Drip. Drip. Drip. This is the sound that keeps you up at night. Only instead of the familiar sound of water hitting the sink, it makes a dull thud as it lands on your carpet. Bleary-eyed and groggy you get out of bed only to step in a cold wet spot on the floor. Where is that coming from, you think. And then it hits you. On the head. From the ceiling. Somehow, water has started leaking through the drywall ceiling. What do you do now? You keep reading this blog.
Is it the Roof?
If you have an older roof, a poorly installed roof, or you’re just plain unlucky, rain can leak through and into your home. When that happens, the water pools while gravity forces it to the path of least resistance. Usually this is a seam between the pieces of drywall, but if your ceiling sags in any spots that’s where the water will head. Once the drywall is thoroughly soaked it will start leaking through, like in our nightmare scenario above.
Or is it a Pipe?
A few weeks ago we talked about how pipes can burst in the summer. It doesn’t take a pipe bursting for it to cause ceiling water damage, though. Any slow leak in a pipe can lead to water damage, so look for signs of water damage in any room you know has pipes in the ceiling.
Either way, what should I do?
The first thing you should do is grab a bucket to catch any leaking water and keep it from damaging your floor, too. Next, try and figure out where the water is coming from and stop the leak, if you can. If you find the leak but can’t stop it, use another bucket to keep any more water from getting into your ceiling. Finally, call in the pros.
ServiceMaster of Baltimore knows all about Water Damage
If your home floods and you have damage that needs to be repaired, you can count on the professionals at ServiceMaster of Baltimore to be there for you. As an IICRC-Certified company, ServiceMaster of Baltimore technicians are trained to identify moisture sources, evaluate mold growth, contain damage, remove contamination, and dry structural materials in an effort to reduce your loss and preserve your property. Contact us for a quick estimate, or to get immediate help with your residential or commercial disaster restoration. Hopefully you have found our blog, “Ceiling Water Damage: What’s the Cause?” informative and helpful. Continue to check back weekly for more helpful tips.
