# Tub/shower leaking below



## Plumbersteve (Jan 25, 2011)

Checked drain, valve, walls...nothing. Found the trip lever face plate loose and asked if their 6th grade daughter was taking baths. She didn't know but figured not. I went back up to fill the tub and test the overflow before tightening it just to make sure. While the tub was filling, I was being nosy and found this...http://recipes.kaboose.com/go-green-checklist.html
Taped to the bathroom wall. First thing on the list suggests taking baths instead of showers and the girl had written next to it "started". Booya!! I'm a super sleuth. 

Also, does anyone have any wisdom on whether a bath or a shower uses more water? 

Another thing on the list is to turn the water off while brushing teeth. I always tell people to keep the water running to keep the drain clean.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

All depends on the capacity of the tub and the GPM rating of the shower head. For instance:

A Kohler Villager 60 x 32 bathtub has a capacity of 33 gallons. A 33 gallon shower at 2.5 GPM shower head happens in 13.2 minutes.

On the other hand a Kohler Devonshire 60 x 34 bathtub has a capacity of 60 gallons. That will get you a 24 minute shower before exceeding the tub capacity.

Other factors include how long the water runs to "warm up", whether or not the diverter spout actually seals off completely, and how long they actually want to be in the shower.

There is no blanket answer or "rule of thumb" that will apply. Every house will be a little different.


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## easttexasplumb (Oct 13, 2010)

It depends on how many people use the bath water before it is drained. :laughing:


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

easttexasplumb said:


> It depends on how many people use the bath water before it is drained. :laughing:


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## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

Did you find/fix the leak?


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Fill 5 gal bucket of water and pour over faceplate. Check for cracked grout lines.


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## love2surf927 (Dec 22, 2011)

JK949 said:


> Fill 5 gal bucket of water and pour over faceplate. Check for cracked grout lines.


I had one several weeks ago that ended up being cracked grout lines, wasn't easy to positively identify the source. The water was traveling from the far wall from valve along the subfloor and out the hole in sub for the vent.


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## Michaelcookplum (May 1, 2011)

JK949 said:


> Fill 5 gal bucket of water and pour over faceplate. Check for cracked grout lines.


This is the right method, although I would recommend just a cup of water, not 5gallons


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

JK949 said:


> Fill 5 gal bucket of water and pour over faceplate. Check for cracked grout lines.


Ditto but use water from any other faucet but the tub.


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## rob the plumber (Oct 21, 2011)

plbgbiz said:


> Ditto but use water from any other faucet but the tub.


Exactly. Process of elimination.


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## Joeypipes 23 (Feb 2, 2011)

Plumbersteve said:


> Checked drain, valve, walls...nothing. Found the trip lever face plate loose and asked if their 6th grade daughter was taking baths. She didn't know but figured not. I went back up to fill the tub and test the overflow before tightening it just to make sure. While the tub was filling, I was being nosy and found this...http://recipes.kaboose.com/go-green-checklist.html
> Taped to the bathroom wall. First thing on the list suggests taking baths instead of showers and the girl had written next to it "started". Booya!! I'm a super sleuth.
> 
> Also, does anyone have any wisdom on whether a bath or a shower uses more water?
> ...


Could be a loose tub spout or shower arm...I've been there...or shower riser...cap off head and spout and pressurize


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## pilot light (Apr 21, 2012)

Thats the worst bad grout! If they had a nickel for every time... :no:


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## Plumbersteve (Jan 25, 2011)

The purpose for this post was to demonstrate how a little investigation pointed me in the direction of the problem. The leak was from the aforementioned loose trip lever face plate. When I learned that the daughter was being environmentally conscientious, and taking baths all of a sudden, I knew the face plate was the source. 

My leak test goes as follows

1) water from different source into tub with closed drain. 
2) open drain
3) run spout
4) cap shower head/ pressurize valve
5) run shower head
6) connect kitchen spray hose to shower head to test specific areas of tub surround. 
7) investigate for possible anomalies. (going green checklist and loose face plate)
8) in this case, fill tub to overflow


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## Plumbersteve (Jan 25, 2011)

8) <- haha


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