What is going on with our leaking bath?

[Frenby6]

The house we've recently moved into has a large freestanding bath - no feet, sits flat on the floor. Tried it out yesterday and it leaks.

Despite filling with water the level never reached more than half way. Initially thought this was due to lack of seal around the plug hole, then noticed water leaking from the base of the bath onto the floor. Quite a lot of water but less than the quantity we'd put in.

Water did not leak through the ceiling but there are some marks indicating a previous leak. It doesn't seem a particularly high quality bath but no obvious cracks in it.

What is going on here and what do we do about it?

Replace the bath.

I would look at the plug hole again. If it’s nots sealed most water will go down but some will leak out onto the floor.
If there are leaks in the actual bath you can usually tell as the surface feels different
A quick temporary mend is to smear Fernox LSX sealant round the plug hole and if it doesn’t leak when you subsequently use the bath the leak has been found.

Phone a plumber.

obviously there can only be 3 possibilities

• the plug surround seal has gone and water is leaking around the plug socket
• the plug is not sealing allowing water that escapes past the plug to then leak from a problem in the drain pipe
• there is a leak in the bath itself.