How to Drill a Hole in the Ceiling to Release Water

Water damage is never good news and the damage can become significantly worse if you allow standing water to sit on the top of your ceiling. By drilling a hole – or multiple holes – you allow water to escape, preventing it from causing more damage as it expands. If your ceiling is made of a soft material such as plaster or drywall, you likely won’t have trouble making a hole with a standard drill bit.

Pencil
Ladder
Cordless drill
1/4-inch drill bit
Bucket

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the standing water by looking for water stains on the ceiling. Once water has leaked through your roof or floor, water stains quickly appear on the ceiling. Each large water stain marks a spot you need to drill, unless the stains are only a few inches apart, then you'll only need to drill through one.
- 2
  Place a bucket under each water stain you will be drilling. If tiny water stains are close to large water stains, it’s not necessary to drill the small ones; drilling the larger one will suffice.
- 3
  Position your ladder so that you will stand to the side of the water stain. If you stand directly underneath and begin drilling, water will drop on you and could cause you to fall, especially if it gets in your eyes.
- 4
  Insert 1/4-inch drill bit into your cordless drill. Lock the bit in place and climb the ladder. Hold the drill bit to the center of the stain and begin drilling. A quick pull of the drill’s trigger should be all that’s necessary to drill through the ceiling material. Water will begin pouring out after the hole is made.

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