Okay, We got problems

[Ecumenist]

We recently bought a home, (we've been in it 5 months). It's a 2 story home and it was a bank owned, so they didn't have to disclose anything. We have a master suite that includes a "garden tub" that we'd never used until the last two weeks. The tub was used for the first time about 10 days ago and a second time tonight. There is a room beneath the master bath on the first floor and about 4 days after the first use of the tub, I went into the downstairs bedroom and noticed an odor that smelled like it had been wet in there. I opened the windows after searching for the source of wetness, (didn't find anything) and the next day it was gone.

Tonight, my husband took a soak in the tub and as far as we knew, everything was peachy keen. About 2 hours later, I was getting ready to retire and realised I had to place my phone back on the cradle to charge it. The cradle is in the downstairs bedroom. When I walked into the room, I noticed that it looked like someone had turned a shower or an overhead sprinkler and gotten the room wet on one third of the room. I looked for the source of hat was obviously a deluge of some sort. Finally, I looked up and lo & behold, the water had come through the bloody VENT!! There was still droplets of water on the vent in the ceiling. The wall perpendicular to the one where the vent is is VERY damp to the touch.

How is it possible for water to POUR through the vent from a tub upstairs? I'm talking about the vent for the heat & air and should we have it inspected, the crawlspace between the floors ...AND OMG, if there's problems that has caused in the area between the floors, will our homeowner's insurance pay for it? This is the worst thing that could happen at this point but I also know that this is something we need to jump on.

[here_is_to_hope]

1. The leak is most likely at the tub drain or just past it.

The water may be collecting under the tub and then flowing to the vent opening, not really coming out of the vent but out through the vents hole in the ceiling.
This is a right away repair because of the damage sitting water can do to drywall and wood.
Lift the tub or gain access to it's underside, the leak should be obvious.
I don't know of any insurance that would cover this though!
Good luck!

[Warpy]

2. That was my guess, too

It's not the water supply or you'd be drowning full time.

Get a plumber in there to take a look at the whole business to find out if it's something he can deal with without pulling the tub completely out. That's not likely to be the case, so brace yourselves.

In any case, do not use that tub until it has been fixed. You might be able to escape permanent damage from two drenchings, but don't push your luck because you won't escape much more.

I don't think your homeowner's policy is going to pay for it unless you've got some sort of homeowner's warranty policy and that usually isn't the case on a REO property sold as is.

[marybourg]

3. Check with your insurance company. Mine once paid, not for

fixing the leak, but for damage to our carpeting *resulting* from the leak.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

4. It sounds like you will be opening a ceiling up anyway.

Perhaps the repair can be made from below once the ceiling is open?

What's a garden tub?

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

5. It could be that the drain became lose in the tub.

There is a drain tightening tool you can by for about $10.00. A drain tightening tool is also used to install. Also there is a gasket between the tub bottom and the drain. If that gasket went bad ,that too could be it. In short try tightening the drain ,it turns clock wise to tighten. If it moves easy,that's yer problem.
that is something to check on before you call someone in to cut into the ceiling down below in order to find the problem and fix it.

By the way is that tub a whirlpool bath? spa ?