How to identify and deal with water spots on walls and ceilings

It comes out of nowhere. A bit of a shadow on the ceiling. Next thing you know, you are trying to identify and deal with water spots on your ceiling from a leak. Santa Monica has seen much higher levels of rain fall this year than average, its possible with the weather some signs of water entry may show around your home.

There’s not much that can be more annoying that the dark patch or brown lines shining through your ceiling. Textured or not, you cannot escape imperfections on the roof. Don’t attack it with paint, that will not serve anyone well. The problem must be addressed before the fix can be applied.

Where is water coming from?

Where is the water coming from? Is the roof above it? Or how about a bathroom? Potentially a leaky pipe? Whatever is up, it’s wet. Repairs cannot be attempted until the source is identified and the necessary repairs made. Otherwise, repairs are moot. The water stain will just come back.

Many times the repair is simple. A common source is water seepage. A shower pan or piping that once had be caulked could have sprung loose causing a slowly leaking pipe. Address potential piping issues before proceeding.

If it’s the roof that’s up, check it for leaks. Roof water is not always attributed to a roof problem. Depending where in the country you are located, you could be looking at an ice dam, which means new insulation and repairs. Roofs can leak, shingles can slip. Again, the repairs must be made before any patch work can happen inside.

Why is there a water spot?

Water stain repairs always come last. Repairing a water stain inside your home before addressing the issue is going to lead to disappointment. Repairs will quickly be taken apart by a continuous leak. You will need to see how wet the area actually is. Potentially, you could be looking at taking out a piece of the ceiling or drywall to get down to a dry bones before moving forward. If you neglect this step, you are sure to have bleed through on the repair.

When did the water start to get in?

Water stains only grow with time. Resolving the stain and underlying issue swiftly will minimize the damage caused in your home. If you let it ride, the damage will only grow and get worse resulting in more costly repairs. Don’t cut corners in the repair itself either. If you are unsure of your ability to correct the issue, it’s best to go with a licensed contractor. The team at CertaPro Painters^® of Santa Monica can help, call us at 310-393-3133 if you need assistance with these types of problems.

How to go about fixing the problem?

Clean.
Once the underlying cause of the stain is dealt with, you can begin by cleaning the stain with bleach. Mix one cup of bleach with three cups of warm water and wipe the wall down. This mixture will also remove any leftover mildew, dirt or dust that could prevent a good paint job. Rinse the solution off with a spray bottle and towel.

Prep.
Get a drop cloth set up on the floor below your project. If the mess is on a ceiling, protective gloves and goggles will be crucial. After the area is dry, tape off any areas, like trim, you want to keep paint-free.

Prime.
Use a good quality base coat of stain-blocking primer. Your ceiling is probably painted with an interior latex paint, meaning it is water soluble. Water will destroy this kind of paint and cause lingering issues with your job. The base coat will block this from happening again in the future.

Paint.
After ample drying time, apply at least two coats of ceiling paint, with drying time in between. Oil-based ceiling paints will contain more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fumes, so take precautions not to expose yourself to this paint for too long.

Your ceiling should look pristine a new. Provided the problem has been completely solved, there will be no returning halo in your paint job.