If water is coming through the ceiling, move everyone out from under it and turn off the breaker for that room's lights and outlets. Then shut the main water valve, or tell the unit above to stop using water, and catch the drip with buckets. Never stand under a bulging ceiling. Call (413) 603-1274 for the leak repair and drying.
Do these in order
- Clear the area. People and pets away from the wet spot and any bulge.
- Kill the power to that room at the breaker, especially if water is near a light fixture.
- Stop the water. Main valve. In a multi-family house, knock on the door above.
- Catch it. Buckets, towels and a tarp. Move furniture and electronics out.
- Relieve a small bulge only if safe. With a bucket under it, a small hole at the lowest point lets water drain in a controlled way. If the bulge is large, leave it and keep clear.
- Photograph the ceiling, the floor and the source if you can see it.
- Call us. (413) 603-1274.
Where is the water coming from?
- Under a bathroom or kitchen: a supply line, drain, toilet or shower valve above
- After a cold night: a frozen pipe that split and is now thawing
- Near an outside wall on the top floor during snowmelt: an ice dam on the roof. See ice dam water damage
- From the unit above: an overflow, a washer hose or a burst pipe in their apartment
After the water stops
The ceiling still holds water, and so do the joists and insulation above it. Painting or patching too soon traps it and leads to mold and a stain that comes back. The ceiling cavity has to be dried and checked first. See ceiling water damage repair.
Is the ceiling safe?
Watch for these signs that a ceiling may come down:
- A bulge or bubble that is getting bigger
- Cracks spreading out from a wet spot
- Plaster pulling away from the lath, or a sagging line along a drywall seam
- Water dripping from more than one spot, or from a light fixture
If you see any of them, clear the room below and keep people and pets out. A plaster ceiling can be very heavy. If water is coming through a light fixture, turn that circuit off at the breaker and do not touch the switch.
Leaks from above that are not pipes
On a top floor, water through the ceiling in winter may be an ice dam or a roof leak rather than plumbing. Clues: it happens during a thaw after snow, it is near an outside wall, and there is no bathroom or kitchen above. See ice dam water damage.
Ceiling leak questions
Will the ceiling collapse?
A soaked, sagging ceiling can drop without warning, especially drywall. Keep clear and let someone drain it safely.
The leak is from my upstairs neighbor. Who pays?
It depends on the cause and whether you rent or own. See upstairs water damage: who pays.
Is a wet light fixture dangerous?
Yes. Turn off its breaker and do not use it until it is dry and checked.
Ceiling leaking? Call now
Call (413) 603-1274 now. Locally owned in Chicopee: we fix the leak and dry the ceiling in one call.