Hi we have a leak which has damaged our kitchen ceiling.
The ceiling has previously suffered water damage (originally thought to be from the bathroom above) and was patched. Because it was artexed we just had the whole thing skimmed over.
This new water damage does not appear to be from the bathroom above. The bathroom has been completely redecorated, wall & floor tiled, new bath and sealant.
I've had a good look under the bath and there is no sign of water at all. Newspaper had been placed under the bath when it was fitted to allow me to check if water had escaped and dried and it's dry with no water stains.
This is good & bad news as I don't need to pull out recently fitted bathroom fittings but may mean that the water is coming from the external wall or from the thermal store (or associated pipe-work) and then running along the joist to show through the kitchen ceiling.
To determine the source of the water the kitchen ceiling will need to come down. I've not done anything like this before and so have a few questions.
I'm undecided on whether to claim on the insurance until I see the extent of the water damage (£250 excess) in the ceiling space but the ceiling will definitely have to be replaced.
I would not want to overboard as this is a new build and the room height is short enough already!
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Ceiling is 4.1 x 2.9 metres
The ceiling has previously suffered water damage (originally thought to be from the bathroom above) and was patched. Because it was artexed we just had the whole thing skimmed over.
This new water damage does not appear to be from the bathroom above. The bathroom has been completely redecorated, wall & floor tiled, new bath and sealant.
I've had a good look under the bath and there is no sign of water at all. Newspaper had been placed under the bath when it was fitted to allow me to check if water had escaped and dried and it's dry with no water stains.
This is good & bad news as I don't need to pull out recently fitted bathroom fittings but may mean that the water is coming from the external wall or from the thermal store (or associated pipe-work) and then running along the joist to show through the kitchen ceiling.
To determine the source of the water the kitchen ceiling will need to come down. I've not done anything like this before and so have a few questions.
I'm undecided on whether to claim on the insurance until I see the extent of the water damage (£250 excess) in the ceiling space but the ceiling will definitely have to be replaced.
I would not want to overboard as this is a new build and the room height is short enough already!
- Is it possible to only replace the board that is damaged? I'm doubtful because it would need to be level with the existing boards which have been artexed and then skimmed but thought I'd get a professional opinion on this.
- How would ripping down the ceiling impact on the walls? I'm assuming they are joined using tape - could the replacement ceiling boards be joined to the walls? If they couldn't, what are the consequences?
- Are there any pitfalls when pulling down the existing ceiling? I'm assuming it's as simple as just trying to find the screw and pulling it down?
- How difficult is reboarding a ceiling? I've dot-and-dabbed boards on my bathroom walls but not done ceilings before.
- Trying to determine how much I can do myself as if it turns out the leak is from the thermal store then the insurer won't pay to replace it so no point claiming for the ceiling as the cost of paying to skim new boards will be pennies next to replacing the thermal store.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Ceiling is 4.1 x 2.9 metres
