Water From Beneath Shower Enclosure

[hut]

We had a bit of water begin seeping from beneath the shower base yesterday. Is the only way to get under the shower plumbing from the cargo bay? My Kodiak had an access door.

 

[JohnDar]

We had a bit of water begin seeping from beneath the shower base yesterday. Is the only way to get under the shower plumbing from the cargo bay? My Kodiak had an access door.

In all likelihood, you will have to remove the basement walls to access the plumbing. I don't believe any Heartland model has a specific access door for that. When you do remove the walls, consider making removeable access doors of some kind for future use.

 

[hut]

In all likelihood, you will have to remove the basement walls to access the plumbing. I don't believe any Heartland model has a specific access door for that. When you do remove the walls, consider making removeable access doors of some kind for future use.

Yes, I had those walls out last week re-plumbing some water lines. When I put them back in (the walls), I hinged one side, so one side removes completely and the other opens like a door. It made it a little quicker getting back in today.

I think (hope) my current dilemma is the drain top just needing new putty. I see no water running down the pipes in the belly; just some seeping onto the floor under the shower base. I'll start there (and pray ).

 

[rhodies1]

Check around the floor drain for hair line cracks,also at the edge of the enclosure,These shower stalls are paper thin and crack easily,if you or your better half have dropped something on the floor of the shower,you may have cracked the base.It does happen....trust me I know.

 

[hut]

Check around the floor drain for hair line cracks,also at the edge of the enclosure,These shower stalls are paper thin and crack easily,if you or your better half have dropped something on the floor of the shower,you may have cracked the base.It does happen....trust me I know.

I don't see any cracks anywhere and re-puttying didn't work.... It's going to be a booger to get up underneath, but I guess that's where I'll head next.

Thanks!

 

[cookie]

I find water on the floor that looks like it is leaking from under the shower pan.
Turns out that the shower enclosure is leaking where it meets the shower pan.
A re-caulk job is in order for me.
So after all that I suggest that, if you haven't already, check that area for the leak.

Peace
Dave

 

[JohnDar]

I find water on the floor that looks like it is leaking from under the shower pan.
Turns out that the shower enclosure is leaking where it meets the shower pan.
A re-caulk job is in order for me.
So after all that I suggest that, if you haven't already, check that area for the leak.

Peace
Dave

This was especially true for the neo-angle enclosures. Installers were driving screws into the shower pan and not caulking the perimeter of the enclosure. Best to caulk all around the inside where the frame meets the shower pan/walls.

If you can slip a piece of paper under the framing, you need to caulk for sure.


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[hut]

I find water on the floor that looks like it is leaking from under the shower pan.
Turns out that the shower enclosure is leaking where it meets the shower pan.
A re-caulk job is in order for me.
So after all that I suggest that, if you haven't already, check that area for the leak.

Peace
Dave

Yes, I've been there with that on another brand. It was the first thing I checked, but the side of the pan is dry - I can see it actually coming out from underneath.

After going under, though, I saw nothing wet. So I turned the water on to run for quite some time where it just sprayed on the floor and drained out. No leaking.... Then I directed the sprayer at the controls and an access hatch just beneath them. I had water leaking again. After pulling the access hatch out of the wall, the backside of the shower wall was wet. It had been installed with just a minimum of silicone - no gasket.

I'm fixing to reassemble with plumber putty.

Is that access hatch from the factory or a mod? I had another leak from the roof because of roof vents that had been installed improperly also. It's not rocket science!!

 

[JohnDar]

The round access port is factory installed so you can access the fittings for the shower faucets. On some rigs, the ASV for the black tank flusher is also accessed there.


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[hut]

The round access port is factory installed so you can access the fittings for the shower faucets. On some rigs, the ASV for the black tank flusher is also accessed there.


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Ok. There wasn't an abundance of silicone around it, but I've puttied and remounted it. I've now removed the faucet and puttied around the holes also. Still water....

The only thing that's left up high is the grab handle. I'll silicone it next. After that, I'm stumped.

We've been through two hurricanes in the last month and not a leak anywhere on the outside. Now a shower stall is about to get my victory!

 

[Pizzaguy]

I don't see what camper you have , but on our last Bighorn the vacuum breaker for the black tank flush went up behind the shower valves also. The vacuum breaker started leaking a lot, giving us water from under shower pan. I replaced it with a good brass one, and accessed it from shower faucet access.

 

[JohnDar]

OK, maybe that short grab bar is loose. Can you move it at all? Another possibility is the hose to the spray head. Loose connection at the faucet body, or even a leak in the hose inside the metal sleeve.

I mention that because some time ago, I had water dripping down under the bathroom sink. Took me a bit to isolate it to the faucet spout. It was a hollow metal body with a segmented plastic tube inside. The seal between a section was leaking and letting water run back through the body and into the cabinet. Replaced the faucet with a genuine cast metal residential one.

 

[hut]

I don't see what camper you have , but on our last Bighorn the vacuum breaker for the black tank flush went up behind the shower valves also. The vacuum breaker started leaking a lot, giving us water from under shower pan. I replaced it with a good brass one, and accessed it from shower faucet access.

Alright, I'm needing some education.... What is a vacuum breaker?

There is a hot and cold line plus one that I couldn't figure out what it was for.

- - - Updated - - -

OK, maybe that short grab bar is loose. Can you move it at all? Another possibility is the hose to the spray head. Loose connection at the faucet body, or even a leak in the hose inside the metal sleeve.

I mention that because some time ago, I had water dripping down under the bathroom sink. Took me a bit to isolate it to the faucet spout. It was a hollow metal body with a segmented plastic tube inside. The seal between a section was leaking and letting water run back through the body and into the cabinet. Replaced the faucet with a genuine cast metal residential one.

The grab bar is tight, but I can just a dab of silicone around both ends anyway.

I just took a shower and made sure to spray the water on the door instead of the controls and there was no water underneath.

It has me totally baffled. Pizzaguy mentioned a vacuum breaker may be leaking, but I'm lost as to what that is. I'll google it in a minute.

Thanks so much for all the replies! Y'all are awesome!

 

[JohnDar]

The ASV or vacuum breaker is supposed to prevent water from the black tank flush line being sucked back into the supply. What they really do is fail and dump water all over the confined spaces of the trailer. It’s usually a black plastic gizmo with the input line coming in the bottom and the line to the tank out the side.

Mine failed, dumped water into the rig (it was in a blind wall cavity) and got ripped out and replaced with a brass check valve.


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[hut]

The ASV or vacuum breaker is supposed to prevent water from the black tank flush line being sucked back into the supply. What they really do is fail and dump water all over the confined spaces of the trailer. It’s usually a black plastic gizmo with the input line coming in the bottom and the line to the tank out the side.

Mine failed, dumped water into the rig (it was in a blind wall cavity) and got ripped out and replaced with a brass check valve.


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Would it only leak when using the flush line, or anytime water is running?

 

[SLO]

Is the clear O-ring in place under the screw in access cover?


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[JohnDar]

It would only leak when you’re flushing the tank. Since it sounds like the problem only occurs when using the shower, it’s probably not the current problem (but forewarned is forearmed).

If directing the spray at the door and not the faucet area eliminates the leak, it makes it sound like there may still be a problem with the fixture’s mounting to the shower wall.


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[hut]

Is the clear O-ring in place under the screw in access cover?


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No, there was nothing.... I puttied it and reinstalled. Still getting water.

I wish there was a “Shoot me now” emoji!

 

[rhodies1]

Hut,a couple of things maybe to look at..
the chrome drain assembly is made from white metal,fairley soft material,did you check this part to see if it is cracked on the neck threads, it screws into a plastic coupler,is the coupler cracked, or maybe requires Teflon tape on the drain /coupler assembly.
You will find the culprit sooner or later.

 

[hut]

Hut,a couple of things maybe to look at..
the chrome drain assembly is made from white metal,fairley soft material,did you check this part to see if it is cracked on the neck threads, it screws into a plastic coupler,is the coupler cracked, or maybe requires Teflon tape on the drain /coupler assembly.
You will find the culprit sooner or later.

Yessir. That was my first thought, but I didn’t find water on the pipes beneath. So I let water run for quite sometime in just the floor - no leak. When I shot the flow up on the wall - leak.

I did have a cracked ring but on another unit once.