Water dripping from the ceiling means water has already soaked through insulation and drywall. Act quickly and in this order.
First 10 minutes
- Catch the water. Buckets and towels under the drip.
- Shut the water off. If a bathroom is above the leak, close the valves there. If you are unsure, close the main.
- Stay safe around electricity. If water is near a light fixture, switch off that circuit at the panel.
- Relieve a bulge. If the ceiling sags, poke a small hole at the lowest point with a screwdriver and drain it into a bucket.
Where it is probably coming from
- Only when someone showers: the shower valve, drain or tile. See shower repair.
- After a flush: the toilet's wax seal or supply. See toilet repair.
- All the time: a pressurized supply pipe. See pipe leak repair.
- After a freeze: a split pipe. See burst pipe repair.
- Only when it rains: the roof, not the plumbing.
Getting it fixed
A plumber traces the leak to the source and repairs it. When the source is not obvious, leak detection pinpoints it without opening the whole ceiling. If water is flowing and you cannot stop it, call an emergency plumber now. For everything else, book water leak repair the same day, because wet drywall grows mold within a couple of days.
Common questions
Will the ceiling need replacing?
Small stains can be dried, sealed and painted. Drywall that has sagged or crumbled needs to be cut out and patched.
Does a ceiling leak always mean a burst pipe?
No. Drain leaks, toilet seals and shower valves cause more ceiling leaks than burst pipes do.