Leak Behind Shower Tiles Causing Damp in Belvedere

Introduction

This job involved tracing and resolving a hidden leak behind the tiles of a shower in Belvedere. The leak had gone unseen long enough to cause noticeable damp and a persistent smell in the bathroom next door, and once the tiles and wood board were removed, the extent of the damage behind the wall became clear.

Project Overview

The customer had noticed damp and an unpleasant smell developing in the bathroom next to the shower, a common sign of a hidden leak rather than surface condensation. To properly diagnose the cause, the tiles and wood boarding around the shower needed removing, revealing significant water damage to the boarding and insulation behind, caused by a slow leak that had clearly been running for some time. Since the customer was planning to remove the shower entirely and wasn't going to be using it going forward, rather than repairing and re-fitting the pipework in place, the affected pipe was cut and properly capped off. This fully stopped the leak at the source without the cost or disruption of refitting a shower that wasn't going to be used again.

Before/After

Before

After

Before the work, the shower looked usable from the outside, but hidden behind the tiles the pipework had been leaking for some time, causing significant damage to the boarding, insulation and surrounding structure, along with damp and smell spreading into the next room. After removing the tiles and boarding, the leaking pipe was identified, cut, and capped, fully stopping the leak and removing the ongoing source of the damp.

Gallery

Photos showing the shower before any work began, the extent of the hidden water damage once tiles and boarding were removed, and the pipework after it had been cut and capped to stop the leak.

Client Quote

Customer was particularly relieved given the damp and smell had been affecting the bathroom next door.

Result

The leak has been fully stopped, with the pipe safely cut and capped at the source. This should resolve the damp and smell that had been affecting the neighbouring bathroom, and since the shower is being removed rather than repaired, there's no ongoing risk of the same leak recurring from that fitting. A good example of why a hidden leak behind tiles is worth investigating properly rather than just treating the damp or smell on the surface, by the time it's visible in another room, there's often significant damage already sitting behind the wall.