Water Pouring Through My Ceiling!

austenhalsey · Jan 15, 2012

I've got an intermittent water leak, and I can't work out what's causing it. About 1/2 litre comes through my kitchen ceiling (I've made a hole for it to save the whole ceiling coming down!), and then after a few minutes it stops. This only seems to happen at around 7 or 8pm, on Fridays or Saturdays. I don't think it's the toilet or shower as they are used at all times of the day. I don't think the washing machine is the cause, either, as it's downstairs, and also used at various times of the day. I have live in Nottingham and have district heating (the houses round here get hot water piped directly from a factory), but I don't know if that's the cause - the heating pipes don't seem to go near where the leak is.

Has anyone got any ideas, please?

Barry98 · Jan 15, 2012

sounds like you need to get someone round for a looksie. maybe bring some dye with them

johnnyboyoy · Jan 15, 2012

i appreciate the leak is only apparent at a strange time but 99% of the time if you gotta leak with a bathroom above you its coming from an appliance. could just be accumulating slowly. have you - taken off panels/boxing and checked around taps, tap connectors, traps and waste connections? use some tissue paper in case the leak is very slow.

is your heating system sealed?

AWheating · Jan 15, 2012

is there anything that happends near this time of day/week thats different? ie some have a bath instead of shower on weekends?

Phil · Jan 15, 2012

I take it the bathroom is directly above, if so what in the bathroom is above the leak,... toilet?

Simon F · Jan 15, 2012

with the type of heating you described, I am thinking is this a rented council property?
if so maybe they would investigate the problem for you.

bert large · Jan 15, 2012

A loose Speedfit connection maybe. I had exactly the same on a job before xmas & thats what it turned out to be. The fluctuations in water pressure caused a leak at certain times of the day as the pressure pushed the pipe partially out of the fitting. When the pressure dropped a little the tension in the copper pipework allowed the pipe to re-enter the fitting fully & re-seal. Had a devil of a job finding the problem.
Good luck.