Water leak through ceiling - what now?

[derriere]

Managed to leave a tap on upstairs which flooded through to my utility room below. Water has stopped coming through and it is now in the process of drying out. Is there anything I need to do - e.g. do I have to get a professional out to look at it - or can I just leave it to dry out, treat the marks with stain stuff and repaint?

[Golden Shred]

Unless the ceiling is hanging down or there is some other damage you will not need a professional. Just let it thoroughly dry out and repaint as you say. However, do not use the electrics in there for three or four days, particularly the ceiling light.

[smurfchops]

I presume you are insured? If it is a big job, or you don't want to tackle it yourself, phone the insurance company and tell them what has happened, get a Claim Form from them, get three quotes from local painters and decorators, send them to the insurance company with the claim form, if they are less than �500 they probably won't even come to view the damage, they will just say go ahead. You will have to pay the excess, usually around the first �50.00.

[stanleyman]

There will probably be water laying on the plasterboard under the floor boards which can cause the ceiling to collapse when it soaks in so if you can remove the boards to check or mop it up ASAP, you may save a lot of work. Let it dry thoroughly before touching it as it may dry clean ok.

[derriere]

Thanks everyone for such quick responses.

Golden Shred - it wasn't till I went into the utility room and turned the light on that I saw that there was water coming through the light fitting - Yikes! Bit of a lucky escape there I think!!

Stanleyman - it had occurred to me that there may still be water up there. The floor upstairs is a laminate floor and I have no idea how to lift it without damaging it. Do you think I am taking a big chance by not doing so?

Thanks again

[stanleyman]

Hopefully all the water has drained through the light fitting hole. If there are no drips anywhere now it may be safe to assume the worst is over but it does depend on the extent and position of the flooding. If you see any drips then you could drain the water by making a small hole in the ceiling with a screw driver.

[Golden Shred]

If I were you I would leave everything now for the best part of a week. There is no need to lift the laminate floor, quite possibly it will be a lot of work for nothing. How did it happen - did you leave the tap on over a sink or bath with a stopper in the waste? If so, why did the overflow on sink/bath not save the day? If there was no stopper, why did the waste pipe not carry it away? Perhaps, when things have settled down, you should do a bit of fiddling with wire and plunger to clear the waste and overflow of blockage.