I recently moved into a house and discovered a dark, discolored spot on the ceiling of my first floor, right below a tub drain on the second floor. We rarely use this tub—since we've moved in, we've only used the detachable shower head about once a month to wash our dog. During the home inspection, they ran the tub for a while and didn't find any signs of leakage. The spot isn't wet, soft, or sagging, which has me wondering if this could be an old leak that the previous owners fixed without properly painting or replacing the drywall. I'm not sure what to do next. Should I just keep an eye on it, or should I run the tub to see if it gets damp? Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Definitely try running water in the tub for a good while. If the spot doesn’t get wet after that, you’re probably looking at an old stain, not an active leak. But just to be safe, keep an eye on it! Also, a good idea is to have some paint on hand for touch-ups in case you've got old staining. I recommend something like KILZ Primer; it's great for covering up those old spots if you find out it’s not a leak after all!
It sounds like you might have a tiny leak. I'd suggest running some water in the tub upstairs for about 20-30 minutes and see if the spot becomes wet. If it stays dry, it might just be old staining from a previous issue that wasn't properly primed or painted. But if it gets damp, then you've definitely got a leak! Either way, this will help you figure out what you’re dealing with.
What everyone else said is spot on! Check for any gaps or cracks around the tub and try spraying some water around to see if it shows up in the stain. If you find it doesn’t get damp, it could just be a previous repair that wasn't painted well. Just keep monitoring it!