Yet another damp thread - but there is a photo!

[ChristopherTracy]

Do people think this is penetrating damp? Normally I might say yes after the ridiculous weather but I'm hesitating as on the other side of the wall is a shower - fully tiled so I can't see behind it.

There is a bit of water damage that we can see in the bathroom plus some normal condensation mould towards the top of the wall where it meets the ceiling.

We have been here a couple of years and this is the first time this has happened. Dreading being told that we need to take the shower out, investigate and retile!

Unfortunately I'd say it's a strong candidate. Possibly a leaking pipe in the wall.

There's a couple of ways to test the theory. You could turn the water supply off to the shower and not use it for a period, see if it disappears, but that may not be possible.

Alternatively, you could remove a tile and drill in to the wall behind, see if it's wet visually, or get it tested (gravimetric).

As always, step by step is often best.

sigh. Noone will be allowed to use it anyway - they will have to use the bath instead. Or actually if it is a leak then presumably we cant use the sink or bath either?

If the weather improves then I suppose it would dry out if purely external.

I dont even know if I need a builder or a plumber!

Unless you have isolation valves to the shower you won't be able stop the leak and still use the bath/sink.
If you can rule out an external leak then I'd say you need a plumber.

Thanks - that's really helpful, if depressing. The only bit of exposed piping in the bathroom is behind the sink - where else could it be if we did have an isolation valve?

Will attempt to find a plumber.

Plumber been round, convinced its a repointing or possibly window sealant job as it isnt coming downwards into room below...

It doesn't look to be an window or ponying problem, judging by the photo. It's too removed from the window and the pointing looks fine.

My guess would be the pipe that serves a fixed shower head that's buried in the wall. Do you have one of these? If so, I'd say the pipe is letting by somewhere along its length very slightly, just enough to cause a localised issue.

If not (and there's no pipework near that damp patch) then it has to be an external issue. As it's a gable it didn't jump out as the first obvious cause though. Is there any likely source above the patch on the wall?

Yes, we had a builder round - not the pointing which is old but in good shape. Had another homeserve plumber round and he took the plate off and said yes the cartridge. Not covered though so need to now find a plumber to fix it.

That's a relief though, at least you've found it.

Yes although the next plumber who came out today was very nice about it but said we needed a bathroom specialist as he wouldnt touch the tiles and was very scathing about bathrooms where it was all hidden away behind tiles for this very reason...

Check your insurance policy to see if it covers 'trace and access work'. Although it won't cover the actual fix (usually very cheap), it should cover the cost of pulling off and reinstating tiles if it does turn out to be behind there.

I agree with your plumber.

much sadness is caused when the tiles have to be hacked off and the wall chiselled open to get at a valve or pipe that has been buried.

I am very much in favour of surface-mounted chrome-plated pipes, and surface mounted shower mixers.

Repair and replacement is simple, and faults are likely to be noticed before you get wet wall.

Yes - if we need to replace then we are going to be doing that - he said that is why landlords do it as well - the buried ones look lovely until they inevitably go wrong. We have an ensuite in the loft exactly the same so I'm dreading that failing too.

Since we moved in here I don't think we have had a month where I haven't had to shell out for something or other.