Water damage in your ceiling is something you need to pay attention to. Water follows gravity, so it’s always moving downward. This has two implications for your water-damaged ceiling. First, that everything under the ceiling is at risk of damage. Second, that the source of water must be above your ceiling, which might mean that the roof is compromised or that you have a burst pipe on an upper floor.
Here’s how to respond to water damage in your ceiling.
Get to Safety
First, assess the extent of water and decide if you need to get to safety. If water is pouring through the ceiling at a rate that may flood the space, especially a basement, then you need to move to higher floors or get out of the building. Also, if it looks as if the water might have caused structural weakness in the ceiling, make sure you are not in a room where there is visible water damage.
Do You Need a Professional to Handle Ceiling Water Damage?
In most cases of water damage to your ceiling, you should contact water damage restoration professionals. There are typically too many risks and unknowns related to ceiling water damage to handle it yourself. However, you may potentially be able to handle water damage yourself if all the following are true:
- You can definitely identify and rectify the water source
- Water damage is from a one-time source
- The damage was caused by clean water
- You can definitely remove all water and dry exposed surfaces
- You have the proper equipment and skills to repair the damaged ceiling
The first and most important consideration of handling water damage yourself is that you must be able to identify the source of the water and rectify it yourself. It’s also important that you know that the source of the damage was a one-time water source. If water was leaking repeatedly before you noticed the damage, then it may have soaked into joists and insulation, leading to the growth of mold and other microorganisms. These could be harmful or cause structural weakness in your ceiling.
You also must be sure that the water damage was caused by clean water only. Water damage caused by sewage or even used bathwater or cooking water can contaminate the structure of your house, leading to more microbial growth or infestation of pests.
You need to be sure that you can get all the water removed and every exposed surface dry. If the water has soaked into the joists, you need someone who can dry them fully to avoid structural weakness.
Finally, you must have the proper equipment and skills to repair the damaged ceiling. If you don’t, then you should contact a professional to handle the operation.
Contact Water Damage Restoration Experts
Once you determine that you need water damage restoration experts, you should contact them immediately. The longer water remains in contact with your ceiling, the more serious the damage can get. Waiting until tomorrow to make the call can be the difference between simply drying out your ceiling and having to replace all the structural supports as well as the ceiling material.
Remove Objects from the Path of Water
If it’s safe to do so, remove all vulnerable objects from the path of the water. Water will almost always flow downward, so this typically means removing anything from under the damaged ceiling. However, sometimes water can follow a surprising and forked path through your home. Check every floor below the areas of water damage to make sure there is no water leaking in any other place.
Separate Valuable Items to Be Restored
When you have items exposed to water, separate the ones that you want to just throw away from the ones that you might want to keep.
Show the items you want to keep to the water restoration professionals when they do their initial assessment of the damage. They will tell you which ones can safely dry at home and which ones might need special treatment to avoid additional damage and/or mold growth.
Contact Your Insurance Company
With some types of water damage, you immediately know that you will want help from your insurance company. In these cases, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Other times, you might not immediately know that you want your insurance company to get involved. In this case, you might wait until after water damage restoration professionals have assessed your home before calling your insurance company.
Whether it is worth it to make a claim depends on several factors, including:
- The cost of repairs
- Your deductible
- Your claims history
- The likelihood of rate increases
Once the cost of repairs exceeds your deductible, you should consider making a claim but talk to your insurance agent about how the claim might affect your premiums in the future. Then you can make an informed decision about whether the claim is worth it.
Why Choose Dayspring Restoration
If you are looking for water damage restoration in Bozeman, Missoula, Kalispell, and other cities in Montana, Dayspring Damage Restoration Experts is here for you.
We offer 24/7 emergency response services, so you can get people out to address your water damage at any time of day or night. We’ve been the leading restoration company in the area since 1989. We can handle every aspect of the water damage restoration process. This includes locating and rectifying the source of the water, whether it’s a plumbing or roof leak. Our meticulous process of drying your home will stop the progress of water damage. For areas that are already damaged, we can remove the damaged structure and replace it with new construction.
In the event that your water damage claim is expensive enough to require insurance, we can coordinate with your insurance company to remove the burden from you. We know how to document the damage and repairs to your insurer’s satisfaction so you will get paid on time for the full amount you’re entitled to under your policy.
When you detect water damage to your ceiling in Bozeman, Missoula, Kalispell, and other cities in Montana, contact us at 844-967-4911 right away. The longer you wait, the worse the damage can get.