Ceiling Repair
Generally, as a homeowner, one would be compelled to do some sort of ceiling repair at least once in his/her lifetime. It should also be remembered that ceilings do not normally require much repairs or maintenance although the problems that may appear can be fixed by anyone with an average knowledge and experience about home repairs. Therefore, when one knows about the common methods of ceiling repair it would indeed be sufficient to mend most of the problems.
The most common form of ceiling repair that would need to be done in a multi level house is drywall ceiling damage caused by water leaks. Normally, water from an upstairs bathroom would leak through the floor and collect on top of the ceiling. As a result of this water leakage, a discolored and stained area would appear on the ceiling. Thus, the first course of action should be to stop the water leak either by repairing the damaged fixture or by cutting the water supply to that area.
Although the water in the surface area may seem to have been removed, water may actually remain within the ceiling. Therefore, this water also should be removed before any ceiling repair can begin. One can use a large screwdriver to drill a hole in the ceiling to drain the excess water. However, electric drills should not be used as there is a risk of electric shock due to the remaining water. Furthermore, the draining process may take some time, even one or two days and it is important to make sure the ceiling is completely dry before attempting any repair.
Once the ceiling is completely dry, the ceiling repair phase can begin. Generally, if the water damage is pretty heavy, the damages part of the dry ceiling may have to be replaced as the dry ceiling becomes soft and bloated. Use a sharp object to cut the piece of the drywall while making sure part of the floor joists or the wooden beams that support the ceiling is exposed. In addition, it is better to make the cut as rectangle as possible to make the installation of the new dry wall piece much easier. The new piece of dry wall can be nailed or glued in; joint compound or drywall tape can be used cover the edges and the drilled holes.
Although the ceiling repair could be done fairly easily, it somewhat difficult to achieve a smooth finish once the new drywall is installed. Therefore, after the initial ceiling repair, methods such as smoothing with sandpaper and applying bleach may solve the problem although in certain instances the whole ceiling will have to be repainted.