Journey Of My Minaret Walk

[Minerat 1]

If discharge pipe is new, then I am surprise it leaks. The discharge pipe runs across the room floor beneath the parquet? Any insulation? Usually, aircon drain pipe should go direct to toilet floor trap immediately or as short as possible for connection, Not good to run across room embedded in screed unless no choice. Another way is to penetrate through slab below and run above the false ceiling of the floor below, easier for check and repair.

One other solution to minimize hacking, do a new drain pipe, just repair the parquet.

Okay, I am going to try my best to explain. Hope you can visualize.

In my brother-in-law's room, the wall that the aircon was mounted is the same wall with the toilet, ie one side of the wall is the room and the other side is the toilet. Hence there is a drainage pipe running down that wall, across the toilet floor and to the trap at the other side of the toilet. During hacking, the pipe that runs along the floor was changed. I am not sure if the one that runs down the wall from the aircon was changed or not, because I did not observe the change. There are no pipes that run under the parquet floor of my brother-in-law's room and we are equally puzzled why and how the water gets there. The funny thing was, the wall is dry, the parquet skirting is dry, the parquet from the wall to about a foot away is dry...but a stretch of the parquet one foot away from the wall was affected. We dunno why.

Noted your suggestions. We may explore the option of running a new drain pipe. That was what the aircon guy suggested too.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Minerat

[Minerat 1]

Hi Minerat, I just got to read your blog today and is really amazed by the stories you shared on moving on to your current house. Congrates! Also you have been very generous with information sharing and its helps as I will also be moving to a landed terrace that is already 46 years old. Alot of intensive work to be done to my new home. Already spent so much $$$ on the house and now got to work on a budget to do up the place

Welcome! There are a few t-blogs on landed reno. You should read them, especially jumbopanther's. His is really full of information and knowledge.

[jumbopanther 2]

Okay, I am going to try my best to explain. Hope you can visualize.

In my brother-in-law's room, the wall that the aircon was mounted is the same wall with the toilet, ie one side of the wall is the room and the other side is the toilet. Hence there is a drainage pipe running down that wall, across the toilet floor and to the trap at the other side of the toilet. During hacking, the pipe that runs along the floor was changed. I am not sure if the one that runs down the wall from the aircon was changed or not, because I did not observe the change. There are no pipes that run under the parquet floor of my brother-in-law's room and we are equally puzzled why and how the water gets there. The funny thing was, the wall is dry, the parquet skirting is dry, the parquet from the wall to about a foot away is dry...but a stretch of the parquet one foot away from the wall was affected. We dunno why.

Noted your suggestions. We may explore the option of running a new drain pipe. That was what the aircon guy suggested too.

Yes bro, yr description is clear and I can visualize. If the wall is dry, skirting is dry and parquet 1 foot away from wall rots, personally I don't think is the aircon drainpipe that leaks.

Suggest this before major repair:

1) remove rotten parquet ( ok to remove because need to change any way),

2) run aircon, observe whether water seeps to the bare concrete where parquet is removed

3) if not, off aircon, wash the toilet floor, see whether water from toilet seeps to the same area or not?

[Minerat 1]

Yes bro, yr description is clear and I can visualize. If the wall is dry, skirting is dry and parquet 1 foot away from wall rots, personally I don't think is the aircon drainpipe that leaks.

Suggest this before major repair:

1) remove rotten parquet ( ok to remove because need to change any way),

2) run aircon, observe whether water seeps to the bare concrete where parquet is removed

3) if not, off aircon, wash the toilet floor, see whether water from toilet seeps to the same area or not?

Yes, that is what I plan to do. Reason why I suspect the aircon drainpipe is because

1. Tiler flooded the toilet but no issue

2. Parquet became wet after we turned on aircon for a few hours

3. We observed the toilet floor and wall joint line grouting is wet where the drainpipe's location was.

[jumbopanther 2]

Yes, that is what I plan to do. Reason why I suspect the aircon drainpipe is because

1. Tiler flooded the toilet but no issue

2. Parquet became wet after we turned on aircon for a few hours

3. We observed the toilet floor and wall joint line grouting is wet where the drainpipe's location was.

Hope you can find the leakage cause and solve this problem asap.

[Minerat 1]

After much inspection by various parties, we concluded that the tower rack could have drilled into the drainpipe. The location is very near to where the pipe runs down.

Good thing is that the aircon guy will redirect the pipe to run above the toilet false ceiling and out, directing the water to the 2nd floor roof gutters, hence avoiding hacking toilet tiles.

Rotting parquet has been hacked away and will need some time for it to dry completely first before they relay the parquet. We will do another test after they have redirected the pipe first before laying back the parquet.

[ehspro 0]

After much inspection by various parties, we concluded that the tower rack could have drilled into the drainpipe. The location is very near to where the pipe runs down.

Good thing is that the aircon guy will redirect the pipe to run above the toilet false ceiling and out, directing the water to the 2nd floor roof gutters, hence avoiding hacking toilet tiles.

Rotting parquet has been hacked away and will need some time for it to dry completely first before they relay the parquet. We will do another test after they have redirected the pipe first before laying back the parquet.

[mmaytan 0]

This is the common toilet in level 2. We'd wanted something that is soothing and warm in colour. And my wife loves mosaic...so I gotta have them

This bathroom design is really cool....good for the elderly too. HDB should hv this in their studio apt for the elderly 👍

[chezph 0]

Day 21 (28 Aug 2012)

They have finally started laying my favourite wood tiles! Swee boh?

Sink stove is also up and halfway through the tiling. I estimate that tiling works should complete this week!

False ceiling is done in the MBR toilet. This is how my skylight will look like. I can finally 望天 when I bath!

Super nice wood tiles! I almost chose this but didn't have the budget for >$8psf, and settle with evorich vinyl floor instead. I thought tiles would have obvious grout lines, but yours don't seem to have obvious lines? Makes me so jealous 😜

[chezph 0]

It's the same one I used for the bay window. $8.30psf. Lay whole kitchen very heart pain. Hahahaa

It's the best wood like I've seen. Those above >$10 can't hold a candle! Thought of doing in my mbr but I left with 10% walking space after bed and wardrobe hence I didn't spend on it

[jumbopanther 2]

After much inspection by various parties, we concluded that the tower rack could have drilled into the drainpipe. The location is very near to where the pipe runs down.

Good thing is that the aircon guy will redirect the pipe to run above the toilet false ceiling and out, directing the water to the 2nd floor roof gutters, hence avoiding hacking toilet tiles.

Rotting parquet has been hacked away and will need some time for it to dry completely first before they relay the parquet. We will do another test after they have redirected the pipe first before laying back the parquet.

Yes, the solution yr aircon suggest is probably right, for such problem when tiling works all completed, too messy to hack all tiles and redo, I will do the same, run new drain pipe for condensate water discharge .

Just 2 pts that yr aircon guy must take note:

1) when he runs the new drain pipe, make sure there is sufficient gradient, especially now diverting to above toilet false ceiling and to the gutter, if not enough gradient, aircon drain water will backflow to yr fan coil unit and you will observe leaking from the aircon;

2) the level where the aircon drain connects to the gutter, pls make sure it is high enough from max rainwater overflow level; assuming one day the gutter choke( by leaves or debris), and rainwater starts to store at the gutter, the max ht of this stored rainwater MUST be LOWER than the aircon drain pipe, so that the rainwater does not flow into this drain pipe and into yr Hse.

Hope above help

Edited October 13, 2012 by jumbopanther

[Minerat 1]

Yes, he did say something about there being 6 inches from pipe to ceiling, so enough clearance to run it.

[mae29 2]

Hi there! Congrats on e completion of ur Reno!!! Hope to see e photos soon..

Can I chk with ya, for Donny n James team, do I contact Donny or James directly? I rem Donny is e co-ordinator from mae29's EM reno.. Shortlisted him for quite awhile le.. Hehehe.. Gonna contact em for a quote soon cos juz exercised OTP for our resale flat..

To all, let me welcome you into my Minaret Walk....

The house, as it looks like...

Come'on in

Congratulations on your success moving in to your warm and beautifully renovated home!

[Minerat 1]

Congratulations on your success moving in to your warm and beautifully renovated home!

Thank! Your ID also the same Donny See?

[Minerat 1]

The LED T5, the 4ft ones which I bought from the lighting shop at Balastier, are super lousy quality!!!

So far, of the 22, I had already replaced 11 of them. 6 were DOA and the remaining 6 spoilt after less than a month of usage. Most of them I hadn't even turn on for more than 10 times!!!

Really pissed. Even though there is a 2 years warranty and the shop has been very patient and willing to exchange, but it is a waste of time and money for me to go down all the time to exchange. What is worse is that the new ones they replaced for me (supposedly better quality ones) came with different-sized head so I have to get the electrician to redo the connector :furious:

The irony when I bought LED is that I DON'T WANT TO SPEND TIME CHANGING BULBS!!! Now every other day I have to unplug the whole T5 and bring it down to change. Really sian!!