What do I do when water is dripping through the ceiling?
Find and stop the source if it is plumbing. Turn off power to light fixtures or fans in the wet area. Keep people out from under any sag, catch the water, and photograph it. Then get the ceiling cavity dried before mold starts.
If there is a bathroom, a water heater or an AC air handler above the stain, the source is probably plumbing or a drain line, and closing the right valve (or the main) stops it. If the leak only shows during rain, it is coming from the roof, a window, flashing or siding, and you will need a temporary cover until a roofer can fix it.
How do I tell a roof leak from a plumbing leak?
Timing is the best clue. A stain that grows during or right after rain points to the roof, flashing, a window or a gutter backing up. A stain that grows whether or not it rains points to a pipe, a drain, a toilet seal or an AC line above.
Marietta averages about 53 inches of precipitation a year, and summer thunderstorms bring heavy rain in short bursts. Look in the attic with a flashlight if you can do it safely. Wet insulation, dark stains on the roof deck or a damp spot around a vent pipe tell you where to start.
Ceiling dripping now? Call (770) 670-4892 and press 1 to reach a local water damage restoration company.
Will insurance pay for a roof leak?
Usually when the damage came from a sudden event like wind or a falling tree, and usually not when the roof was simply old and wore out. Either way, your policy likely expects you to prevent further damage, such as tarping the roof.
The Georgia Office of Commissioner of Insurance notes that policies might require temporary repairs to protect the property from further damage, says to keep receipts, to photograph the damage before temporary repairs, and not to make permanent repairs before the adjuster inspects. Read our article on whether homeowners insurance covers water damage in Georgia.
What does restoration look like for a ceiling leak?
Remove wet insulation above, check the framing and drywall with a moisture meter, cut out drywall that is sagging, stained through or contaminated, dry the cavity with air movers and dehumidifiers, then repair and paint.
Ceiling water also runs down inside walls, so a good technician checks the walls below the stain too. Ask for moisture readings and photos at each visit. For the full process, typical costs and insurance basics, see our guide to water damage restoration in Marietta.
Quick answers
Should I poke a hole in a bulging ceiling?
That is a judgment call best left to the restoration company. A ceiling holding water can come down. Keep everyone out from under it, put a bucket and plastic below, and describe the bulge when you call.
The stain is dry now. Do I still have a problem?
Possibly. A dry stain can mean a leak that only shows in certain storms, wet insulation above, or mold starting in the cavity. Have the source found and the area above checked with a moisture meter.
Can wet ceiling drywall be saved?
Sometimes. Guidance from 'Repairing Your Flooded Home' says ceiling drywall wet only by clean rainwater that is not sagging, not mildewing and has kept its smooth texture can often be kept, but wet insulation above it must come out for it to dry.