RV floor flooded with water this morning

[krisd]

Hi all! We just bought a 1987 Ford American by Cobra motorhome last week. Everything in is in great shape and we took it out for the first time yesterday. We hooked in the city water and realized about an hour later that the bathroom floor was pretty wet. We unhooked the water and decided at some point later in the night to try and fill up the tank instead. Went to bed and the bathroom floor was still wet. I woke up in the middle of the night to find the whole aisle of the motorhome soaked. I used a Wet Vac at home and got about 4 gallons sucked up from the floor. Did we miss some valve that would have caused a flood like this? Could a leak even empty that much water in a matter of hours? I can't figure out how it dumped 4 gallons inside.

[bobndot]

It sounds like the previous owner might have forgot to run rv antifreeze thru the toilet, it happens.

Here is a good youtube that explains it, shows how to replace the valve. Not too difficult to do, not too expensive.
You should be ok using the fans to dry things out. You should be back in business in a short time. No pun intended . :B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrB2-WBWi88

[krisd]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! The RV has been sitting here at home for a few days since I first sucked the water up. Yesterday I found a new wet spot (with no water in the tank or lines at all) and it's sitting on a small incline. I'm thinking the toilet valve is broken and the water just poured out of that and went down the aisle since it was not level. Still have fans on for now. It looks like we have to take the whole toilet off to get at the valve. We've looked all over and I don't see any access plates to get to the valve.

[bobndot]

x2 the toilet valve or for whatever reason, the hot side of many faucets become loose under sinks. You might need a faucet wrench to reach up to it, finger tight snug works, don't over tighten.

It this fails to find it, then I would think its a line somewhere. Showers and tubs usually have an access plate to get at fittings.

[j-d]

Good suggestions all.

We leave our campground "city water" connection ON, unless we're leaving the RV.

It's safer to only use "city" when "home" and not asleep.

Many RVers use "city" to fill their fresh water tank and run the Pump to draw water. Advantage of doing that, is the pump's noisy and if you hear it run when nobody's using water, there's a leak somewhere. Time to investigate.

Most boat owners don't leave "city water" connected at the marina.

[Stim]

If the home is new to you there is a chance that water froze and damaged a line if it wasn't properly winterized.
Adding more water will make more mess.
You might try compressed air and a spray bottle of soapy water to find the leak.
Just a tip, kids can hear an air leak better.

[krisd]

Prior to filling the tank we were hooked up to city water which is when it started leaking into the bathroom, then is spread through half the back half of the motorhome.

[krisd]

We filled the tank but ended up turning the pump off to try and prevent more water coming in but when we had it on it did not turn on like there was a slow leak. I do not have a regulator. It's possible the pressure was too much.

[time2roll]

Find the leak and fix before you connect water and walk away.

[2chiefsRus]

can't tell for sure from your post if you were hooking up to and running water from the park's water supply or filling your fresh water tank and then using your water pump to run water. Can you clarify please?

[Mandalay_Parr]

It might be the water supluy line going to the toilet or to the sink.
Dry it up, turn your water pump Off and start over.
Get some help if you need it.

[gbopp]

Big Katuna wrote:
And you need to get the water dried up. A dehumifier or Dryer Bags and some fans to keep mold and mildew from starting.

X2. Run a dehumidifier and a fan. You don't mold growing in your rig.

[stickdog]

Did you have a pressure regulator on the fill hose. High pressure can blowout RV plumbing fittings.
Did you leave the pump turned on after filling the tank, you kept pressure on the supply lines? If yes that is why it continued to leak. You need to dry the floor and then turn on the pump and then watch where the area that the water is leaking from. You have to find the leak before you can repair it.
A thirty year old coach will have a grey plastic water supply unless it has been replaced.

[Big_Katuna]

If it’s in the bathroom, start looking there. Might be the toilet valve?

And you need to get the water dried up. A dehumidifier or Dryer Bags and some fans to keep mold and mildew from starting.

[MitchF150]

It does not matter where the source of the water is coming from.. It all goes thru the same plumbing system to the faucets.

When you filled the water tank, did the water pump just start running when you were not running any water at all?

It's now time to get in and check all the lines. Sounds like a leak in the lines for sure.

Good luck!

Mitch