Internal Sewer pipe moisture concerns...

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thegogetter222

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Hey guys, new to the forum here. I have a project I'm stuck on as well as about half a dozen contractor buddies of mine. So... I thought I'd "ask the audience!"

Long story short, we had 3 major leaks in the master bathroom of the home we just purchased. First was a bad toilet installation... fixed. Second, was bad grouting/caulking around the tub... fixed. Third, was a slow leak in the cold water handle of the shower... fixed.

All that being said, the master bathroom is all tile with no visible signs of warping or cracking. It is a very easy assumption that the subfloor was/is completely soaked. My problem is that I'm getting moisture around the base of the black sewer pipe. I'd put a fan on it for a few days and it would dry it up real well for about 3 days, then it would moisten back up again. Its not quite standing water, but your finger gets wet to the touch.

any thoughts on this? Is this normal by any means?

could it be the subfloor is just "Draining"? could it be the toilet isn't properly fixed?

thank you in advance
- Home built 1998, single story, slab foundation
 
Last edited:
thegogetter222 said:
Hey guys, new to the forum here. I have a project I'm stuck on as well as about half a dozen contractor buddies of mine. So... I thought I'd "ask the audience!"

Long story short, we had 3 major leaks in the master bathroom of the home we just purchased. First was a back toilet installation... fixed. Second, was bad grouting/caulking around the tub... fixed. Third, was a slow leak in the cold water handle of the shower... fixed.

All that being said, the master bathroom is all tile with no visible signs of warping or cracking. It is a very easy assumption that the subfloor was/is completely soaked. My problem is that I'm getting moisture around the base of the black sewer pipe. I'd put a fan on it for a few days and it would dry it up real well for about 3 days, then it would moisten back up again. Its not quite standing water, but your finger gets wet to the touch.

any thoughts on this? Is this normal by any means?

could it be the subfloor is just "Draining"? could it be the toilet isn't properly fixed?

thank you in advance
- Home built 1998, single story, slab foundation
Click to expand...

Put food coloring or (dye test) in the toilet tank and or bowl should tell you if your flange or toilet is leaking don't use the toilet other then test flushing it if not die is found before you flush.

Pending we're you live is it humid in the bathroom? It the toilet sweating?

Did you replace the subfloor?

How bad was these objects leaking?
Water will travel from wet to dry and if your floor isn't level that will help it to do so.

This all doesn't mean you don't have a puddle of water still sitting on your slab :(
Under sub floor.
 
Exactly where is "the base of the black sewer pipe"? I've lived in several slab-floored houses, and none of them ever had visible black (or any other color) sewer pipes. Pipes were all either encased in concrete, or hidden by fixtures.
 
Thanks guys. All good points and I will try the dyed water.

Let me clarify a few points:
I have completely removed the subfloor and wall in the adjacent room which exposed the black sewer pipe. The pipe leads down through the concrete slab and into the ground.

line items:
- the toilet is not sweating
- I did not replace the subfloor because of the tiling above it
- the moisture starts forming from the bathroom side of the wall eventually encasing the whole area around the sewer pipe
- the leaking items above are assumed to have started in Feb 2011 which is when we bought the place and turned the water on for the first time in over a year
 
thegogetter222 said:
Thanks guys. All good points and I will try the dyed water.

Let me clarify a few points:
I have completely removed the subfloor and wall in the adjacent room which exposed the black sewer pipe. The pipe leads down through the concrete slab and into the ground.

line items:
- the toilet is not sweating
- I did not replace the subfloor because of the tiling above it
- the moisture starts forming from the bathroom side of the wall eventually encasing the whole area around the sewer pipe
- the leaking items above are assumed to have started in Feb 2011 which is when we bought the place and turned the water on for the first time in over a year
Click to expand...

Can u provide picture of exposed drain pipe?
 
isola96 said:
Can u provide picture of exposed drain pipe?
Click to expand...

Yes, thats coming next... Just have to figure out how to post a pic here.

Thanks again for your interest... It's a very discouraging project for me!
 
Last edited:
ok, sorry for the delay. Here is a link for a few pics:

https://picasaweb.google.com/thegog...authkey=Gv1sRgCPL94Zyl_7GppAE&feat=directlink

As you can see the black pipe leads straight into the concrete. Like I said before, I have had a fan on this spot off and on for almost 2 months. I have currently had it off for over a week now which is the longest yet. Still no standing water, but finger does get wet to the touch.

Part of me wants to seal it all up and move on with my life knowing that someday I have a bathroom remodel coming...

the stubborn side of me is saying figure the damn thing out!

ha! thanks again guys
 
I'm wondering if you have a crack in the pipe?.... Maybe just a few inches Down
This drain is only tide to this one bathroom any thing else tide into it?
This goes to a your septic or town?...
Reason I ask to know we're it comes out form house.
If you have ability to rent a camera to look inside?
Nothing you can do to seal it will work if it's coming from the drain.
It will take alot!! Of food color to see if it will come up through there....

Sent from my iPhone iOS5
 
thanks isola, this does lead to my septic. why do you think this matters? I believe I only have 2 sewer pipes. One that drains the kitchen and this one that drains the master bathroom.

I also need to rule out the toilet completely before coming to any conclusions.

so that being said...
- how would the pipe being cracked under the concrete create moisture on the top surface? wicking?
- what are the ramifications if I just seal this all up and walk away knowing I have a bathroom renovation ahead of me?

thanks again
 
Last edited:
thegogetter222 said:
thanks isola, this does lead to my septic. why do you think this matters? I believe I only have 2 sewer pipes. One that drains the kitchen and this one that drains the master bathroom.

I also need to rule out the toilet completely before coming to any conclusions.

so that being said...
- how would the pipe being cracked under the concrete create moisture on the top surface? wicking?
- what are the ramifications if I just seal this all up and walk away knowing I have a bathroom renovation ahead of me?

thanks again
Click to expand...

If there is a crack in the line it would most Likely travel up against the pipe and or ground water would do this too it's a week point in the slab.
Is it enough water/ moisture to cause problems??? That's what you need to think about you don't want mold to grow.

Sent from my iPhone iOS5
 
UPDATE:
The weather is getting a little cooler up here in the NE, and I've noticed that the moisture has receded back towards the flooring and away from the pipe. To the point that the closest side of the pipe is dry concrete! the other side is still a bit moist, but makes me think the floor is just "drying out."

It hasn't been any dryer or wetter outside for whatever its worth.

any additional thoughts???
 
Has anyone gone up on the roof to check the roof boot to see if it was installed wrong?
 
joecaption said:
Has anyone gone up on the roof to check the roof boot to see if it was installed wrong?
Click to expand...

If the boot was not installed right and or is failing then what ever rain or moisture running down would be on outside of pipe...
This is not the case as water/ moisture is coming from underneath up
This depends on weather this pipe is how ever close to the wall to outside if there is gaps then ground water could get in
If not then pipe itself is failing and leaking back in and up.

Sent from my iPhone iOS5
 
Is it a problem only during the cold of winter?
Does it go away in the warmth of summer?
Is the window running with condensation?
Is the cold water pipe running with condensation?
Does the toilet cistern have condensation on it?
Are there drips on the floor below the cold water pipes and the toilet?
 
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