I'm dealing with some water damage in my condo after my tenants moved out. I've noticed yellow rings on the ceiling, bubbling and flaking plaster, and even some mold. It seems like the issue might be coming from above or from the walls, possibly near the water main. The strange thing is that the upstairs neighbors haven't reported any leaks. Whatever caused this seems to have stopped or is at least very slow now. I'm not sure whether I should hire a plumber or a general contractor to get this looked at first. Any advice on who to call? Thanks a lot!
2 Answers
It’s important to figure out the source of the leak before reaching out to a contractor for repairs. Have you considered that it might be a roof leak? Water can sometimes travel down paths you wouldn't expect. Keep an eye on whether the leaking happens during or right after it rains. Also, talking to your upstairs neighbor could be a good idea; their dishwasher might have leaked without them realizing it.
Before you hire anyone, you might want to start with a moisture detector to see if the affected areas are still wet. If you find that they’re dry after some time, maybe wait for a good rain to check again. If it remains dry and isn't getting worse, you could go ahead and make the repairs. It could have been a one-off event, like a flood from the upstairs. Oh, and definitely check with your upstairs neighbors to see if they’ve had any accidents that might have caused this!