When you notice a leak in your living room ceiling, simply take out your trusty Homeowners Manual that came with your house — wait, what? Unfortunately, unlike the family car, your home did not come with a user’s guide. No homeowners manual exists that can tell you what to do if your ceiling is leaking. Try these three things first.
Contain, Check, Call
- Contain the leak — Put a plastic sheet or tarp down to protect furniture and flooring; place pots under the active leak to limit damage while you work on the next two steps (but monitor the pots and empty them well before they fill)
- Check out the possible source of the leak — Ceilings may drip for several reasons, including condensation from kitchen or bathroom activity, a broken HVAC pipe in the attic, or a genuine roof leak due to storm damage, an aging roof, or blunt impact from a falling branch or tree
- Call the right people — For HVAC issues, contact your plumber; for roofing leaks, call your friendly, neighborhood residential roofer; you may need to call your homeowners’ insurance agent or toll-free telephone number to file a claim
It Doesn’t Hurt
If you are uncertain your ceiling really is leaking, you can check these signs:
- Dark stains or spots
- Weakened or sagging drywall
- Cold or clammy surfaces
- A smell of mold or mildew in a particular room (or, worse, throughout your home)
- High humidity levels indoors, even in dry weather
It does not hurt to call your roofer for a professional opinion on the cause of your ceiling leak. Unless extensive damage is visible, you do not need an emergency visit from your experienced roofer.
The roofer can inspect your attic to determine if the leak is from the roof or may be caused by a leaking pipe in the indoor air handler of your central air conditioning system.
If your ceiling leak is confined to one of two spots — your kitchen or bathrooms — and only seems to happen when cooking or showering, you probably do not have a roof leak. You have condensation and need to improve your ventilation. That could be a call to your roofer or an electrician.
Allstate Exteriors & Restoration provides homeowners in Central Ohio and Cape Coral, Florida, with fast, professional roof repair. Contact us today to put a stop to those leaking ceilings!
