Turn the water off if it is pouring
Close the main stopcock. If water falls continuously, a pressurised pipe is leaking.
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Ceiling Leak: Find the Source and Repair It
A brown stain that keeps growing, bubbling paint or drips falling from the ceiling: the water nearly always comes from the bathroom, the toilet or a pipe on the floor above. Our plumbers trace the source and repair the leak, 7 days a week, with the price given before the work.
5,0on Google· 22 years of experience
Leak detectionFixture by fixture
7 days a weekEvenings and weekends
Price given firstBefore the work
Job sheetUseful for insurance
A shower or bath upstairs
The most common cause of a ceiling stain is a shower or bath above. Water gets through a cracked silicone joint, porous grout, a loose waste or a fitting on a concealed mixer.
A simple clue: if the stain grows mostly after showers, water comes from the waste or the joints. If it stays damp even when nobody has washed, it is more likely a pressurised supply pipe, which is more urgent.
The plumber tests each element separately: running water into the tray without wetting the walls, then spraying the walls, then checking the mixer. He then redoes joints, waste or fitting and advises on waterproofing if it needs redoing.
Toilet, cistern and waste pipes
The toilet is the other usual source. A pan connector not pushed home, a dried-out seal or a concealed cistern leaking inside its frame lets a little water out at every flush, sometimes for months before a stain shows below.
On a wall-hung toilet, the cistern is reached through the flush plate. The plumber checks the fill valve, flush mechanism and seals, and removes the pan if needed to replace the connector and refit it correctly.
Waste pipes in the floor, especially old cast-iron or lead pipes in townhouses, can also be cracked. Then the plumber replaces the damaged section while keeping the opening in the ceiling or floor as small as possible.
Repairing the waterproofing and making good
When water passes through the tiles of a walk-in shower or a bathroom floor, regrouting is not always enough: the waterproof membrane under the tiles is damaged or was never fitted correctly.
In that case, the tiles in the affected area must come up, the waterproofing is redone with tapes in the corners and around penetrations, and the area is retiled. Our renovation teams carry out this work after the plumbing repair, with one point of contact.
The ceiling below should only be repaired once it is completely dry. The engineer tells you how long to wait and gives you a job sheet describing the cause, useful for your insurance claim.
What to do right away
These steps limit the damage while you wait for the plumber.
Keep away from light fittings
If water runs near a ceiling light or socket, switch off that circuit's breaker.
Release a bulge
If the ceiling sags, put a bucket under it and make a small hole at the lowest point so it does not collapse.
Warn the neighbours
In a flat, the leak often comes from upstairs: tell them and, if needed, the managing agent.
Take photos
For the insurer: the stain, the water, damaged items.
Our visit
Your call
Describe the stain, the floor above and whether water runs constantly or now and then.
Detection and price
The plumber tests the fixtures upstairs one by one, finds the source and gives the price.
Repair and report
He repairs, checks nothing is leaking any more and hands you the job sheet.
What our customers say
Where do we work?
Our plumbers work throughout Belgium, in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia, in houses and apartment buildings.
BrusselsWalloon BrabantFlemish BrabantHainautNamur provinceLiège provinceLuxembourg provinceAntwerpEast FlandersWest FlandersLimburg
The brands we work with
Our technicians work on all brands: they install, service and repair appliances from the major manufacturers. For a new installation, we recommend the model that suits your home and budget.
We buy our equipment from all the major Belgian wholesalers and suppliers, including Facq, Van Marcke, Desco and STG: genuine parts, quickly available.
Frequently asked questions
The leak comes from my neighbours. Who calls the plumber?
The person where the leak is, or the managing agent if it comes from a common part. Tell them quickly; if nobody reacts, we can come at the request of either.
How can I tell a supply leak from a waste leak?
A supply leak runs constantly, even when nobody uses water. A waste leak only appears after using the shower, bath or toilet.
Does my insurance pay for leak detection?
Many policies cover water damage and sometimes leak detection. Check your policy; our job sheet describes the cause and the work done.
Does the ceiling have to be opened?
Not always. The plumber tests from upstairs first and only opens up if the leak is in a pipe in the floor, keeping the area small.
When can I repaint the ceiling?
Once it is fully dry, often after several weeks depending on the leak. Painting too soon makes the stain come back.
Do you come in the evening and at weekends?
Yes, 7 days a week. Call 0477 03 88 98 for the first available visit.
Do you redo the tiling too?
Yes, our renovation teams redo the waterproofing and tiling when necessary.
A stain that keeps growing?
Call us, book a slot online or request a quote.