Water, water, water....
Water is a powerful force. It can help and harm. Water seems to be a theme of my apartment this year.
In the fall, there was extensive water damage to the wall in a bedroom, along with moderate damage to the living room wall. Both of these walls backed up to the washroom (shower, tub, sink, washing machine). It was fairly obvious to me that there was a water leak somewhere. After alerting my landlords, they removed tiles in the shower, called in a plumber, replaced the tiles, sanded and mudded the walls, and replaced the laminate floor that was damaged. I (and they) thought the problems with water were solved. (Later there was a smaller problem with a leaking washing machine, but that was an easy fix.) However, the walls have been telling me otherwise. They are definitely not as bad as they were in the fall but not perfect. I have told and shown my landlords that the walls a few times since the initial repair. They think that the wall just needs to "dry out" more. (I am not try to say that I have bad landlords or that they don't care, but just a different perspective on the same issue. I am thankful for them and allowing me to live in their house this year.)
Before going any further with my story, I need to interject an explanation about the set up of our bathroom. There are two "bathrooms" in my apartment. One is really just a toilet room or WC here in Europe, containing the toilet and a very small sink. The other is our bathroom containing, a full size bathtub with the base being surrounded by tiles, a separate standing shower with curved glass doors, a sink, and our washing machine. The outside edge of the shower and bathtub are only about one 12" tile width apart from one another. Now let's continue with the story.
This past week, I discovered a soaking wet floor and bathmat after using the shower. Hmmm...there are big problems here, I thought. During a very productive Sunday afternoon of spring cleaning and gardening, my roommate and I decided to see if we could figure out where the shower leak was coming from. So, we ran the shower and waited and waited and waited. We began to wonder if the water leak the past two mornings just been a fluke? Finally, after about 5 minutes of running the water in the shower the leak revealed itself. To our surprise it didn't come from the base of the shower, or the rounded glass doors. No, the leak was coming up from the base bathtub tiles that were directly across from the shower. It seems strange to have water going down the drain, and then seeing it come out of a place where no water was passing through. We were puzzled and realized this is a big problem.
The leaking shower is only the first of two leaks that were found this week. In our WC or toilet room, it has been a little stinky lately. The sewage kind of smell. Not too strong but enough to notice. Again on Sunday, I was determined to find where it might be coming from. I found a small amount of water on the floor behind the toilet on one side. So, I cleaned the floor, and the toilet- inside and outside. Then I began my investigation. The base of the toilet didn't seem to be the problem. After doing a flush test, I noticed that the pipe connecting the tank to the bowl was wet. Bingo! The tank was leaking. I looked around and found an old yogurt container that fit just perfectly under the tank pipe hoping it would catch the drips rather than it getting all over the floor. Hopefully, emptying the bucket every day or so will eliminate the smell too.
Today, I went downstairs to talk to the landlord about these newfound leaks. The landlord came right up and through translation of his high school daughter I was able to explain and show him the problems. I don't think he believed me at first about where the shower leak was coming from but did when he saw it for himself. (I don't think I would have believed it either if someone had told me.) Tomorrow, he his planning on coming to tear up the shower and to fix the dripping toilet. Not sure exactly what that means but I'll see when I get home tomorrow. I am sure it will be a many day process.
I would appreciate prayers for my landlord as he tries to figure out where the water is leaking under the floor tiles. I am thankful for his knowledge in construction but also know that he is not a plumber. I am thankful that he is willing to look at it and try to fix it. Pray that the problem/damage below the tiles is not too extensive, easily fixed, and not too costly. Praise that my roommate and I have a bathtub to use during this process. Pray for both me and the landlords as we navigate communication across cultural and language barriers. Pray for God to be glorified in heart, in my landlords life even through leaking bathrooms.
UPDATE: (4.27.13)
Thank you for your prayers. My landlord came and fixed something with the shower this week. Not sure what he really did but I am thankful that the water is no longer leaking. Life here is always an adventure.
In the fall, there was extensive water damage to the wall in a bedroom, along with moderate damage to the living room wall. Both of these walls backed up to the washroom (shower, tub, sink, washing machine). It was fairly obvious to me that there was a water leak somewhere. After alerting my landlords, they removed tiles in the shower, called in a plumber, replaced the tiles, sanded and mudded the walls, and replaced the laminate floor that was damaged. I (and they) thought the problems with water were solved. (Later there was a smaller problem with a leaking washing machine, but that was an easy fix.) However, the walls have been telling me otherwise. They are definitely not as bad as they were in the fall but not perfect. I have told and shown my landlords that the walls a few times since the initial repair. They think that the wall just needs to "dry out" more. (I am not try to say that I have bad landlords or that they don't care, but just a different perspective on the same issue. I am thankful for them and allowing me to live in their house this year.)
Before going any further with my story, I need to interject an explanation about the set up of our bathroom. There are two "bathrooms" in my apartment. One is really just a toilet room or WC here in Europe, containing the toilet and a very small sink. The other is our bathroom containing, a full size bathtub with the base being surrounded by tiles, a separate standing shower with curved glass doors, a sink, and our washing machine. The outside edge of the shower and bathtub are only about one 12" tile width apart from one another. Now let's continue with the story.
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| The toilet room or WC |
This past week, I discovered a soaking wet floor and bathmat after using the shower. Hmmm...there are big problems here, I thought. During a very productive Sunday afternoon of spring cleaning and gardening, my roommate and I decided to see if we could figure out where the shower leak was coming from. So, we ran the shower and waited and waited and waited. We began to wonder if the water leak the past two mornings just been a fluke? Finally, after about 5 minutes of running the water in the shower the leak revealed itself. To our surprise it didn't come from the base of the shower, or the rounded glass doors. No, the leak was coming up from the base bathtub tiles that were directly across from the shower. It seems strange to have water going down the drain, and then seeing it come out of a place where no water was passing through. We were puzzled and realized this is a big problem.
 | ||
The bathroom- the washing machine is not in that spot any longer. The water is coming out right where the washing machine is sitting in this picture, where the floor and the side of the tub meet. The shower is on the right side of the washing machine.
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| A different view of the shower |
The leaking shower is only the first of two leaks that were found this week. In our WC or toilet room, it has been a little stinky lately. The sewage kind of smell. Not too strong but enough to notice. Again on Sunday, I was determined to find where it might be coming from. I found a small amount of water on the floor behind the toilet on one side. So, I cleaned the floor, and the toilet- inside and outside. Then I began my investigation. The base of the toilet didn't seem to be the problem. After doing a flush test, I noticed that the pipe connecting the tank to the bowl was wet. Bingo! The tank was leaking. I looked around and found an old yogurt container that fit just perfectly under the tank pipe hoping it would catch the drips rather than it getting all over the floor. Hopefully, emptying the bucket every day or so will eliminate the smell too.
Today, I went downstairs to talk to the landlord about these newfound leaks. The landlord came right up and through translation of his high school daughter I was able to explain and show him the problems. I don't think he believed me at first about where the shower leak was coming from but did when he saw it for himself. (I don't think I would have believed it either if someone had told me.) Tomorrow, he his planning on coming to tear up the shower and to fix the dripping toilet. Not sure exactly what that means but I'll see when I get home tomorrow. I am sure it will be a many day process.
I would appreciate prayers for my landlord as he tries to figure out where the water is leaking under the floor tiles. I am thankful for his knowledge in construction but also know that he is not a plumber. I am thankful that he is willing to look at it and try to fix it. Pray that the problem/damage below the tiles is not too extensive, easily fixed, and not too costly. Praise that my roommate and I have a bathtub to use during this process. Pray for both me and the landlords as we navigate communication across cultural and language barriers. Pray for God to be glorified in heart, in my landlords life even through leaking bathrooms.
UPDATE: (4.27.13)
Thank you for your prayers. My landlord came and fixed something with the shower this week. Not sure what he really did but I am thankful that the water is no longer leaking. Life here is always an adventure.
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