Ceiling Water Damage
Household water damage is always bad news, but when it occurs in a ceiling the problem is compounded. In extreme cases, water can accumulate behind a drywall ceiling, slowly permeating and weakening its structure until it bursts through and soaks and even ruins everything beneath.
Here are some things to think about that make ceiling repairs more challenging than wall repairs.
The first thing to do when you spot the signs of discoloration and dampness on your ceiling is to identify the source. If you have a leak in your plumbing, that qualifies as an emergency and you should immediately shut off all water to the vicinity of the affected area.
Be aware that if you have a leak in your plumbing, water could be pouring into the affected area at a high rate. It’s possible that there are many gallons of water accumulated behind the ceiling covering material. Extreme caution should be used when venturing under such an area, especially if the ceiling itself is bowing downward.
Once the source of the water is stopped in such a case, it will be necessary to penetrate the ceiling and allow the water to drain in a controlled way, and the sooner the better. Common sense should prevail in undertaking this work. Lay down plastic sheeting under and all around the affected area and have someplace for the water to drain. You can’t have too many buckets for this project, as once the ceiling is penetrated, the water will flow until it’s gone.
Another common source of ceiling water damage is a leaking shower pan. While not an emergency, per se, this is a very serious problem, and fixing the cause will be a major project.
Most often, however, the source of ceiling water damage will be a leak in the roof or maybe a wall of the structure. You may be able to address such an issue by the simple expedient of catching the flow in buckets pending repair of the source of the leak.
In any case, until the water’s source is accounted for and stopped, there is little point in trying to effect repairs to the ceiling water damage itself.
In any case in which you find ceiling water damage, once the source is identified and accounted for, make a call to your insurance agent. Some or all of the costs of repairs may be covered by your homeowners policy. Repairing these calamities is certain to be an involved and messy process, and if you can have it professionally done, you’ll be better off.
One thing to consider if you’re in a position to have to do the work yourself is that drywall repairs, while not necessarily difficult in theory, can present a lot of practical difficulty. Drywall is very heavy stuff, and applying it to a ceiling in large pieces is a two man job for most people, or a lift will have to be rented and brought in.
Depending on the height of your ceiling, anticipate having to provide some type of elevated platform on which to work. Making repairs to ceiling water damage from just a ladder is possible, but count on having to move the ladder repeatedly.
Movable scaffolding can be rented relatively cheaply. Given that drywall repairs can take several days depending on whether you seal the joints with ordinary drywall compound or use a fast setting mix.
Professionals will use a fast setting mix, as they are able to make smooth joints quickly. The average do it yourself type person may find himself over-matched by the speed needed to work with a fast setting compound.
The point is, drywall repairs, especially ceiling drywall repairs, can be complicated and frustrating, and in any case will require going over the area affected a number of times to apply and sand several coats of compound and finally to prime and paint the repairs. Having a platform to work from that allows access to all or as much as possible of the damaged area will be a blessing, as you will come to think on your one hundredth trip up the ladder.
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