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Q: I recently noticed some water stains on the ceiling of my living room. I’m not sure where they came from, but the ceiling feels dry to the touch now. What’s the best way to cover them up? And since the stains are dry, can I assume that whatever caused them is no longer a threat to my home?
A : A water supply smirch on the roof is usually a byproduct of a roof , heating contrivance , or plumbing leak that ooze through the ceiling and evaporated , leave you with an unsightly patch of dry , discolored moisture maculation on ceiling tiles or paint .
According to David Ragsdale , maestro water restorer forServpro , there are many causes of water damage on ceilings , include :
“ optical inspection is the primary way to identify the cause , ” Ragsdale says . Although you could paint over a roof water stain without address the leak that caused it , you melt down the peril of additional spotting , more seriousceiling stamping ground costs , or structural or electrical damage . “ There are many cases where a householder painted over a stain only to have it render , ” says Ragsdale . The steps below will help you pinpoint the cause of the dirt , and to pick , premier , and paint over piddle stains . And if the reason for staining seems too intimidating , heed Ragsdale ’s advice below on when to call in the pro for a water - damaged ceiling .
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Step 1: Identify and repair the root cause.
The most crucial step when removing water smirch is figuring out thesource of the H2O leak(or in rare cases , the flood ) . Once you have this information you could fix the water system blot yourself , or researchwho to call for a water leak in the ceiling . Ragsdale lists sign homeowners can look for to determine the base cause . Although homeowners sometimes can inspect sloped or monger roofs from the reason , “ flat roofs would likely postulate a homeowner to mount onto the roof , ” he says .
Step 2: Clean the stain with bleach.
Once you ’ve dealt with the underlying trouble , you ’re ready to remove water stain from the ceiling . strip the stained field of the ceiling with a meek homemade bleach solvent ( 1 cupful of bleach and 3 cups of strong water ) will fade the mark and remove lingering mildew , grease , malicious gossip , or detritus that can foreclose primer and paint from adhering to the roof .
Step 3: Apply a base coat of stain-blocking primer.
At this microscope stage , it can be tempting to slap a coat of paint direct over the water smear and call it a mean solar day . However , interior rubber-base paint blusher , which are commonly apply to ceilings , are not the best option to apply over a H2O mark because they ’re water - soluble . When a piss dirt comes into link with rubber-base paint paint , the stain dissolves into the wet pigment stratum as the paint dry , causing the discolored mineral contents of the stain to show through the paint to the cap airfoil once again .
Your best option for a base coat to cover piss stain on the ceiling is an oil - based , mold - resistant , stain - blockingprimerin a subtlety nearly matching that of the existing ceiling . crude oil - based discolouration - blocking fuzee such asKILZ Stainblocking Ceiling Paintcan keep water stains from bleeding through . These stain - blocking undercoat also contain a high volume of binders ( polymers that hold paint paint ) , so that the primer can cleave to the surface for the long run .
How you apply the primer and key depends on roof style . If you have a smooth ceiling , roll the primer over the water stains using apaint rollerwith an extension and a ⅜-inch nap roller cover , then let the fusee dry for 2 hours or as instruct by the primer packaging . For a textured cap , opt instead for a thickheaded nap roller cover ( ¾ -inch to 1¼ -inch nap ) or spray on the undercoat using a can of soil - blocking primer .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Step 4: Cover the primer with ceiling paint.
The primed area of the ceiling will normally be a few tone lighter or dark than the rest of the roof , which can draw the centre to the stained region . Painting over the fit area will aid colouring - match it with the remainder of the ceiling for a professional - character cover - up .
Whether you have a smooth or coarse-textured ceiling , you could use either a latex ( pee - ground ) or an alkyd ( rock oil - based ) ceiling paint over the oil - based primer . Latex option dry out quicker and make fewer fumes from volatile constitutive compound ( VOCs ) than oil - based counterparts . Just check that to purchase cap - specific rouge likeGlidden Ceiling Paint , which is usually thicker than traditional rouge and has a non - reflective finish that helps hide minor imperfections .
Topaint the cap , choose a key that oppose the color of your ceiling . Apply it with a crimper ( choose a ⅜-inch forty winks cover for a smooth roof , or a ¾ -inch to 1-¼ -inch nap for a rough-textured ceiling ) . Let the first coat of paint dry for up to 4 hours or as instructed by the merchandise publicity . utilise a second pelage if you require more even coverage .
Photo: kilz.com
After the second pelage prohibitionist , the ceiling should expect as though it had never been stained .
When to Call a Professional
Homeowners can only repair a water grime permanently if they have determined and eliminated the cause , Ragsdale says . He cautions that a stained roof might be only part of theceiling repairneeded . “ There may be implicit in materials , such as framing , that need to be cleaned and dried , ” he says . He commend contact a professional to “ evaluate the damage and mold the best path of action . ”
It ’s peculiarly important to call a professional , he order , if :
“ These position represent guard hazards , ” say Ragsdale . Although water stain do n’t always have in mind there is mold , they could , and mold may require remedy . Likewise , some roofing , lamp chimney , and plumbing repairs require a professional to renovate the underlying case before you clean up the stain per the footfall above .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Although determine the grounds of water mark on the ceiling can cost up of $ 3,000 , price and safety equipment concerns arise if you do n’t address the problem . Generally , water damage involves a lowly part of the roof is a lowly hangout , but extensive terms might require replacing an entire ceiling . Many of thebest water damage refurbishment serviceswork now with householder indemnity companies to help oneself coordinate call .
How to Prevent Water Damage to Ceilings
Addressing the grounds of water stain on a roof goes a retentive way toward preventing succeeding damage . Ragsdale also advises keeping HVAC drains , gutter , and downspouts free of dirt and debris to prevent clogging that take to water stains on the bulwark or cap of the home base ’s interior , along with potential damage .
Vigilance is of import too . “ homeowner should do periodic review of their intact property , ” says Ragsdale . He says they do n’t have to be elaborate , but reproducible ( two to three clock time per year ) . For example , if you notice water spots on ceiling pigment , it could be the sign of a small problem that will get bigger . “ A cosmopolitan cognisance of the overall shape of one ’s dwelling can pay important dividends toward preventing small problems from becoming major repairs , ” says Ragsdale .
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