Unplanned bathroom remodel

[8mpg]

Well, the week of Xmas there was a small leak in the ceiling. We thought it stopped and a few days later it happened again. Poked a hole in the ceiling and noticed teh water was dripping down the toilet drain. Figured it was the flange or wax ring...so I replaced it. Stopped and then leaked again. Replace the wax ring again thinking I didnt seat it well...

And here we are today. Last night it started leaking again. From what you can see through the hole in the ceiling it is the toilet...so I take up the damn floor this morning

Got the floor up, cut off the flange and notice the wood is solid..fuck me, its not the flange. Open up the floor to find out there is roof vent that goes into the toilet drain and that the wet wood is above the toilet drain.

Open up the wall and found the little fucking 2" coupler is leaking.


So the unplanned bathroom remodel starts. All the wallpaper will come down, patch the wall, new floors, new bathtub tiling, etc. Will probably make an arch over the bathtub.

[GeorgeG.]

so in that last pic, is that the first floor or the second floor? I don't see how water is backing up to the coupler, unless it's a drain for something else but you said it's a roof vent.

[Lone Sailor]

so in that last pic, is that the first floor or the second floor? I don't see how water is backing up to the coupler, unless it's a drain for something else but you said it's a roof vent.

Ditto. I'd make sure that your roof vent is actually only venting out and not allowing rain in. When we were doing the inspection on our house before we bought it I had noticed that the vent on the roof was one of those turbine style vents instead of having a cap-like design that allows water to run off and not down inside the vent pipe. We had a thorough inspection done in the attic after seeing that and the sellers paid to have the correct vent installed.

[Tyrone Biggums]

Oh, boy. I'll be redoing our hall bath soon and let me tell you how thrilled I am about it. I'm replacing the exact same tile that surrounds the tub in the bathroom you're messing with. Wall behind it is "failing" so who knows what I'm going to find when I tear it out. Going with a new tub, Redguard over the Hardie, 12"x18" porcelain surround tiles, preformed wall niche, new valve and fixtures, and 12"x24" travertine on the floor. Yay for me.

[GeorgeG.]

Ditto. I'd make sure that your roof vent is actually only venting out and not allowing rain in. When we were doing the inspection on our house before we bought it I had noticed that the vent on the roof was one of those turbine style vents instead of having a cap-like design that allows water to run off and not down inside the vent pipe. We had a thorough inspection done in the attic after seeing that and the sellers paid to have the correct vent installed.

seems like something isn't right for sure. the hollow space under the toilet indicates this is the sub-floor (or 2nd floor) so the question now seems to be why is the water draining UP to the coupler...unless there is a sink behind that wall.

[8mpg]

Hey guys.. Im really not sure. I put in a compression coupler to fix it for now. There is no water above the fitting (the outside of the pipe is dry). There is water though on that coupler on the top and the bottom. I may try and pull the couple out and snake it to make sure nothing is clogging it.

I got up in the attic above the pipe and everything seems dry. Toilet flushes ok so I wouldnt think big drain pipe (3") is clogged.

[forbes]

there has to be a sink on the back side of that wall. it is impossible for that to be the problem otherwise. i would check to see if the hot water heater t&p/ drain pan tie in from above.

[8mpg]

closet on the other side of the wall. The tub does tie into that drain though.

[justin]

yea but the tub drain ties in under the floor and above the tee for the toilet so that does not explain the moisture on the 2" coupling. it might be the flashing around the vent where it exits the roof and water is just leaking when the rain hits it a certian way. i would say before you patch that wall take a power washer or a garden hose with a good sprayer and try and simulate heavy rain in that area and have some one in side while spraying to inspect so you dont flood to much if that is the problem.. just my thoughts..

[justin]

also i dont think there is a need to snake the line its a vent stack and if it were clogged up you would have a nasty mess coming from the toilet flange and tub drain.

[8mpg]

Justin, thanks for the advice. MikeC from the board is coming to check the vent today

[mikec]

Wasn't the vent. Better not have been, since I installed the damned things! On the inside of the attic, there was no wet decking at the roof line, nor any wet decking in the pretty tight hole it went through at the top plate line. No wet insulation, nothing. They also wrapped paper towels around the pipe during the rain to check for water, and got nothing in that manner.

In talking with Tim's dad, Mark, he was in the attic twice during the heavy rains and no water was coming down the pipe. Further conversation revealed that he actually saw the water come out of the top side of the coupling in the picture. Freaking strange! The only thing that we can figure is that the wind, coupled with the positive pressure from the sewer system due to all the water pouring into said system, was creating some sort of draw effect, similar to that which helps to pull smoke from a chimney. So, as the water ran down the inside of the pipe from the rain, a slight vacuum was pulling it back up and out of the coupling.


Hope you got some rest Tim...

[ceyko]

Since you know it is there - make an access panel to it and anything else you need while you're remodeling.