Water Coming Through the Ceiling: What to Do Right Now

If water is leaking through the ceiling, turn off the breaker for the lights in that room, put a bucket under the drip, and if the ceiling is bulging, poke a small hole at the lowest point so the water drains in one controlled spot. Then find and stop the source, which is either plumbing above, the roof or the attic. A ceiling that is holding water can come down, so do these in order and stay out from under the sag.

Water leaking through ceiling: the first ten minutes

1. Switch off the breaker for the room's ceiling lights and fan. Water travels along wiring and collects in fixtures. Do not touch a wet switch or fixture.
2. Move furniture, electronics and rugs out from under the leak, or cover them with plastic.
3. Set out buckets and lay towels around them. A towel in the bottom of the bucket quiets the dripping.
4. If the drywall is bulging, stand to one side on a stable step stool, hold a bucket up and push a screwdriver through the lowest point of the bulge. Releasing the water through one small hole is far better than letting the whole panel give way.
5. Take photos and video of the ceiling and anything wet.
6. Go upstairs and look for the source.

One caution for older houses. Textured ceilings and plaster in older homes can contain asbestos. Draining a bulge through one small hole is reasonable in an emergency, but do not scrape, sand or cut out sections of an older ceiling yourself. Have it tested first.

Finding where the water is coming from

The pattern of the leak tells you most of what you need.

• It runs steadily whether or not anyone is using water: a supply pipe or fitting is leaking. Close the main shutoff beside the water meter and call a plumber.
• It only leaks when the shower, tub, toilet or sink above is used: a drain, a tub or shower seal, or the toilet's seal to the floor is the likely cause. Stop using that fixture until it is repaired.
• It only leaks during rain or when snow is melting: the roof, flashing around a vent or chimney, or an ice dam at the eaves. Call a roofer.
• It appears in cold weather on the top floor with no rain: this can be frost melting in the attic, or a bathroom fan duct dripping condensation. That is an attic moisture and ventilation issue.
• There is an appliance above: check the washer hoses, the dishwasher and the fridge water line.

The stain is often not directly under the leak. Water runs along joists, pipes and the top of the drywall before it finds a seam or a light fixture to drip through, so look a few metres in each direction upstairs.

Is the ceiling going to fall?

Drywall loses strength when it is soaked, and the insulation above it gets heavy when wet. Warning signs are a sag or belly in the ceiling, screw heads popping through, seams opening up and paint that balloons with water behind it. Keep people and pets out from under any of these. Plaster ceilings in older homes hold up longer but come down in heavy pieces when they go.

A ceiling that got slightly wet from a brief leak and shows only a stain, with no sag, can often be dried in place. A ceiling that sagged or stayed wet for days usually has to have the affected section removed.

Why the ceiling needs proper drying, not paint

The common shortcut is to fix the leak, wait a week and paint stain-blocker over the mark. The trouble is what sits above the drywall. Insulation holds water for a long time, the tops of the joists stay damp, and a closed ceiling cavity has almost no airflow. That is a good setting for mold, and the first sign is often a musty smell or a stain that keeps returning through fresh paint.

We check the ceiling, the walls below it and the floor above with a thermal camera and moisture meter, so the wet area is mapped before anything is opened. Wet insulation and drywall that cannot be saved come out, and the cavity is dried with air movers and dehumidifiers until the framing reads under 16% wood moisture content. Readings are logged daily and you get them in a clearance report with before and after photos. Most water damage jobs here run $1,950 to $11,000, with a firm written quote within 2 hours of you sending photos, between 7 am and 9 pm. A moisture inspection alone runs $249 to $549.

Who to call, and for what

Call a plumber for pipes and fixtures, a roofer for the roof, and an electrician if water went through a light fixture or a ceiling fan, since those should be checked before the breaker goes back on. Call your insurance broker to open a claim and ask what they need documented. We handle the drying and any mold concerns, and we refer the ceiling repair and painting to local contractors.

Until the source is fixed, leave the bucket in place and the breaker off, and check the ceiling again after the next shower or the next rain.

Common questions