| By Greg Vanden Berge
Water damage in your ceiling can be caused from a
couple of problems either in your roof or plumbing. There are a few
other things that can cause ceiling water damage also and we will go
into that later. Let's start with the roof.
The roof is the most common form of ceiling water
damage. The dreaded roof leak of course is the number one cause or
water damage to your ceilings. Believe it or not all it takes is one
small hole or one tiny little crack to have an enormous amount of water
flood through your roof onto your ceiling.
The good news is that if you can see where the
water is leaking onto the ceiling there is a good chance you will be
able to find the roof leak directly above the ceiling water damage. If
you have an attic above the ceiling you should be able to spot the water
damaged area in the roof sheeting. If you if you have a flat roof or a
cathedral ceiling just start looking above the damaged ceiling area for
the roof leak.
Don't forget roof leaks can travel long distances
so in other words if you can't find the roof leak directly above the
ceiling water damage start looking farther up towards the top of the
roof for possible roof leaks.
The next biggest problem is going to be a broken
water pipe that runs above the damaged ceiling. Now this leak is going
to be real easy to find because it doesn't stop leaking until the water
main and shut off to the house. Unlike a roof leak that stops leaking
once the rain stops.
The damage caused from a leaking water pipe can be
fixed by a plumber or a local handyman. If you have copper water pipes
the problem will not be as expensive as galvanized water pipes could be
to repair. Galvanized water pipes are harder to fix and if they are
leaking there is a very good chance the pipes through the rest of the
house could be ready to burst also. It would be a good idea to replace
any overhead galvanized piping if possible to prevent further damage to
the home.
Another possible cause for ceiling water damage
would be an air conditioning condensation pipe that has become damaged
or clogged. These pipes remove the condensation or moisture from the
air conditioning unit and usually drain into a sink or to the outside of
your home.
Try to repair the ceiling water damage as soon as
possible to prevent other damage to your home. Some of the other damage
from water leaks includes mold, mildew and dry rot.
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