Still Diagnosing

Hey All,
Still pondering my second floor shower that leaks in to my kitchen. Have gotten some interesting replies. Thanks much. From the access hole in the kitchen, I can't really get a good look but if I had to guess, it looks like its coming from between the walls on the valve/shower head side. But water does take the least path of resistance does it not. I can see the drain and thats not it. Ran the shower with the Escutcheon plate off and I didn't see anything. So, seeing how I'm guessing that this shower is 20 or so years old, I,m guessing that I might be getting delfection in the fiberglass pan {from poor installtaion} or seepage through tile. Lots of guessing. Any more thoughts? Because of my job constraints, a large bath remodel is kind of tough. I was wondering if anyone out there has any expierience with a company called Bath Fitter. I know I'm grasping at straws {and $$$$$} but not sure I'm real enthused {or qualified} with the alternative. Thanks again.

probe

no offense meant to you; i will say that your descriptions are too vague for me to follow meaningfully. Where you CAN see, what you can see, etc. I'd prefer knowing precisely about studs and joists, vapor barrier, back side of the tiled wall, etc.

Without knowing more, I'd guess now that you have water dripping down the back side of the tiled wall, inside the wall. If it starts right at the plumbing, you probably won't see it from inside the shower. You can probe and test with a kleenex on a stick to it to see if the tissue comes out wet or damp.

david

find a local plumber(not in the yellowpages) before bathfitters. I know I can replace a whole tub/shower cheaper than they can and its a better job.

capp off the shower arm.

If you can make an access behind that shower faucet
and look the whole thing over better that would be best


or you can simply capp of the shower arm too ---get a 1/2 inch cap and capp off the shower arm....

then all you have to do is turn it on full blast and let is sit on for a day

if you see no water , then you have no leak....in the faucet

then it means that the tile is screwed and leaking through

Put a section of news paper on the drain and weight it down, then bring water from a different source to the shower and fill the bottom of the shower and wait and see. do not run water from that shower till you are through testing.

Make sure the escutcheons are sealed.

The other possibility is that some water isn't sneaking out of the curtain or shower door. That's a great place that gets overlooked all the time.