The Roof is Leaking & the Ceiling is Bowed

Assessing the Damage

• Often times there will be a large brownish splotch in the exact spot where the water drips down from the ceiling and onto the floor (or bucket if you’ve been dealing with this for awhile.) This ceiling stain is indicative of water weight that is pushing down from the roof and into the ceiling. A whitish stain indicates the presence of condensation, which isn’t a concern. Empty any bucket or buckets of water you have that have been catching the drip and, depending on the type of ceiling you have, remove ceiling tile or use a sharp object to punch a small hole right in the center of the stain. Be prepared: the resulting drip will be fast and furious, so have the buckets ready.

Replacement Time

• Use a flashlight, if necessary, to manually and visually inspect the wood underneath the removed tile. If you have a drywall ceiling, you’ll need to rip away the drywall to gain access to the wood paneling. The bad news: chances are the wood is soft to the touch, moist and very delicate; the good news: you may not have to go through the process of installing a new roof. First off, pull away the moist wood -- in some cases it may be rotten anyway -- until you’re met with the underside of the roof itself. Try to keep the wood intact for measurement purposes.

Installation

• Measure the old pieces, if possible, using a tape measure. If the wood is in very bad shape, measure the area where the wood came from. Take your measurements and purchase as many sheets of plywood as you need, cut to the exact measurements. It's a good idea to add some measurement: remember, you can always take away wood but you can’t add it back after it’s been cut. Use an electric screwdriver to screw in the wood panels. You may want to consider using silicone caulk around the seams as additional leak protection.

The Roof Problem

• The roof is where the water is making it into your home in the first place, so you need to address the leak spot to remedy future leaks. Stand on the roof over the ceiling area you replaced -- it should be bowed as well and may have some degree of standing water. Sweep away or sop up the water and allow it to dry. Purchase roof sealant -- tar-like tacky goo that you spread over the leaky area -- and cover well beyond the perimeter of the bowed area. Replace the ceiling drywall or ceiling tiles to finish the job.