Ceiling leak

[Weazl]

Hi.

My buddy came into work today and said he noticed a huge water spot in his kitchen ceiling, below his ensuite bathroom this morning. Anyone have any companies to recommend for him to get this looked at and fixed? He lives in Barrhaven and doesn't really have the emergency cash he needs I think.

[Gapwedge]

I don't know anyone in that area, however I would suggest he open the ceiling and eyeball the source of the leak. If a drain pipe - no problem - leak stops if you don't use that bathroom. If a supply line - big problem as the leak can easily get worse.

This might give him some time to find a good plumber, or collect the necessary funds.
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[golfott]

he shoudl test a bit first.

leaks can even come form something as small as cracked grout in the tiles. have him play around with some water on different spots and see if he can source the problem before hiring anyone.

sometimes like 50-100$ in tile repair can save thousands in plumber work

[jvincent]

It sounds like the spot suddenly appeared. If that's the case something has probably come loose, probably a drain line otherwise it would be raining water.

If he needs to replace the ceiling it's probably a good idea to open that up first since it should give him a good idea of where the leak is coming from.

[Chieflongtee]

Could simply be the Wax Bowl Ring. I've had to replace one before, Not too hard to do and cheap.. If the leak is directly under the toilet bowl do not look any further.

[Kiwi]

From experience pipes, either supply or drain, do not "suddenly" leak. If it is in Barrhaven then likely a newer home and therefore less likely to be a "plumbing" problem. I would go with the grouting/caulking problem. Had this happen to me many years ago and it was simply the water leaking in around where the tap went into the wall. The caulking had aged, and started to dry and pull away from the wall. I poured several cups of water over the suspect area and then noted where it came out. If he can eye-ball where the leak is showing up and then line up the potential sources in the ensuite he could save some time and money. No need to open the ceiling unless there is damage to the material, such as soggy, crumbling dry wall. If only wet then it will dry out if he can figure out the source of the water, then he can seal the water stained area and paint. Cheaper and quicker solution. Let us know how it turns out.

[Old Man]

if you do the leak test on areas,try a different dye (in the water ) for each test.This will help identify the area.it also helps as you could test an area then another area and if the first area has a long way to travel it could start to drip after the second test has begun.At lest with the dye in the water you are sure to know what test caused the leak.( my guess is to try the seal at the tub drain first.)

[Gapwedge]

No need to open the ceiling unless there is damage to the material, such as soggy, crumbling dry wall. If only wet then it will dry out if he can figure out the source of the water, then he can seal the water stained area and paint. Cheaper and quicker solution. Let us know how it turns out.

Once drywall gets wet, it expands. It does not contract when it drys. Moreover, if it is sufficiently wet, the time required to dry thoroughtly is rather long. Mold usually sets in before the drywall is completely dry.

Kitchen ceilings tend to be flat (not stippled). No amount of KILZ and paint is going to remove the effects of a water leak. You're going to see it for a long time.

Once drywall gets wet, it is always best to replace it.
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[Kiwi]

Once drywall gets wet, it expands. It does not contract when it drys. Moreover, if it is sufficiently wet, the time required to dry thoroughtly is rather long. Mold usually sets in before the drywall is completely dry.

Kitchen ceilings tend to be flat (not stippled). No amount of KILZ and paint is going to remove the effects of a water leak. You're going to see it for a long time.

Once drywall gets wet, it is always best to replace it.

Thanks for the info. I don't want to hi-jack this thread but on a related point would your advice also apply to vertical (walls) surfaces. I replaced windows last fall and there is a lot of staining on the walls of two rooms. When they took the old windows out I checked and there is no rot or mold (visible). I do not detect any swelling and it appears to me to be only surface (paper) stain/damage. I painted over in another room, albeit a darker paint, and after two years no bleed. Thanks!

[Gapwedge]

Thanks for the info. I don't want to hi-jack this thread but on a related point would your advice also apply to vertical (walls) surfaces. I replaced windows last fall and there is a lot of staining on the walls of two rooms. When they took the old windows out I checked and there is no rot or mold (visible). I do not detect any swelling and it appears to me to be only surface (paper) stain/damage. I painted over in another room, albeit a darker paint, and after two years no bleed. Thanks!

Painted drywall is relatively resistant to surface water so long as water does not stay long. Vertical surfaces result in runnoff, preventing water from staying and causing damage. Cut edges, however, offer a different situation. The unpainted paper acts as a wick and sucks as much water as it can. Ditto for the exposed gypsum (the white cracky stuff in the middle).

The best treatmeant around windows is to remove what you can (without compromising what gets hidden by the trim) and prevent any more water from doing damage (stop the leak).

The best sealant I have found to cover drywall stains is KILZ. You get it at Home Depot. http://www.kilz.com/pages/default.aspx?NavID=22

We return you now to the original thread.
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