Bathroom leakage

[yourfriend]

Dear friends at PW;

It may seem an odd question but i request for guidance.

I have recently purchased a flat that is YET TO BE USED. The owner of flat directly under my flat is complaining about leakage in his bathroom?? What can be the expected problem and a logical way to resolve it..

Thanks

[fazalwahab11375]

Technically and legally.. If there is a problem.. and the source is your bathroom.. then you are responsible getting it fixed. In other parts of the world.. if there is any damage to any stuff/ belongings (person beneath your floor) due to the leakage from your place. you are also bound to pay for that.. Thats why people have insurances in outside world.

Now to the problem itself.

Can you tell me where exactly is the leak coming? Is it from bath tub/ shower, a toilet or from the wash basin/ sink.
Or the leak is from the floor of the bathroom it self, if you wash the whole bathroom. you should go down in your neighbor place and check and roughly estimate the area of damage. Also make sure all drain/ seals are properly intact. Is your bathroom tiles? or terrazzo ( local name chips)? share pictures of your bathroom as well.

Leakage of water from the drain/ seals is the first thing you should check. Share pictures of the problem underneath and I will see how this can be resolved.

[yourfriend]

Technically and legally.. If there is a problem.. and the source is your bathroom.. then you are responsible getting it fixed. In other parts of the world.. if there is any damage to any stuff/ belongings (person beneath your floor) due to the leakage from your place. you are also bound to pay for that.. Thats why people have insurances in outside world.

Now to the problem itself.

Can you tell me where exactly is the leak coming? Is it from bath tub/ shower, a toilet or from the wash basin/ sink.
Or the leak is from the floor of the bathroom it self, if you wash the whole bathroom. you should go down in your neighbor place and check and roughly estimate the area of damage. Also make sure all drain/ seals are properly intact. Is your bathroom tiles? or terrazzo ( local name chips)? share pictures of your bathroom as well.

Leakage of water from the drain/ seals is the first thing you should check. Share pictures of the problem underneath and I will see how this can be resolved.

Thanks - will revert soon.

[yourfriend]

Brother after due checking, it is now clear that is from ONE OF THE DRAINS in my bathroom. I wonder if the whole tiled floor is to be wiped out to resolve this problem.. kharcha!! Although the bathroom is not too big..

[Asifijaz]

Brother after due checking, it is now clear that is from ONE OF THE DRAINS in my bathroom. I wonder if the whole tiled floor is to be wiped out to resolve this problem.. kharcha!! Although the bathroom is not too big..

Well the best solution would be to simply take out the floor... if you want to use the same wall tiles then make sure your mason is careful near the edges or uses the grinder to cut of at least the last tiles into pieces and then removes them....

Now the reason i said this is because i have seen that washrooms in houses or flats constructed by builders have floor which are literally hollow underneath... a mosaic support here ad there is all that they have... the best way to solve this problem once in for all is

• to take out the floor...
• check the pipes... ( 1- if they are of metal.. please replace them with PVC as this will survive for decades to come. 2- if its PVC then check the joints...)
• Check the P-Traps.. (If of metal then replace them with PVC.. if of PVC then please check any signs of leakages underneath it...
• Check the thimble of the Comode (doesn't matter indian or western)

If you find the leakages then congratulations... but if you don't then please follow the nest steps

• Check out the base of the walls... check for signs of leakages.. if you do find them then you need to either check the connections of the pipes with the sanitary fittings on that side of the wall... i will stop it here so as to not scare you

Now since you have already opened up the floor i would highly recommend you to do 3 things

1. As suggested above change all "degi loha" pipes with PVC
2. the pipe that goes from the basin to the P-Trap is almost certain to be of 2 inches. bro trust me you need to change this to at least 3 or better 4 inches..
3. make sure you have a P-trap directly under the basin and the pipe from that P-trap goes to the main P-trap or outer pipe from the washroom...

Now comes the cost factor.. since you said your washroom is of small size hence
You wont need more than a full length of PVC pipe of 4 inch dia (if at all required)... medium to good quality pipe 1000 rupees.
Solution for binding the pipe 250 rupees.
A P-Trap 400 rupees.
Gravel for filling the washroom-- lets say 2500 rupees
cement... max 1 bag.. 580 rupees (check current price)
sand 1000 rupees...
labor.. taking out floor + putting it back -- 4 to 5000 rupees
labor sanitary --- 2000 rupees
Net total: 13000 max...Remember u may require half a length of pipe... smaller solution bottle and no P-trap at all..

After this select the tiles as per ur budget and convenience...

[whiteangel]

The proper way to do this is to remove the tiles take out the leaking pipe and replace with new. But there is another way.

I had a leaky PVC pipe in my home. I bought Rustoleum leak sealer. I let the pipe dry out completely from the inside. Then I sprayed leak seal on the inside. It formed a rubber coating on the inside which sealed up the leak.

[qwertypoiu]

The proper way to do this is to remove the tiles take out the leaking pipe and replace with new. But there is another way.

I had a leaky PVC pipe in my home. I bought Rustoleum leak sealer. I let the pipe dry out completely from the inside. Then I sprayed leak seal on the inside. It formed a rubber coating on the inside which sealed up the leak.

To do that he will have to remove the tiles so better change the pipe I guess.

[whiteangel]

^ It depends, on the source of the leak and whether it is accessible. My guess is its probably the P-trap. If that is the case, then he can simply remove the drain cover let the pipe dry out and spray sealant inside to seal any cracks. It's worth a try before pulling tiles out.

[yourfriend]

Well the best solution would be to simply take out the floor... if you want to use the same wall tiles then make sure your mason is careful near the edges or uses the grinder to cut of at least the last tiles into pieces and then removes them....

Now the reason i said this is because i have seen that washrooms in houses or flats constructed by builders have floor which are literally hollow underneath... a mosaic support here ad there is all that they have... the best way to solve this problem once in for all is
[LIST]
[*]to take out the floor...
[*]check the pipes... ( 1- if they are of metal.. please replace them with PVC as this will survive for decades to come. 2- if its PVC then check the joints...)
[*]Check the P-Traps.. (If of metal then replace them with PVC.. if of PVC then please check any signs of leakages underneath it...
[*]Check the thimble of the Comode (doesn't matter indian or western)
[/LIST]
If you find the leakages then congratulations... but if you don't then please follow the nest steps
[LIST]
[*]Check out the base of the walls... check for signs of leakages.. if you do find them then you need to either check the connections of the pipes with the sanitary fittings on that side of the wall... i will stop it here so as to not scare you
[/LIST]

Now since you have already opened up the floor i would highly recommend you to do 3 things
[LIST=1]
[*]As suggested above change all "degi loha" pipes with PVC
[*]the pipe that goes from the basin to the P-Trap is almost certain to be of 2 inches. bro trust me you need to change this to at least 3 or better 4 inches..
[*]make sure you have a P-trap directly under the basin and the pipe from that P-trap goes to the main P-trap or outer pipe from the washroom...
[/LIST]

Now comes the cost factor.. since you said your washroom is of small size hence
You wont need more than a full length of PVC pipe of 4 inch dia (if at all required)... medium to good quality pipe 1000 rupees.
Solution for binding the pipe 250 rupees.
A P-Trap 400 rupees.
Gravel for filling the washroom-- lets say 2500 rupees
cement... max 1 bag.. 580 rupees (check current price)
sand 1000 rupees...
labor.. taking out floor + putting it back -- 4 to 5000 rupees
labor sanitary --- 2000 rupees
Net total: 13000 max...Remember u may require half a length of pipe... smaller solution bottle and no P-trap at all..

After this select the tiles as per ur budget and convenience...

Thanks brother - you provided me too good guidance. I also intend to do this PROPERLY so that the problem is not repeated. Furthermore if the leakage stops by using some sealer and it comes back after few years then we have to incurr atleast 1.5 times the present cost. I PRAY TO ALLAH ALMIGHTLY for your happiness and prosperity. Please pray for me also and that my task gets done correctly.

[yourfriend]

Started the work yesterday - got the floor of both the bathroom wiped out - yah - entire area wiped out atleast 10 inches. The reason ascertained was that the old lines, though were replaced with pvc by previous owners BUT THE ENDS OF OLD LINES WERE NOT CLOSED - The liquid coming from flats above my flat was like 25% returning to my bath rooms - the masons collected around 15 full size cans of liquid from the floor under the tiles i.e. from the roof... THAT WAS TOO SCARY.. Work still going on..................

[Asifijaz]

Good to know... presence of PVC pipes means that you will save some hard earned money as well

[yourfriend]

Good to know... presence of PVC pipes means that you will save some hard earned money as well

no brother - the old pipes were beneath the new ones and we had to wipe out the whole area..