First aid for the roof
Roofs generally don’t need a lot of repair and maintenance. However, there are some situations that will require some “how-to” expertise to bring a damaged ceiling back to perfect condition.
The good news is that the average homeowner with limited experience and knowledge in this area can fix most roof problems. The following article, while not a comprehensive treatment of the subject, will provide you with the basic techniques to successfully repair and rehabilitate roof problems.
In a multi-level home, there is the potential risk of ceiling damage from a drywall ceiling due to water leaks that usually originate from an upstairs bathroom. These water leaks work their way through the floor treatment and rest on top of the drywall in the ceiling. The result is a discolored, stained area. The first step, of course, is to stop the water leakage by closing the valve that feeds the leaking fixture. Remove standing water in the area using the traditional mopping method or a wet / dry vacuum. Use plastic sheeting or other waterproof material to cover the floor area under the damaged ceiling. Place buckets or other containers on the floor to collect the released water. Start in the center of the damaged area and poke a hole in the ceiling with an awl or large screwdriver.
BAIL: do not use an electric drill or any other power tool to create the holes because water and electricity are a deadly combination.
Use your own judgment in terms of how many holes you think are necessary to completely drain the damaged area. When the water has stopped dripping and the roof area is completely dry, you can move on to the repair phase of the project. It is important that you allow enough time for the ceiling area to dry completely. This will sometimes require a day or two of waiting before finishing the job.
Unfortunately, if the water damage was large, the affected area of the ceiling drywall may need to be replaced because the drywall will have softened and swollen. If this is the case, the existing drywall is really not subject to repair. Locate the floor joists (the wood joists to which the drywall was nailed or glued. Use a ruler to draw a line to guide you when cutting the damaged drywall. Make the cut so that the middle of the beam is exposed and can be used to support the new drywall. Cut the damaged drywall making sure the piece you remove is as rectangular as possible. This will make it easier to cut a replacement section from a new piece of drywall. cast.
Nail or glue the new section into the open area and then, using joint compound and drywall tape, finish the edges. Even for professionals, this is a tough job and you may have to settle for a patch that is not “invisible.” After applying a coat of primer to the patch, repainting the entire ceiling with several thick coats of paint can solve the “patchy look” problem.
Going back to the scenario where the damaged areas are quite small and the drywall is still in great shape, after the ceiling has completely drained and dried (see above), use fine or extra-fine sandpaper to level the areas where holes were drilled. . Using a small putty knife or your finger, apply joint compound to the holes and scrape off excess. You may need to apply more than one coat of joint compound to level the filled holes with the rest of the roof. When the joint compound has completely dried, use fine or extra-fine sandpaper to finish the area. Run your fingers over the area to make sure the repaired area is completely smooth. If not, sand it some more or fill in the dimples, etc. with more joint compound and continue the process until the area is completely smooth. After cleaning excess dust from the sanded area, finish the job by painting the area to match the ceiling. Since paint fades over time, the entire ceiling may need to be painted to keep the color uniform throughout.
Sometimes a stained area is the result of a water leak that has dried over time. If this is the case, no holes need to be drilled, etc. because there is no residual water on top of the drywall. Before going through the process of scraping the discolored area and refinishing it with joint compound, you can try an easier method of rehabbing the area.
Make sure the floor, furniture, and anything else are covered with some type of waterproof coating. Then, using a spray bottle with a mixed solution of six parts water to one part bleach, mist (but do not soak) the discolored area. A light spray coat may need to be applied several times. If this works, you have solved the problem. Touch up the area or repaint the entire ceiling. If the stain persists, you can buy a stain remover primer, spray the area with the primer with a light coat. It may be necessary to do this several times. When the primer has dried, finish the job with roof paint that covers the repaired area or paint the entire roof.