Drywall dust really is the gift that keeps on giving, isn't it? I swear I was finding it months later behind furniture and in places I didn't even know existed. Your story about the leak made me chuckle because I've totally been there—thought I'd nailed the issue, only to realize it was something completely different (and usually simpler).
You're spot-on about leaks being sneaky. Last year, I had a slow drip under my kitchen sink, spent ages tightening fittings and replacing washers... turned out it was actually a tiny crack in the faucet itself. Felt silly after all that fuss, but hey, lesson learned.
The DIY dust barrier tip is golden, by the way. Wish I'd thought of that before covering half my house in drywall glitter. Good luck finishing up your bathroom project—it'll feel amazing once it's done and you're leak-free again.
Haha, drywall glitter...perfect description. Totally relate on the sneaky leaks—I've lost count of how many times I chased phantom drips around the house. Couple quick pointers from experience:
- Always double-check toilet seals—they're sneaky too and can mimic bigger plumbing issues.
- Don't overtighten fittings; seems counterintuitive but you can actually cause more leaks that way.
- And yeah, dust barriers are lifesavers. Wish I'd known that before my wife threatened to ban me from DIY projects forever...
Good luck finishing up!
Haha, drywall glitter is spot-on...still finding bits of it months later. Good call on toilet seals—ever had trouble figuring out if it's the seal or condensation causing the puddle? Drives me nuts. Also, speaking of fittings, learned the hard way about overtightening myself. Anyone else paranoid enough to keep a bucket handy "just in case"? Anyway, sounds like you're on the right track, hope it goes smoothly from here.
You're definitely not alone with the bucket thing—I always advise homeowners to keep one handy, especially when working on plumbing. Even pros have their moments, trust me. Your mention of overtightening fittings is spot-on; it's a common mistake, but one that's easy to avoid once you get a feel for it. A good rule of thumb is to hand-tighten first, then give it just another quarter-turn or so with the wrench. If it's still leaking a bit after that, you can always tighten slightly more—but going too far right away can crack fittings or damage seals.
Regarding your puddle dilemma, condensation vs. seal leaks can indeed be tricky. One quick way to check is to dry everything thoroughly, then add a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. Wait about 15–20 minutes without flushing. If colored water appears around the base, you've got a seal leak. If not, it's likely condensation or even water dripping from the tank itself. Condensation usually happens when there's a big temperature difference between the toilet tank water and the room air—common in humid climates or colder bathrooms.
And drywall glitter...yeah, that's a rite of passage in DIY work. I've seen people find bits of drywall dust months after finishing a job. It gets everywhere.
Sounds like you're handling things well and staying cautious, which is exactly the right approach. Plumbing can be intimidating at first, but patience and attention to detail go a long way. Keep at it—you're doing great.
"Even pros have their moments, trust me."
That's reassuring to hear. I was skeptical at first about tackling plumbing myself, but your advice on overtightening fittings is solid—learned that the hard way when I cracked a fitting last month. Another tip I've found useful is wrapping fittings with plumber's tape; it helps prevent leaks without needing excessive force. And yeah, drywall dust...months later and I'm still finding it in places I didn't even know existed. Glad it's not just me.
