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A faucet in an upstairs bathroom got left slightly on and it dribbled water down the faucet body, onto the countertop, and onto the floor for 3-4 hours before being detected and stopped. Bathroom is all dried out, but I’m concerned about the dining room below the bathroom.

At one end of the dining room, water is seeping through tiny gaps in the trim/casing. I’ve got bins catching this water as it drips. Do I just let it continue to drip and dry naturally?

At the other end of the dining room, I am seeing a tape seam in the ceiling that I don’t remember being there, or at least not as pronounced as it looks right now. There are 3-4 soft spots along the length of this tape seam, and I drilled 1/16” holes in each soft spot in hopes of helping it dry. See photo.

I don’t see any other areas of immediate concern.

Am I doing the right things here and I just need to chill and not overreact and it’ll dry and be fine? Do I need to bring in a mold specialist and tear the ceiling down? What would you do in this situation?

water slowly seeping and dripping from casing at one end of room

suspect tape seam in ceiling at opposite end of room

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This is a "Maybe" situation. It may dry with only the issues you see now, or it may make paint bubble and drywall will sag. Then there is the issue of mold.

Mold is not likely unless there is a long term moisture issue. If there is any insulation in the ceiling it could hold the moisture for a long period and then you have mold. Most homes do not have insulation between floors and in interior walls unless it it there for sound isolation. Knowing if you have insulation will determine if you should do anything at this time. If you do, you should call your insurance company and have the ceiling taken down and the insulation replaced after the area drys out. Then the ceiling can be replaced, of course.

If you are sure there is no insulation, dry up any water you see...and wait. In a few days to a week you will see any issues that need further attention.

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    It wouldn't hurt turning on the heat. If you have the blueprints it would show if there is insulation between floors. Drilling a small hole and probing is not a bad idea. Do it by the tape seam that needs repaired anyway.
    – RMDman
    Commented 2 days ago
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    Unlikely to be insulation betwen floors. Might be worth getting a fan and keeping it blowing on the area. Drying out the surface will let any water deeper in wick to the surface.
    – Huesmann
    Commented 2 days ago
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    I agree with this answer. Wait and see. Even a bit of mold isn't worth opening a bag of worms. Every house has some mold somewhere.
    – isherwood
    Commented 2 days ago
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    The meter will give you information which can give peace of mind or increased worry. If it does show high moisture it is still unknown if there will be results that require greater attention. I have a meter, but if this was my house I would just try to assist with drying by heat or fans and wait.
    – RMDman
    Commented 2 days ago
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    Confirmed no insulation, drilled a few breather holes and have a carpet dryer trained on the area where the drywall seam was compromised to see if I can get it good and dry without tearing the ceiling apart. The drywall is somewhat soft immediately around this area - not mushy and saturated by any means, but I can leave a simple with my fingernail. Everywhere else, the drywall still feels hard to the touch, save for a few screw dimples that have shown up here and there. Appreciate everyone’s help again… let me know if it sounds like I’m on the right track here
    – SunDodger
    Commented yesterday
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Time is of the essence here.

You don't mention fans and you don't mention your local weather (or the use of air conditioning or a dehumidifier). You need to actively dry things out. Don't wait for nature to do it. Mold grows at an exponential rate, and the longer drywall is wet the more it deteriorates and lets joints come apart. Keep airflow going with fans and if the relative humidity is high consider reducing it. You might even run heat.

I would not cut anything open until either you have visible evidence of massive mold growth or you detect irredeemably damaged drywall (soft, sagging, crumbly).

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  • Great question - immediately after mopping everything up, my wife and I put every fan in the house in either the bathroom above or the dining room below the ceiling in question. We are in the Seattle area, mid/upper 60s with ~70%RH, and looking like weather is going to stay that way for the week ahead. So far no major worsening/changes in the problem areas already observed, and no new areas discovered. Do you feel like fans and perhaps some breather holes drilled around the obvious problem areas are enough given our climate? Or do I need to rent something more aggressive?
    – SunDodger
    Commented 2 days ago
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    I'm more of a thinker than a feeler, and I think you won't know until you start and monitor progress. I have no idea how much moisture is inside your structure. Take action, check progress, rinse and repeat.
    – isherwood
    Commented 2 days ago
  • A space heater aimed at the wet area would help. Both radiators with coils and hot blowers are fine. I even used a catalytic gas heater for that purpose but would not let it run unattended because of the fire risk. For the electric ones, respect the minimum distances. You want it hot, but no fires.
    – Peter - Reinstate Monica
    Commented 15 hours ago
  • @Peter-ReinstateMonica I'd err towards "warm" rather than hot to avoid slow damage, especially up near the ceiling where a fan heater would be likely to draw warm air and heat it further. Blowing warm dry air is very good at drying. A dehumidifier that exhausts upwards would be very helpful in the dining room (mine does, for example) and keeping the room warm. The cost of renting a (large) or buying a (smaller) dehumidifier is insignificant in the context of the potential damage so very worthwhile
    – Chris H
    Commented 8 hours ago
  • I had a carpet dryer blowing ambient air on the water damaged area from about 2ft away for 24 hours, and everything is feeling very dry from the outside. No other soft spots or signs of damage elsewhere from what I can tell inside the room. I returned my carpet blower rental and now have a house fan continuing to blow ambient air directly on the damaged seam. If I’m not seeing new/worsening soft drywall in the ceiling, should I continue with fans, or is it really worth renting a dehumidifier?
    – SunDodger
    Commented 1 hour ago
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Drywall is very resilient - I do not see any major concern here. The fact that we don't see any staining is confusing though.

At a minimum based on your pictures you will need to refasten that large sheet of drywall you have in the corner. We see the seam popped on left and lifting on the right. It will need to be completely refastened.

If this were my house this is what I would do...

  • Get my drill and a 3/8" drill bit
  • I would drill about 20 (10 on each side) holes about 2-3" from the seam
  • I would drill about 10 more about 3" from the edge (where trim was dripping)
  • Right after drilling holes to let water escape and create air flow... wet/scrape (sanding could be faster with some textures) the texture on each side of the seam at 4"+ and at least 4" at wall.
  • I would wait a couple weeks, then refasten (screw) the drywall in on each side. You will screw where you have scraped off the texture.
  • lightly sand each area and light coat of mud over screws/holes
  • add on texture
  • repaint - paint match is literally the only thing that makes this a long project
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  • Really appreciate this - after letting it sit the rest of the night, it appears the dripping has stopped and the wonky seam is starting to harden back up a bit. But my big fear now is trapped moisture, and I like the idea of creating some breather holes without cutting away the panel completely... I can patch and texture holes fairly easily if that would negate the need to cut away a panel of drywall on the ceiling. Appreciate your help!!
    – SunDodger
    Commented 2 days ago
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    There is no way you need to cut out any drywall. But it has to completely dry before you secure it or it might rip/tear.
    – DMoore
    Commented 2 days ago
  • Staining can depend on what materials the water has to pass through. Roofing materials, you're 100% going to get staining on your ceiling below the attic. In this case, from a bathroom, not so certain. Also, staining can take a while to appear as the area dries out.
    – Huesmann
    Commented yesterday
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Insulation or not, we know that there was plenty of water up there.

The ceiling finish is damaged and will require a certain amount of drywall repair, whether you open up a section or not.

Given those two things, it’s an absolutely obvious conclusion to me that you should cut at least a 2’x2’ square at the most affected part to let the area dry (thus reducing the probability of mold, which happens when drying is slow) and to get insight into what’s going on up there. When you cut, try to stay 2” off the corner for ease of repair. If you find that the drywall is squishy, you might have to remove it later.

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    Cutting a 2x2 hole will only provide air into an area between 2 floor joists . The rest of the ceiling would be sealed the same. So I see no advantage to cutting a single hole. If multiple holes are done, the OP may as well call Insurance and have all the ceiling taken down.
    – RMDman
    Commented 2 days ago
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    I disagree with this answer's final suggestion. I've seen many wet drywall situations in life and few actually called for large holes to be cut. Mold is almost inevitable, but that's still not a good reason to go so far at this point.
    – isherwood
    Commented 2 days ago
  • For what it's worth (and please laugh at me if this is a "no duh" comment), the soft spots along the seam where I drilled the small 1/16" holes appear to be over the joist... that is, the drill bit got through the soft stuff relatively easily, then I felt the joist/stud and stopped there. So obviously those holes aren't doing a heck of a lot and perhaps I need to punch holes on either side of the seam as others have suggested, or removal a square of drywall on either side of the seam if the joist acts as a dam between chambers where moisture could be lingering...
    – SunDodger
    Commented 2 days ago
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    If you have to "take a shot" , don't drill, just try to push an ice pick or very thin screwdriver through the drywall about a foot from where the seam is separating. If it goes in easy, it's soft and wet. If it is dry it will take a bit more force and you know the board is dry and the water was localized to along that seam. That would indicate to me that the best course of action is to help things dry out and asses the situation in a day or so.
    – RMDman
    Commented 2 days ago
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In such a situation, it's important to proceed carefully to avoid any long-term damage. Here are some steps you can follow:

  1. Ensure the affected area is completely dry: If the soap has been leaking for a while, the walls or ceilings may be damp. Use fans or dehumidifiers to speed up the drying process. Make sure everything is fully dry to prevent mold growth.

  2. Check for mold: Mold can start growing within 24-48 hours of moisture exposure. If the moisture has been present for a long time, it's best to call a professional to inspect for any signs of mold growth. Mold can cause health issues and lead to greater damage if not addressed.

  3. Check the structure: A ceiling leak can weaken the walls or ceiling. If you notice cracks or weakened areas, it might be a good idea to have a contractor assess the situation.

  4. Handle minor repairs: If the affected area is small and dealt with quickly, you might be able to fix the issue yourself, such as repainting the ceiling or filling small gaps.

  5. Continue monitoring: After you have completed repairs or drying, make sure to keep an eye on the area to ensure no further issues arise.

Overall, it seems like you've started some of the right steps, but if the damage is significant or there are signs of mold, it's recommended to call in a specialist for a thorough evaluation.

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    Simple question: is this gen ai?
    – Aloysius Defenestrate
    Commented yesterday
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    I'm not convinced that this is generated content (merely suspicious). It's written in a style I'd use myself. The responses remind me of when I was kicked off gaming servers 20 years ago for supposedly aimbotting. I was actually just good. How about asking rather than condemning?
    – isherwood
    Commented yesterday
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    This is probably a little too much of a rathole, but the reference to soap and ceilings (plural) made the answer sound suspicious. Plus, it didn’t actually add to the discourse. The fact that nobody came back in the comments and said, ‘yes, I’m a human; that’s just how I roll’ is also a strike.
    – Aloysius Defenestrate
    Commented 21 hours ago
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    @AloysiusDefenestrate The AIs aren't that bad though. What gives it away is its lack of confidence/hedging against liability in a DIY forum. Nobody else here has recommended calling in a specialist! ;-)
    – Peter - Reinstate Monica
    Commented 15 hours ago

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