Ceiling Leaks in Household

Within a household, it is common for leakages to take place over time due to wear and tear of the building elements, joints, waterproofing membrane, etc. The conditions of defects are often worsened at an accelerated rate given the harsh weather conditions in Singapore.

One of the most common area or we call it wet areas where leaks occur would be in ceilings. Ceiling is the upper surface of a room you see when you look up. It spans across two walls and often contains concealed piping, conduits and lightings, etc. Should there be presence of leaking water in the ceiling slab over a course of duration, not only does it affect the finishing aesthetics of the surface visible to the human eye, it also presents potential risks which we will further discuss below.

In this article, we will be delving in-depth on the common risks and causes of ceiling leaks as well as how you can spot signs of leakages on your own.

 

Risks of Ceiling Leaks

Before learning about the common causes of ceiling leaks, it is vital to understand the risks of ceiling leaks and understand why prompt actions should be taken to solve them soonest possible.

1. Collapse of ceiling and falling debris – If the leaks have been on-going for a prolonged period of time and left unattended, it can seriously jeopardise the integrity of the building structure as ceiling serves as an inter-floor supporting structure. With heavy downpour or sudden bad leaks, it could be possible for the ceiling to collapse, resulting in falling debris. More of than not, there are human traffic under the ceiling as the spaces are often used as living or dining area, bedrooms and toilets, etc. Hence, this would pose as a safety hazard.
2. Electrical Issues – As mentioned, ceiling often contains cables for various functions such as ceiling lights, water heaters, etc. If water is present in such areas, it poses a significant risk of electrical short circuits, causing inconvenience to the owners and resulting in the need for electricians to repair and carry out electrical safety tests to prevent future issues or possible fire risks.

 

Causes of ceiling leaks

Some of the most common causes of ceiling leaks include:

1. Roof Leak – Roof is the most important element of a house as it serves as a shelter as well as a direct point-of-contact with the weather be it the scorching sun or pouring rain. Given the unpredictability of the weather in Singapore, the roof often goes through extreme change in temperature. Be it ceramic roof tiles or metal cladding roofs, they expand due to the high temperature in the day and contracts during the colder temperature in the night. These changes in temperature results in movement, and eventual wear and tear which results in cracks or openings for water to seep through into the building structure and eventually flow down onto the ceiling slab. Over time, these water would seep through the pores of concrete walls and ceilings, resulting in leaks.
2. Plumbing Pipes Leaks – It is common to see drainage or sewage pipes travel through the voids created between floors, ceilings and walls in a house. As the pipes and these building elements are separate entities, there is a joint connecting the pipe and the concrete. Over time, the waterproofing surrounding the pipe would wear off and present a gap to allow for water to seep through from above. With that, you would see water stains around the piping or water flowing out from the joints, indicating a presence of leak.
3. Waterproofing failure in bathrooms – To put things into context, let’s visualise ourselves standing in the toilet. You would see your standing shower area or bathtub, toilet bowl and not forgetting the tiled floor you are standing on. All these elements have been waterproofed under the surface and sealed along the joints in contact with the floor. But with daily presence of water in these wet areas, sometimes in large volumes when there is washing or scrubbing of floor tiles, it is inevitable for wear and tear over time, causing damages in the grouting between tiles, sealants between the joints which results in water seeping to the lower floors.

 

Tell-tale signs of ceiling leaks

After understanding the risks and common causes of ceiling leaks, you could keep an eye out for several tell-tale signs which would help you identify the probable water entry points such as:

1. Blistered or peeling paint on the surface
2. Dripping water from the ceiling surfaces or via joints between the ceiling slab and walls
3. Discoloration or water stain marks on the ceiling
4. Mould growth on ceiling surface

It is also crucial to note the following pointers when leaks are detected:

1. Investigate the area above – Is the area above the ceiling leak a dry space, roof or bathroom? If it is the standing shower, W.C. or bathtub, the leaks could potentially be from their drainage system or a waterproofing defect along the joints.
2. The volume of the ceiling leaks – Is the ceiling leak more severe when there is heavy downpour? Does the water drips gradually or flows out in high volumes?
3. Cleanliness of the water – Is the water dripping from the ceiling brownish and dirty? Or is it clean water?

These would be very helpful information to know when you are trying to trace a leak on your own or if you decide to engage a waterproofing specialist to help pin-point the most probable source of leaks and to carry out the relevant repairs based on their expertise.

 

How SWC Construction can help

Apart from our extensive experience in the waterproofing industry for the past 20 years, SWC Construction is dedicated to provide professional advice and solutions with thorough diagnosis during the site inspection.

It is of our top priority to investigate the ceiling leakages, identify the sources and carry out tested-and-proven solutions to help rectify them promptly. Contact us today for a non-obligatory on-site consultation to solve all your ceiling leak concerns.