Close the valve behind the toilet or under the sink. If water keeps coming or you cannot find the source, shut the main valve. Then call (413) 603-1274. We fix the plumbing and dry the floor and walls in one visit.
Where bathroom leaks start
- A toilet supply line that split or a fill valve that failed
- A wax seal under the toilet leaking into the subfloor
- A shower or tub valve leaking inside the wall
- Cracked grout or failed caulk letting shower water behind the tile
- A sink supply line or drain under the vanity
- A pipe in an exterior bathroom wall that froze and split
Signs of hidden bathroom water damage
- A soft or spongy spot near the toilet or tub
- Loose or cracked floor tiles
- A stain on the ceiling of the room below
- Peeling paint or swelling trim near the tub
- A musty smell that does not go away with cleaning
What to do now
- Close the fixture valve. Behind the toilet or under the sink, turn it clockwise.
- Shut the main if needed. Leaks inside walls have no local valve.
- Mop up and ventilate. Run the bath fan and open the door.
- Check the room below. Look for stains or drips on the ceiling.
- Photograph the floor, the fixture and any damage below.
- Call us. (413) 603-1274.
One call: plumbing and drying together
- Find the leak. Moisture readings around the toilet, tub and walls show where water went.
- Fix the plumbing. Supply lines, valves, toilet seals and shower valves, repaired and tested.
- Dry the subfloor and wall cavity. Bathroom floors trap water under tile and vinyl, so we dry from the right side, sometimes from the ceiling below.
- Check for rot and mold. Soft subfloor around a toilet usually means a slow leak has been going for a while.
- Repair once dry. Subfloor, drywall and finishes.
Bathrooms in older Chicopee homes
Many Chicopee bathrooms sit on an exterior wall of a two- or three-decker, sometimes added onto an old back porch. Those walls are thin and the pipes in them freeze first. Older tubs and toilets may have original valves that no longer close. If you are the tenant, report leaks in writing right away. See apartment and multi-family water damage.
What bathroom water damage costs
The price depends on how far the water traveled and how long it sat. A burst toilet supply line caught right away may need only the new line and a day or two of drying. A shower valve that leaked inside the wall for weeks can mean opening the wall, replacing rotted subfloor and repairing the ceiling below. You get the price before work starts. See what changes the price.
Upstairs bathroom leaking into the unit below
In Chicopee's two- and three-deckers, bathrooms are often stacked one above the other, so a leak on the third floor can reach the second and first. We check every floor the water reached and dry the ceiling and floor cavities between them. Landlords and tenants should read upstairs water damage: who pays, and condo owners what an HO-6 policy covers.
Where we work
All of Chicopee, including Willimansett, Chicopee Center, Chicopee Falls, Aldenville, Fairview, Smith Highlands, Burnett Road and Westover, and nearby towns. See areas we serve and all services.
Tile does not stop water
People are surprised that a tiled floor can hide a soaked subfloor. Grout and caulk let water through, and once it is under the tile it has nowhere to evaporate. In older Chicopee bathrooms the tile often sits on a mortar bed over wood boards, which hold water for weeks. That is why we take readings through the ceiling below or at the edges of the room, and why a bathroom can feel dry on top while the joists underneath are still wet. Drying from below, through a small ceiling opening, often saves the tile above.
Bathroom water damage questions
Is a leaking toilet an emergency?
A burst supply line is, because it runs at full pressure. A slow leak at the base is not an emergency, but it rots the subfloor over time and should be fixed soon.
Does the tile have to come up?
Not always. If the subfloor is still firm, it can often be dried from below or through small openings. Soft or rotted subfloor has to be replaced.
Why does my bathroom smell musty after a leak?
Water is still trapped under the floor or behind the tile, and mold may be starting. Cleaning the surface will not fix it. The cavity has to be dried and checked. See how to check for mold after a leak.
Will insurance cover it?
A sudden burst is usually covered. A slow leak that went on for months often is not. See slow leak vs sudden burst. General information only.
Bathroom leak? Call now
Call (413) 603-1274 now. We fix the plumbing and dry the bathroom in one call.