Oh Balls!

[AntRobertson]

Here is a picture of an internal wall (staircase) in our house.



Aside from the superbly drawn arrow and "bugger" looks normal right? Wrong! The arrow points to something that I noticed this morning and had assumed was someone being clumsy and spilling some water/baby milk/whatever when going down the stairs.

It was gone when I got home from work so no biggie I thought. Wrong! It has just reappeared after I've had a shower. It now occurs to me that when I saw it this morning it was also after I'd just had a shower.

My investigations reveal that I'm indeed clean, smell good, shower regularly and that the drain for the en-suite bathroom is located directly behind where this leak is apparent (opposite side of the wall obviously).

Now the drain's not overflowing or anything like that so the only thing I can think of it that it's leaking within the wall itself - all the pipes/conduit/etc having been sealed in during construction.

Any Chiang Maiians now of a good plumber that will tidy up the chucks of concrete after he has had to knock a hole in the wall?

[BobbyTits]

^

Your big advantage here is that labor is cheap.

Finding the actual source of the leak is a totally different story as it may not be right behind that particular wet spot.

[AntRobertson]

Finding the actual source of the leak is a totally different story as it may not be right behind that particular wet spot.

That's what worries me Bobby - I'm really only guessing it's the drain because it's the obvious candidate and the way the leak seems to 'run' down the wall.

But whatever it is the pain-in-the-arse and mess of having to knock a hole to search for it I could do without right now.

[dirtydog]

Just use a different bathroom for showering in, easy really and no hassle and no mess

[AntRobertson]

^ But this is the only bathroom with a tub to play, errm, for my boys to play with all those cool battleships and other bathtoys I, I mean they, were given!

[dirtydog]

You shagging your missus in the bath tub? Aint no one gonna garauntee against something as perverse and disgusting as that.

[Dalton]

Get DTW to quote you a price for a nice pool....

[AntRobertson]

Aint no one gonna garauntee against something as perverse and disgusting as that.

Ain't no damage gonna be done in the 2m 15s of action I've got it down to!

[oldgit]

Is it a new house? if yes could be dodgy pipework, can you remove bath panel and see if water go's between wall and bath when taking a shower, or children splash water and water seeps between bath and wall and needs new mastic if an old house and water problem has just started.

[AntRobertson]

OG,

Nope not new, oldish (about 6yrs I think). Not quite sure what you mean by 'bath panel' though sorry?

[oldgit]

When you look at bath from the side does it have a panel from top of bath to the floor that is removable? if bath panel tiled in and cannot be removed, rake out the old mastic and when perfectly dry (hair dryer) remastic with silicone mastic, sounds as if water is getting between the bath and the wall and soaking through.

[AntRobertson]

^ Ahh I see, gottcha. Thanks for the tip. Nope, no panel but you could be on to something about the silicone.

[friscofrankie]

could be on to something about the silicone.

if you've never done this before; make sure you remove any old mastic clean both surfaces spotless leaving no soap residue then dry and apply as above.
if you don't remove the old stuff you are just adding more points of failure.

[Thai Pom]

I am afriad you have it right in the first post. The same happened to me in a house I biult in BKK. During construction not enough adhesive was used on one of the joints. OK at first, then it slowly started to seep through the wall. Only thing to do was to get at the junction through the wall. Luckily I had the same guy who biult the house do it, he knew where the pipes were buried in the wall. I would do it sooner rather than later, it can get real messy.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings. TP

[AntRobertson]

Luckily I had the same guy who biult the house do it, he knew where the pipes were buried in the wall.

That's lucky indeed - no chance of that for us unfortunately. A big exploratory hole in the wall's going to be the order of the day

I would do it sooner rather than later, it can get real messy.

Yep, my wife's going to try and track down a reputable plumber of some description today.

[lom]

I'd hang a painting over it for a while.
The concrete will be easy to remove when it has got wet enough..

[AntRobertson]

^ Bit low down for that unfortunately Iom, at about ankle/thigh height. Funny thing is though I was going to buy a drill this weekend to hang pictures in the stairwell.

[peterpan]

Yep, my wife's going to try and track down a reputable plumber of some description today.

Be careful Ant, had a similar problem a few months back so hired a Thai plumber to fix it, went down to Black canyon for a Coffee and this is what we came back to :

[AntRobertson]

^

...



So the leaks' ok now then?

[Happyman]

Yep, my wife's going to try and track down a reputable plumber of some description today.

Be careful Ant, had a similar problem a few months back so hired a Thai plumber to fix it, went down to Black canyon for a Coffee and this is what we came back to :

And in true Thai style " The plumber fled the scene"

[Thai Pom]

Be Nice to Ant !! We all know how scary it is to be at the mercy of a rampant Thai Worker.

[lom]

Funny thing is though I was going to buy a drill this weekend to hang pictures in the stairwell.

I remember, you were looking for a cheap Black&Decker.
It will be ok for drilling in wet concrete..

[AntRobertson]

^^ Cheers TP, I'm positively dreading the prospect!

[cali kid]

Suwang 081-287-7352..

I have good experiences with this guy in the past 2 months or so and prices are very fair...

Doesnt speak a word of English so hope you have a translator..

[AntRobertson]

^ Excellent, thanks very much for that CK. No probs re: the lingo. My wife can deal with it al.