Water drips from a ceiling when something above it is leaking, most often a bathroom fixture, a kitchen pipe, an appliance hose, or a supply or drain line inside the floor. In apartment buildings, the source is frequently the unit upstairs or a shared pipe in the wall.
Where It Usually Comes From
- A shower or tub with worn caulk, grout, or drain seals
- A toilet whose seal at the floor has failed
- A cracked supply hose under a sink
- A dishwasher or washing machine connection
- A pipe running through the floor between levels
If the drip is right under a bathroom, start there.
When It Only Drips Sometimes
Timing gives useful clues. A drip that appears only after someone showers suggests a shower drain or wall leak. One that appears after flushing points to the toilet. A drip that never stops suggests a pressurized supply line, which tends to cause damage faster.
First Steps
Put a bucket under the drip and move furniture and electronics away. Keep people out from under any part of the ceiling that is bulging or sagging, since it may be holding water. Do not use lights or fans in a wet ceiling. If water is near a fixture, turn off that circuit at the breaker if you can reach it from a dry spot.
Who to Contact
In co-op and rental buildings, call the super and knock on the door upstairs. Your neighbor may have no idea there is a leak. In a house, go to the room above and close the valve to any fixture that looks wet.
Once the leak is fixed, the ceiling needs to dry fully before patching. Take photos for your records.
When you know where the water is coming from, the source above the ceiling can be fixed. Call JPR Plumbing at (833) 603-1840. After the ceiling dries, a check of the tub and shower seals upstairs can help prevent a repeat.