Any plumbers in here?

From what I've read, it seems to me you are already on the correct path.

An observation- Just because the ground is graded away from the house doesn't mean subsurface water wont move towards it.

Why is the shower on a wood platform?

Does that "squishy" tile dry out when the shower is out of service?

Well, I am starting to further understand what was going on.

Had guests all weekend so I could only get to the final stages of demolition today.

Tore up the rest of the affected tiles, pulled off the shower walls, pulled out the shower pan and popped up the platform. This is what I found below:



Now its time to snake it all, figure out a better solution for that cleanout, which is where all the accumulation seems to be coming from. Then reassemble.

What a pain, and what a relief all in one......

Unless I find something else is wrong as well.

Cheers

Cy

[RGD.]

Without actually being there - but having repaired a ton of these - this is my answer.

For starters - the shower was installed wrong from the start. The plastic base was never designed to be place on wood supports such as you show in your picture. It has to be supported across it's entire surface. You have one of two types of connections from the base to the drain. Either your pipe comes up and has a rubber gasket that is forced into place. Or you have a screw down coupler with a thin rubber gasket. In any case what is happening is as you stand and move in the shower you are flexing the pan which is allowing water to seep between the gasket at the drain. It also may be putting stress on the joint to the walls, causing them to leak.

If it was a supply line leak then it would be wet all the time.

If it was a foundation problem it would be wet after each rain.

It's only wet after use - so it's a drain/sealing problem - as in above.

Anyway - that's my take on it from experience.


Ron

Actually the only wood left in the view is that which is glued (some gawd aweful super glue, I can't pull the wood up). The platform I already pulled up had about 1.5 inches of plywood on top of 2 X 4s or maybe 2 X 6s, can't remember.

But, I have my utility light on it drying it all out.....and the truest answer to my problem has come to light. There is a crack right above where the cleanout branches from the main pipe. That is the most "smoking gun" I have come across yet.

So, now its solved, I have to break up some concrete to get around the pipe. Then I will just replace it with pipe that doesn't have a clean out (as I have a clean out in this pipe already under the kitchen sink, about 10 feet above this clean out).

Well, at least I no longer have to wonder.

And, the drain is one of those wedge and gasket types.

Ah, Hell. I hate breaking concrete.

Cheers

Cy

And here is my putty knife stuck in the crack.



So, I am trying to convince the wife to not use the kitchen sink. Its not going over so well.



Cy

Gotta go rest my eyes, they sting from the bleach fumes from scrubbing the floor with 1:3 bleach/water

[RGD.]

Originally Posted by Cyanide

....and the truest answer to my problem has come to light. There is a crack right above where the cleanout branches from the main pipe. That is the most "smoking gun" I have come across yet.

Yep that will do it also. That's ABS pipe and extremely common for it to do that - which is why it's not used anymore. Replace as much of it as you can with PVC.

Have fun -



Ron