Cause of Leak
The cause of the leak was determined to be a manufacturer defect in the valve in the shower on/off handle.
It Did Not Leak Inside the Wall
After pulling off the drywall on the back of the shower, there was actually no water damage inside the walls on the upper floor.
The water that was shooting out from the on/off handle created a puddle that reached nearby ventilation registers. From there it leaked into the two rooms below. The location of the shower is right above the wall that separates the large bedroom downstairs and the media room.
Bathroom Vent/Register
Family Room Vent/Register
What it looked like when we discovered the leak
We were alerted that something was wrong at the property when the ADT Alarm System went off. The seller had moved out the property and the property was vacant. The seller called me to go check on it. The motion detector had gone off in the media room next to the back sliding glass door. However when we got there we heard the shower going so we turned on the lights and went to investigate. When we got to the master shower we saw a puddle on the wood floor outside the master bedroom and then saw a larger puddle outside the master shower. We immediately ran down to the basement to turn off the water to the house. We then saw the damage to the ceiling of the basement. We immediately called the insurance company and they sent out their preferred interior restoration general contractor to immediately start cleaning up and drying out the carpets. From the leak to tear out it was about 12 hours.
Ceiling in Downstairs Large Bedroom below Vent
Puddle outside the master bedroom door on the wood floor
Downstairs Entertainment Room Ceiling Under the Vent/Register
This is what set off the motion detector. The ceiling came through. This is after we turned off the water to the house and had pulled down the drywall to see underneath. The carpet was only wet in the corner where we pulled the ceiling down.
Master Bathroom Ceiling
This is where the water was spraying on the ceiling of the master bathroom.
What it looked like during the mitigation process.
They took extra precautions and cut out more than they were required to. They made sure that if water was even close to it or their moisture detectors had any reading that they removed all of the affected area.
Tear Out
Drying Process
They used industrial sized blowers and let the place dry for a week. They went through with very expensive instruments to measure moisture. Once everything was dry they started the repairs.
Finish Process and after All Construction
Drywall and Texture
New Hardwood Floors
Because we couldn’t find a match for the floors, the insurance company paid to replace all of the wood floor on main level.
New Tile Floors in Master Bathroom
Because we couldn’t find a match for the floors, the insurance company paid to replace all of the tile floor in the master bathroom.
