Water Leaking Through the Ceiling: What to Do and Who to Call

What should you do first when water comes through the ceiling?

1. Keep people out from under it. A ceiling holding water is heavy and can come down without warning.
2. Cut power to that room at the breaker if water is near a light, fan, or smoke detector, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
3. Stop the water. Close the valve behind the toilet or under the sink upstairs if one fixture is clearly the source. If you cannot tell, close the main.
4. Catch it. Bucket under the drip, towels or a tarp around it, and furniture and electronics out of the way.
5. Drain a bulge only if it is safe. With the power off and a bucket in place, standing to the side, a small hole at the lowest point lets the water drain instead of bringing the ceiling down (American Family Insurance). Skip this near any light fixture, or if the ceiling is plaster.
6. Photograph everything before anything is moved or thrown out.

Where is the water coming from?

Where the stain sits and when it gets worse are the best clues.

• Under a bathroom: a toilet supply line or wax ring, a shower pan, or failed grout and caulk. Leaks only after showers point to the shower. See shower and toilet leaks.
• Under a kitchen or laundry room: dishwasher, ice maker, or washing machine hoses, or a drain under the sink.
• Under the attic in summer: an AC air handler whose condensate pan overflowed or drain line clogged.
• After a hard freeze: a pipe in the attic or an outside wall. See frozen and burst pipes.
• Top floor, and only when it rains: most likely the roof, flashing, or a vent boot. That one is a roofer's job.
• All the time, even with nothing running: a pressurized supply line. Leave the main off until a plumber finds it.

Who do you call for a water leak in the ceiling?

• A plumber for a pipe, fixture, or drain leak.
• A roofer if it only leaks in the rain.
• An HVAC technician for an air handler or condensate line.
• A water damage restoration company to find how far the water spread with moisture meters, remove wet insulation and drywall that cannot be saved, and dry the framing.
• Your insurer to open a claim.

In an apartment or condo, tell your landlord or property manager and the upstairs neighbor in writing right away, and keep a copy (Lemonade). See who to call for water damage.

Can a wet ceiling be dried, or does it have to come out?

Drywall can often be dried in place if it has not swollen or sagged and the seams are still intact. If it has, it gets cut out and replaced. Ceiling tiles and wet insulation above the ceiling are thrown out and replaced (EPA). A sag that held water will need replacing even after it dries.

The insulation is the part people miss. Wet fiberglass or blown-in insulation holds water against the drywall and framing for days, so it usually has to be pulled out before the ceiling can dry.

How long does a ceiling take to dry after a leak?

With dehumidifiers and air movers, a clean-water ceiling leak usually takes several days. It takes longer if the insulation stays in place or the leak ran for a while. Drying should start within 24 to 48 hours to limit mold (EPA). Do not paint over the stain until moisture readings say the drywall and framing are dry. See how long water damage takes to dry.

Does insurance cover water leaking through the ceiling?

Usually, if the leak was sudden, like a supply line that burst or a toilet that overflowed. A slow leak that went on for months is usually excluded as wear and tear or repeated seepage (insurance industry summary). Policies usually pay for the damage the water caused, not the failed part itself (NerdWallet). See what homeowners insurance covers.

Common questions

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