What are The Common Causes Of an Ugly Ceiling Stain?

1/23/2018 (Permalink)

Residential Restoration Cleaning

Nothing can be more annoying than finding an ugly looking water stain on your ceiling every time you look up. If you are like most home owners, this ceiling stain will keep on bugging you until fixed. The first step in this direction should be to find the source. However, finding the real culprit can be difficult, inspecting the surrounding areas of the ceiling stain can be a good place to start with. Identifying the cause can also determine whether it can be solved with a DIY project or a residential restoration cleaning company would be required.

If you see that the damage has reached a larger area, don’t delay in calling a professional restoration company. Whether you need to call a local plumber or a roofing company, do so immediately.

What are the common causes of ceiling water damage?

Pipe leak - The most common reason for a water damage is a leaking pipe running under floors and behind walls. When you’re trying to identify what caused the ceiling stain, check the roof, the floor above and even the floorboards. If you hear the sound of running water, then you can guess that the reason is a leaking pipe. Keep in mind that a leaky pipe or fixture can leak onto a board at one spot and run along the board for a surprisingly long distance before the water drops onto the ceiling tiles below. The leak might not be directly above the spotting in the ceiling.

Roof problems – Missing shingles or loose parts in the roof can cause the water from rain or snowfall to enter into your house. Roof problems can also include cogged ice dams during winters. A long term fix for this is to upgrade the insulation in your attic.

Worn out pipes- The plumbing system in older homes may be outdated and develop leaks more easily than others. In other cases, pipes can also “sweat” water which means that older, worn out or improperly installed pipes are causing water to drip from the pipes.

Removing the ceiling water stain

While some stains can easily be removed with a stain-killing primer and a fresh paint, others will require the professional skills of a residential restoration cleaning company. It may also require replacing a large part of your ceiling. If not, the problem will keep occurring.

The ceiling stain will be completely removed only after the source has been eliminated, otherwise you’ll find yourself in the same situation. Once the source has been dealt with, the ceiling will require a structural repair. Whether you decide to call a professional house cleaning company or conduct a DIY project, ensure that the problem is fixed thoroughly.

Preventing future ceiling stains

Addressing ceiling stains is not a task you’ll  enjoy tremendously, but delaying it will only bring you bigger problems down the road. The longer the damage is left to sit on the ceiling, the damage will continue to grow and become a serious problem requiring major structural changes.

Once the stain has been repaired, you can prevent it from happening again by keeping the moisture levels low. This also prevents mould growth and bacterial infestations. Also have a professional roofing contractor perform an inspection to ensure that it’s in good condition and not at risk for any leaks.