What should I do when water starts coming through my ceiling?
The short answer
Deal with safety first. Move people and belongings clear, isolate electrical circuits in the affected area, and contain the water with buckets and towels. Photograph everything before you clear up. Do not go onto the roof in bad weather, and do not stand beneath a ceiling that is bulging with trapped water.
What evidence should you look for?
A bulging area of ceiling holding water.
- What it can mean
- A significant volume has collected above the plasterboard.
- What else could explain it
- A plumbing leak produces an identical bulge and needs a different trade.
Emergency · Inspection needed to confirm
What could this mean?
Photographs taken while water is actually coming in are the most useful record you will ever have, both for diagnosis and for any insurance claim.
What this evidence cannot tell you
Emergency measures contain water. They do not diagnose the cause, and the permanent repair should follow a proper inspection in dry conditions.
How serious is it? — Emergency
There is an immediate risk to people, electrics and the ceiling structure.
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What should you do next?
Once it is safe, photograph the damage and the weather conditions, then arrange an inspection to find the entry point rather than patching the nearest visible fault.
Reviewed by Aaron, Owner, Elite Roofing Services Cumbria Ltd — last reviewed .
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