this makes no sense to me... I just thought I would throw it out there to see if anyone had a clue.

Here come the men with the nice white coats now....:SM027:

[Debbie]

Just an idea....

How about videotaping during your shower....NO.....not of you but of the tub.

You might have to videotape for awhile until the leak finally shows up....

As far as taking a peek that you spoke about---it's against Murphy's Law

[Brandi TX]

Debbie, you had me worried for a second there!!

Believe it or not I am actually one of the last living creatures that still does not own a video camera or a cell phone.

I know - unheard of - but it's true.

Good idea though... it might be worth borrowing one at some point. (Could the "freak factor" of this post get any bigger?)

[Burke]

Is this a full surround tub/shower fiberglass combo or ceramic with tile walls.

This is just a theory but if it is a fiberglass tub that is not supported properly underneath, maybe there is a hairline crack in the bottom that you can't really see but is big enough to allow water to seep through when you spend too much time standing in the right spot.

Or maybe the faucet or shower head are leaking behind the surround or tile wall and running down to your floor underneath your tub and then seeping out from under the tub.

I have no idea why either one of these possibilities would only show up occassionally but I just thought I would throw them out for thought.

I suspect there may have been some truth to your skinny plumber's assessment but again, I have no idea why it is only occassional. Maybe it is leaking all the time but doesn't always make it out to where you can see it. Whatever is going on, I would be concerned that the leak is slowly rotting the floor.

[TommyOH]

Well, since everything else seems off the wall in this thread, how about this....
In the spring time, at least in the north, water pressures are slightly higher because of the thaw. If there is a leak above your faucet, between the faucet and the shower head, it can "seasonally" leak if the water pressure is higher. When the pressure is lower, it will not leak. Just thought I would throw that out there....but feel free to try the other things I could be wrong, and often am....lol.

I just know this happens in my work setting as an industrial maintenance person.

[Brandi TX]

This is a ceramic with tile walls - but the tiles do not go up all the way. It was never intended to be used as a shower and was only converted as an after thought.

Burke, you said, "Whatever is going on, I would be concerned that the leak is slowly rotting the floor."

Between you, me and the fence post maybe that is a good thing. It would give me all the excuse I need to remodel the <gasp> pink bathroom from h***. Next in line would be the horrid blue bathroom up front. Shhh... don't tell my husband.

Thanks everyone for entertaining my madness.

[Brandi TX]

Oh, and Tommy... The only thing we thaw here in this part of Texas are things we freeze intentionally. If it ever got that cold, I'd have to move. Quickly.

[TommyOH]

lol...I know, I was just suggesting that it is a possibility with the water pressure.