One of the first things that you need to do as soon as you notice water damage to your ceiling is to locate what is causing this problem. In order to prevent any future damage, you have to fix the problem. After the problem has been fixed then you can clean up the mess. The problem with water damage to your ceiling could be something as simple as drying the ceiling or as serious as removing mold from the ceiling. The last thing you do is focus on is any cosmetic repairs or structural damage to the ceiling.
Finding the problem
This is the first step in repairing your ceiling. Having leaking or busted water pipes or a leaking roof are the two more common problems of water damage on your ceiling. Other more noticeable causes can include bathtubs and sinks left unattended while on and overflowed. It could also be overflow from a clogged toilet. You may be able to find the cause of the water damage if you are familiar the structure of the home. If you cannot find the cause, you should contact a plumber to find the cause.
Repair the problem
How much it is going to cost and the time it will take to fix the problem depends on what is causing the water damage to your ceiling. For example, it will cost more to replace the area of your roof that is leaking than if the problem was replacing a few pipes are leaking. The least expensive repair would be unclogging the overflowing toilet. Regardless of the time, it will take to repair it and the cost, it is cheaper to fix the problem now instead of waiting for more problems to happen.
Cleaning up the mess
Once you have the problem fixed, it is time to check to see how severe the damage is and how long you have had the problem. Both of these factors will help to determine how long it will take to clean everything up. For example, if the damage was not too severe and the leak does not last long you may only need to dry the ceiling. If it is severe with a long lasting leak, you will not only have to dry the ceiling but also check for mold. Having mold in your ceiling is dangerous and can cause health problems that can be severe. With mold, you should hire a professional to take care of this problem so it is handled correctly and it is all removed.
After the problem of the water damage to your ceiling has been taken care of, you need to see if it caused any structural damage and have it fixed by yourself or a professional.
