Save your umbrella for the rain
Your ceiling is quite literally the roof over your head. A problem with it can severely impact your daily life and bring with it a very real risk of water damage to your home and belongings.
No one wants to come home to a water leak in their ceiling, but unfortunately, it’s a reality for many homeowners. Ceiling leaks can be caused by a number of factors including toilets, baths, sinks and supply hoses.
But, whatever the reason, it’s important to take steps to mitigate the potential damage and get your leak fixed as soon as possible.
Five things to do when you have a ceiling leak
1. Turn off the water to your home
The best way to stop water leaking through your ceiling is to completely stop the water supply to your home. While this won’t fix the problem, it will limit the extent of further damage and buy you enough time to review the situation.
Fortunately, we’ve written a guide to help you locate and turn off your stop valve.
2. Assess the extent of the damage
Once the water is turned off, you will need to assess any damage that has already been done. Is the leak coming from a single point, or is water seeping in from multiple places? Is there significant damage to the surrounding area, or is it just a small spot?
If the leak is small and has not caused any major damage, you may be able to repair it yourself. However, if the leak is large or has caused significant damage, you will need to hire a professional to help.
3. Collect dripping water and protect your property
Even with the water supply stopped, the saturation of your ceiling and water remaining in your pipes, can cause dripping to continue. Use buckets, towels and plastic sheets to collect water and protect your furniture and belongings from getting wet.
A saturated ceiling can sag and it can be a good idea to puncture the affected area with a screwdriver to provide a route for the water to escape. Although messier in the short term, this can help prevent more expensive damage to beams, supports and electrics.
4. Repair the cause of your ceiling leak
A ceiling leak caused by a burst or broken pipe will not fix itself. Sometimes the actual location of the leak in the pipework may not even be visibly obvious.
We recommend contacting a leak detection specialist as soon as possible to find the source of your leak and fix the defect in your pipe as soon as possible.
5. Repair your ceiling
Water can cause significant damage to your ceiling and pipe repairs will often require a section of the ceiling to be cut away for access.
Only once you are certain the leaking pipe is fixed can you proceed with the repair of the ceiling itself. This is a fairly simple and inexpensive process that often involves nothing more than some plaster and paint, however more serious structural damage may require further assessment.
How we can help
Finding a water leak in your ceiling can be stressful, but by following these steps you can minimise the damage it causes and get your home back to normal fast.
At Miracle Leak Detection, we can advise you on the recommended next steps after repairing your leak and provide a full detailed report for your insurer.
Call us free on 0800 037 7078 to book a free visual inspection today.
