Question Unsolvable Leak.

[kcain98]

Hi,
So me and my fiance live in a 2002 Sunnybrook Lite Travel Trailer its pretty worn down old, it has its leaks which we've normally been able to solve and fix. But for the life of us we can't figure out this one. I need some help with this one

So underneath the couch & outside of the couch and by the wall there has been water seeping up the floor (what I would describe, kinda of hard to) it's enough to soak up a towel. The water heater is underneath the couch, so I'm think that might be a possibility. But even if it is not sure how we would get to it since it's underneath the couch. It's enough water to cause water damage on the wood. We also have a leaky kitchen sink that sprays water when in use if that's any help.

Any ideas on how to figure this out so we can stop this leak would be wonderful. We are absolutely stumped!

 

[MapNerd]

Is the water warm? If so, it’s probably the water heater. If not, it’s probably not.

I hate to say it but I see a circular saw in your future.

Grab a drill and use a small hole saw or spade blade and drill a hole in the floor where the wood is damaged.

If you have an inspection camera, break it out and stick the camera in the hole and look around to see if you can determine the source of the leak. If you can’t, still take a look around and look for anything butted up against the subfloor. You’ll want to avoid that area in the next steps.

Grab your measuring tape and measure the thickness of your subfloor. It’s probably 1/2” but I don’t know for certain.

Grab the saw and set the cutting depth to whatever the thickness of your subfloor is. Cut a square around your water damaged area.

Remove the subfloor cutout, find the leak and fix it.

Look for additional water damage below the subfloor and remediate.

Go to the hardware store and purchase some plywood of the same thickness as your subfloor. Additionally, purchase a 2” x 1” piece of lumbar.

Cut the 2” x 1” lumber into four pieces to frame out the hole in your floor. Slide each piece under the subfloor and screw into it from above the subfloor, leaving half of the width of the subfloor revealed through the hole in your subfloor, to create a supporting lip for your subfloor patch.

Cut the plywood to to same dimensions and shape as the hole in your subfloor.

Drop it in place, the lip created by 2” x 1” lumbar secured to the subfloor will prevent your patch from falling through.

Screw the patch to the lip.

Apply cosmetic flooring repairs as needed.

 

[kcain98]

Is the water warm? If so, it’s probably the water heater. If not, it’s probably not.

I hate to say it but I see a circular saw in your future.

Grab a drill and use a small hole saw or spade blade and drill a hole in the floor where the wood is damaged.

If you have an inspection camera, break it out and stick the camera in the hole and look around to see if you can determine the source of the leak. If you can’t, still take a look around and look for anything butted up against the subfloor. You’ll want to avoid that area in the next steps.

Grab your measuring tape and measure the thickness of your subfloor. It’s probably 1/2” but I don’t know for certain.

Grab the saw and set the cutting depth to whatever the thickness of your subfloor is. Cut a square around your water damaged area.

Remove the subfloor cutout, find the leak and fix it.

Look for additional water damage below the subfloor and remediate.

Go to the hardware store and purchase some plywood of the same thickness as your subfloor. Additionally, purchase a 2” x 1” piece of lumbar.

Cut the 2” x 1” lumber into four pieces to frame out the hole in your floor. Slide each piece under the subfloor and screw into it from above the subfloor, leaving half of the width of the subfloor revealed through the hole in your subfloor, to create a supporting lip for your subfloor patch.

Cut the plywood to to same dimensions and shape as the hole in your subfloor.

Drop it in place, the lip created by 2” x 1” lumbar secured to the subfloor will prevent your patch from falling through.

Screw the patch to the lip.

Apply cosmetic flooring repairs as needed.

I'm pretty last time I felt the water the water was cool not warm.

 

[MapNerd]

Is the wall wet or squishy?

 

[kcain98]

Is the wall wet or squishy?

The places (including the one wall) where its seeping out of is wet and every time I dry it starts to seep up again. If I don't leave towels down there ends up being puddles of water I've noticed.
I do live in Washington State so we tend to have lots of rainy, windy weather.

 

[MapNerd]

I might pull the interior wall down if I were you then. Sounds like it’s actually coming from the roof and down the wall.

 

[kcain98]

I might pull the interior wall down if I were you then. Sounds like it’s actually coming from the roof and down the wall.

I might pull the interior wall down if I were you then. Sounds like it’s actually coming from the roof and down the wall.

Would you have any way of telling its the water heater leak besides the water possibly being warm? Our propane doesn't work, so we have limited hot water. We are exploring all our options right now.

 

[MapNerd]

Cut water to your hot water lines. If the leak stops and the area dries up, it’s either the hot water heater or the hot water lines coming out of it. If the leak continues and the area stays wet, it’s either the cold water lines feeding your hot water heater, or the roof.

 

[kcain98]

Cut water to your hot water lines. If the leak stops and the area dries up, it’s either the hot water heater or the hot water lines coming out of it. If the leak continues and the area stays wet, it’s either the cold water lines feeding your hot water heater, or the roof.

And how exactly would you do that? I just wanna get as much information as I can so we do everything right.

 

[MapNerd]

I don’t know your RV model but surely there is access to the hot water heater somewhere. Often, it is behind a hatch somewhere. You might see a manifold with multiple valves or more likely, a couple of lines, hopefully each with a ball valve installed. If not, you might have to install the ball valve in order to cut water to the hot water heater.

 

[MapNerd]

You could also unhook from city water, turn off your water pump, then go to your wet bay and open your low point drains. This would empty all of your water lines. At that point, if the leak continues you know it’s the roof.

 

[kcain98]

I don’t know your RV model but surely there is access to the hot water heater somewhere. Often, it is behind a hatch somewhere. You might see a manifold with multiple valves or more likely, a couple of lines, hopefully each with a ball valve installed. If not, you might have to install the ball valve in order to cut water to the hot water heater.

Also its a 2002 Sunnybrook Lite. The water heater is underneath the couch, not the most easiest of locations to get to. and mess around with the water heater.

 

[Gronk]

Easy way to tell if it is a leak in the water system is to use an air compressor. Turn the water off (city water), make sure the pump is off, then drain whatever you can. Use the compressor to put air into the water system and use a pressure guage to monitor the pressure. It should holdpressure for an hour plus without dropping more than a few pounds pressure. You could even use a tire pressure guage. Have you been up on the roof to inspect it? You just might find the source of your leak there too.

 

[kcain98]

You could also unhook from city water, turn off your water pump, then go to your wet bay and open your low point drains. This would empty all of your water lines. At that point, if the leak continues you know it’s the roof.

Easy way to tell if it is a leak in the water system is to use an air compressor. Turn the water off (city water), make sure the pump is off, then drain whatever you can. Use the compressor to put air into the water system and use a pressure guage to monitor the pressure. It should holdpressure for an hour plus without dropping more than a few pounds pressure. You could even use a tire pressure guage. Have you been up on the roof to inspect it? You just might find the source of your leak there too.

Yes, my fiance has checked a few times up there as we have had issues with roof leaks in the past (but we have been able to fix them). But he says everything looks fine up there. We've even checked everything outside from gutters (the gutters are clear and seem to be working fine) to windows to anything outside that could be causing it...we're just running out of options that could be the source of the leak. So I will definitely mention all of this to him.

 

[Germanrazor]

All great suggestions to narrow it down. I have a feeling though, you may have to get a bit invasive to find it.

 

[Gronk]

OK, lets get into it..... Where in relation to the wet area is your water hook up and water heater? Is the bathroom/shower close to the wet area? Is it always wet or does it seem to dry out once in a while? When there is rain does it seem to be worse? How about when showering?

 

[kcain98]

OK, lets get into it..... Where in relation to the wet area is your water hook up and water heater? Is the bathroom/shower close to the wet area? Is it always wet or does it seem to dry out once in a while? When there is rain does it seem to be worse? How about when showering?

The shower/bathroom is not near the wet area.
Also, it never seems to dry up at all, I have to have towels down there at all times.. Today checking the towels where the wet area is at (for a couple days, that's how often I check the towels/switch them out) they were completely/mostly soaked. I think it's rained off and on the past couple days but I believe only only light rain...
It's actually near it I believe. The water heater is underneath the couch, and the water hook up is right on the outside of the trailer exactly where the water heater is in on the inside, the water seeps up from the bottom baseboard of the couch (also the side wall as well, where the water hook up is I believe). Also noticed water seeping in from other spots underneath the couch where the water heater is at but wasn't able to figure out where.
I hope that makes sense to you.
I'm not sure about showering. I would have to shower then check it after. We have very limited hot water (since our propane doesn't work) so we take quick showers.

 

[kcain98]

The shower/bathroom is not near the wet area.
Also, it never seems to dry up at all, I have to have towels down there at all times.. Today checking the towels where the wet area is at (for a couple days, that's how often I check the towels/switch them out) they were completely/mostly soaked. I think it's rained off and on the past couple days but I believe only only light rain... (sometimes when I switch the towels out every couple of days only part of the towel is soaked).
It's actually near it I believe. The water heater is underneath the couch, and the water hook up is right on the outside of the trailer exactly where the water heater is in on the inside, the water seeps up from the bottom baseboard of the couch (also the side wall as well, where the water hook up is I believe). Also noticed water seeping in from other spots underneath the couch where the water heater is at but wasn't able to figure out where.
I hope that makes sense to you.
I'm not sure about showering. I would have to shower then check it after. We have very limited hot water (since our propane doesn't work) so we take quick showers.

 

[Gronk]

OK, now are you able to shut the water off for a while and see if the wetness gets better? It sounds to me like either the water hook up is leaking, or there is a leak at the water heater. Either way, you need to access the underside and see what is going on. All you are doing right now is contributing to the demise of your trailer.

 

[kcain98]

OK, now are you able to shut the water off for a while and see if the wetness gets better? It sounds to me like either the water hook up is leaking, or there is a leak at the water heater. Either way, you need to access the underside and see what is going on. All you are doing right now is contributing to the demise of your trailer.

Yes, we will try that tomorrow see if the wetness gets better or dries a bit. But how would we tell if it is the water hook up that is leaking? I know I am asking a lot of questions. We are literally just trying to figure out this leak and fix it. That's our goal. We've taken a look at the water heater, notice that's where we see the lots of water even right after drying it before looking at it, but it's hard to get a good angle of looking at it, from it being underneath the couch and not much access.