A Faucet Leak in the Bathtub and Two Spots on the Ceiling

About Bathtub Plumbing

The plumbing for bathtubs runs through wall and floor spaces in homes. The pipes are usually secured to the wall with pipe clamps, which prevents banging and other noises. Bathtub plumbing consists of a hot and cold water lines that are run to the wall area behind the tub. These water lines might terminate in dual bathtub faucets or, more commonly, in a single faucet controlled by one or two temperature knobs.

To access plumbing, some homes may have a panel built into the wall behind where a bathtub is mounted. This allows you to reach the overflow tube and drain. The panel also gives access to the hot and cold water pipes if they need to be worked on or rerouted. If there is not an access panel, a hole can be cut in the drywall behind the tub to reach the plumbing. You can also purchase access doors that can be mounted on the drywall.

Leaky faucets are typically the result of a bad or failing faucet washer. The faucet washer is attached to the end of the valve stem, which is controlled by the bathtub faucet handle. As the handle is turned, it moves the washer up and down inside the water supply line to either cut the water off or allow it to flow from the faucet. Faucet washers are inexpensive and easy to replace. To reach them, the faucet handle and then the valve stem must be removed. The washers are held in place with screws on the valve stems.

Spots on the ceiling underneath a bathtub may have several causes, including a leaky valve stem, a leaking water supply pipe, or a leaking drain pipe. A quick test to see if the leak is coming from behind the wall in the area of the faucet is to remove the faucet handle and the faucet decorative flanges. Wrap a screwdriver or pencil with toilet paper, and stick it into the wall opening. If the toilet paper is wet when removed, there is a leak in the water supply pipe.