What to do when you have a leak in your ceiling:
Okay, you are relaxing in your own piece of the American dream—your castle, your sanctuary, the place that has spawned tons of family memories, or even your man cave. Your home. It is the result of a significant amount of your life’s employment endeavors and probably your largest investment. You hear something from above your head. Not real loud, just a percussive, dripping sound. What now? Particularly if you are not a trained plumber or construction expert? Of course, the best idea is always preventative maintenance.
After heavy rains, check your roof for any water or debris build up and clean the areas immediately. Also check for rain gutter blockages as these can create standing water in areas your roof draining system is not designed to sustain. Standing water can seep down into your roofing and eventually to your ceiling. If you have a chimney, the seal at the roofline is critical. Roof mounted air conditioning units bolted to the roof bracing can also seep over time.
Water condensation drains can also seep. These often run along the roof line for water dispersal. If you have an attic, an occasional crawl through with a good flashlight is a great idea. If you see any moisture specs above your head, that is a sign of water absorption that will grow with time and neglect and lead to further damage. Room walls, furniture, carpet, floors, and everything south of the leak can be damaged beyond your handy man abilities and necessitate the call to an expensive water damage expert.
Followed shortly thereafter by the new carpet and furniture bills. A pre-emptive strike is a great idea. Do a water flow test. Shut off the main valve to your home itself (usually in the garage area) and leave the main valve open and watch the flow meter on the top of the device. If it is running, you may have a leak. If you cannot get it, don’t force it. Find a local San Diego Plumber to help you out. Many homes have water lines above the ceilings that go without inspection for decades at a time. Slow leaks can disappear into attic insulation and hide until they finally soak through, discoloring the ceiling tiles below, or causing it to buckle. A loose connection can often be repaired simply without the need of a professional. However, if it is a large leak, do NOT ignore it. Water damage can creep through an entire house and its subfloors and literally destroy a home through time.
When you detect a water leak in ceiling, the quicker action taken the better. If you are lucky enough to find the leak quickly, and can repair it soundly yourself, great. Odds are though, that if water has penetrated the roofline, insulation and beams to the point that you can hear it, you will need a professional.
There are great San Diego water damage repair companies out there that specialize in this kind of work. Once your home is free from water damage, basic construction repair to get it back to normal will be your next step. Then off to the floor covering and furniture folks to finish up. Keeping your castle free from ceiling water leaks through preventative maintenance is a great idea. But, once detected, get a professional on the scene to keep your piece of the American dream dry. When all else fails, a San Diego emergency plumber may be needed. If you live in Poway, plumbing companies are all over the place.
Have a leak in the ceiling? We have plumbers in Poway, La Mesa, Rancho San Diego and El Cajon. Call us at 619.838.1322 or to schedule service click here