Call the trade that matches the source: a plumber if the leak is below a bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, a roofer if it only shows up when it rains, and a water damage restoration company to dry the ceiling, insulation and whatever is below it. If you're not sure where the water is coming from, shut off the main water valve and have the area checked with a moisture meter.
Most ceiling leaks need two kinds of help: someone to stop the source and someone to dry what already got wet. Here's how to sort out which is which, and what to do in the meantime.
Where Is the Water Coming From?
Start with what's above the wet spot.
Below a bathroom: a toilet supply line or wax ring, a tub or shower drain, a shower valve, or worn caulk and grout.
Below a kitchen or laundry room: a dishwasher, refrigerator or washer supply line, or a sink drain.
Top floor, only during rain: the roof, flashing, a skylight or a vent.
Below an attic furnace or air handler: a clogged condensate line or drain pan, usually in summer.
Along an exterior wall in winter: a pipe that froze.
If the drip stops when nobody is using the bathroom upstairs, a drain or fixture is likely. If it keeps going with everything off, a pressurized supply line is more likely, and it's worth shutting off the main water valve until a plumber can look.
What Should I Do Right Now?
Stay out from under a sagging ceiling. A bulge means water is pooling on the drywall, and it can give way. Keep people and pets out of the room.
Leave the lights alone. If water is coming through a light fixture or near an outlet, don't touch the switch. Call an electrician or your electric utility before anyone uses that circuit.
Stop the water at the fixture valve or the main shutoff if the source is plumbing.
Protect what's below. Move furniture and electronics, and set out a bucket and towels.
Take photos of the ceiling, the source and anything damaged.
Don't poke a hole in a bulging ceiling yourself. It can release more water than you expect, and the drywall can come down with it.
Plumber, Roofer or Restoration Company: Who Does What?
The plumber or roofer fixes the source. A restoration company handles the water that already got into the house: finding where it went, removing only what can't be dried, and drying the structure.
Ceiling water often runs along joists and shows up a few feet from where it started, and it can soak the insulation above the drywall. The size of the stain doesn't tell you much. A moisture reading tells the real answer. We check the ceiling, the walls below and the floor with meters. Where water is trapped, we may cut small holes to get air into the cavity, or open a section if the drywall or insulation can't be dried. Our ceiling water damage page walks through the process.
Can a Wet Ceiling Be Saved?
Often, yes. Drywall that got wet with clean water from a supply line can frequently be dried in place if drying starts quickly and the panel hasn't sagged or pulled away from the framing. Sagging drywall, soaked insulation and drywall that sat wet behind a long-term leak usually need to be replaced. If you're only seeing a stain, our post on a water stain on the ceiling below a bathroom covers what that usually means.
Water coming through your ceiling? Call Blue Valley at (913) 395-8488. Open 7 AM–9 PM, every day.
Prairie Village and Nearby Homes
In many homes, a bathroom or laundry room sits directly above a living area. A leak upstairs tends to show up in the ceiling below before anyone notices it at the source. We dry ceilings, insulation and the rooms below for homeowners in Prairie Village, Mission, Overland Park and nearby cities. If the ceiling sits under a toilet, see toilet leaking at the base for what to check upstairs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a leaking ceiling an emergency?
If water is actively dripping, the ceiling is sagging or water is near a light fixture, treat it as urgent: stop the water, keep people out of the room and call for help. A dry stain that isn't growing is less urgent but still worth checking with a moisture meter.
Should I call my insurance company about a ceiling leak?
If the damage is more than a small spot, it's reasonable to let your agent know. Whether it's covered depends on your policy and what caused the leak. We document what we find with photos and moisture readings.
How long does a wet ceiling take to dry?
It depends on how much water got in, whether insulation is wet and how the space is set up. It's done when the readings say it's done. See how long water damage drying takes.
Can I just paint over the stain?
Not until the source is fixed and the drywall and framing behind the stain read dry. Painting first can hide a leak that's still going.
Call our restoration team
If water is coming through your ceiling, call Blue Valley at (913) 395-8488. Open 7 AM–9 PM, every day. We're IICRC Certified & Fully Insured. We'll find where the water went, explain what can be dried and what can't, and give you a free evaluation. See our water damage restoration in Prairie Village page for more.