Ceiling water mark! Help

[bombastix]

Doing the dusting and then spotted this on the ceiling. Bathroom upstairs immediately upstairs above.

The stain does not feel damp, but I think I must have a leak somewhere. There are two spots. Is the next stage to call a plumber?

Any help appreciated!

Yes. Can you check.under the bath?

The bath is very carefully sealed in! I do not have the tools to remove the panel. But I suppose this is water and not condensation marks?

It's a leak. I've had similar. You'll need to monitor the size and shape to see if it's ongoing. Otherwise you could be very lucky and it's historic and some stain block paint could cover it.

Are you newly moved in? Or have these newly appeared? Definitely leak not condensation.

Do you use the shower a lot? IME the most common cause will be a badly sealed shower tray or bath edge (if the shower is over the bath) or water getting into the floor teenage DC .

I'd check that first.

Yes definitely a leak and no chance it’s condensation. Have had a couple of these over the years and both times it was down to failing silicone around the bath/shower, rather than a drip from the plumbing. So you’re going to need to get to the underneath of the bath.

Once it’s sorted and dried properly use Zinnser 123 primer to cover stain before painting

I have two teenagers who love showers…and are very splashy….and I have found a very small gap in the tiling that does not look sealed.

These are new… but have been in the house for years.

I will get the plumber in and do another check under the bath. Thanks everyone- suspect teenagers have been soaking the floor.

That will be it. I'd seal that, have firm but ineffective words and see if it happens again.

You don’t need a plumber for grout/sealant fail OP. Unless you’ve got one you rate who will advice you soundly, I’d avoid the call out cost

Check around the tap fittings and joints, particularly the toilet as well as checking the sealant and grouting between tiles. A common fault is the bath overflow pipe becoming detached. You need to remove the bath panel to see this.

I'd use a plumber, but I have a number of properties and I've found a decent plumber saves me a lot of angst, time and money (and fast resolution always appreciated by tenants).

before calling a plumber, check the silicone sealant around the bath or shower tray upstairs. if it’s perished or has a tiny gap, water escapes down the side, that’s usually the culprit. a good tip is to draw a light pencil circle around the stain and check again in a week to see if it’s grown. good luck

Update. Well it got worse and it’s the news is!

Leaky toilet. Argh. Happy Christmas to the plumber