Ceiling Leak & Upper-Floor Water Damage

Where ceiling leaks come from

• Ice dams. In winter, heat escaping into the attic melts snow on the roof. The water refreezes at the cold roof edge and forms a dam. Meltwater backs up behind it, gets under the shingles and drips into the attic and ceiling.
• Bathroom overflows. A tub, toilet or shower that overflows or leaks at the seal sends water into the ceiling below.
• The unit above. In condos and apartments, a leak upstairs often shows up in your ceiling first.
• Pipes in the ceiling. Supply lines that run through ceilings or outside walls can freeze and burst. Our guide to preventing frozen pipes covers how to stop that.

What we do

Water in a ceiling doesn’t stay in the ceiling. It runs along joists, down inside walls and onto the floor below. So we trace it from the source through every level it touched.

If water is pooling above the drywall, we drain it in a controlled way rather than waiting for the ceiling to give. Soaked insulation and drywall that can’t be dried come out. The rest is dried in place, and we check readings on each floor until everything is dry.

Condo and multi-unit leaks

When the leak starts in another unit, report it to your property manager and your insurer right away. Responsibility depends on the condo bylaws and each owner’s policy. We document the damage in your unit with photos and moisture readings, and we can coordinate with the building’s restoration contractor if there is one.

After the drying

Fix the cause before the ceiling is repaired. For ice dams that usually means attic insulation and ventilation. If the attic stayed damp long enough to grow mould, Edmonton Mould handles attic mould removal.