Water leak coming through the ceiling — what to do

A wet patch or active drip through a ceiling is alarming but usually traceable. The first priority is to identify the source to stop it, and to minimise damage — not to fix it permanently straight away.

Is it coming from a bathroom or kitchen above? 80% of ceiling leaks come from a failing shower tray seal, an overflowing bath, a leaking toilet cistern connection, or a dripping waste pipe. Go directly to the room above and look for any water on the floor, around the base of the toilet, or around the bath or shower.

Check all visible pipe connections in the ceiling void. If there is a boarded loft above, open the hatch and inspect with a torch — look for wet insulation, drips from pipes, or a leaking tank.

If you cannot identify the source, turn off the water at the mains stopcock and see if the drip stops. If it does, the leak is from a pressurised supply pipe or an appliance connection. If it continues, the water in the ceiling void is draining slowly from a pre-existing pooled leak — check for a residual source.

Contain the water: if the ceiling plasterboard is getting very wet, prevent it from collapsing by drilling a small hole at the lowest bulging point with a screwdriver — this allows controlled drainage into a bucket rather than a sudden break. Plasterboard is easily patched; a ceiling collapse takes out the entire area and everything below it.

Once the source is identified and isolated, allow the ceiling area to dry out thoroughly (at least 2 weeks with good ventilation) before redecorating — damp plasterboard is prone to mould and needs to be fully dry before painting. A damp meter hired from a tool shop (£20–£30) helps confirm dryness before replastering.