Useful recommendations on how to remove water from a suspended ceiling yourself if your neighbors are flooded
Glossy and matte, white and multi-colored, perfectly smooth stretch ceilings have become a fixture in modern interiors. A variety of ceiling designs perfectly highlight the style and character of the home.
In addition to numerous positive characteristics (ease of installation, long service life), stretch ceilings have another amazing property - they hold back water pouring from neighbors above.
The liquid accumulated on the stretch ceiling collects in a bubble, which can only be gotten rid of through competent, consistent actions.
We'll tell you in this article how to remove water from a stretch ceiling yourself if your neighbors flooded you.
Content
What to do first?
The first thing you need to do when you find a bubble of water on the ceiling is to calm down. Excitement and haste are not the best helpers in the process of eliminating traces of flooding.
So, in order to quickly drain the water without damaging the appearance of the entire tension structure, You should adhere to a certain algorithm of initial actions:
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Stop the power supply to the house (turn off the circuit breakers). It is strictly forbidden to drain water or even touch a wet ceiling if there is electricity supply to the house.Ignoring this rule is fraught with short circuits, herbs and shock from electric shock.
- Find out the cause of the flood.Perhaps the neighbors above forgot to turn off the tap, or the culprit of the flood was a leak in the batteries or sewer pipe.
It is important to identify the source of the leak and fix it as soon as possible. If the upstairs neighbors are not at home, there is no way to go down to the basement and turn off the water supply through the riser; there is only one way out - call the emergency service.
- Prepare the necessary equipment. Work on draining water from a suspended ceiling cannot be carried out without a stepladder. It is also necessary to take care of a sufficient number of basins, bowls, large buckets, a rubber hose (at least two meters long), and rags.
- Remove all small items from the room and cover large ones with plastic. It is impossible to predict how the work on draining the suspended ceiling will go, so it is better to take care in advance of the safety of interior items that have not yet been flooded with water.
How to drain the liquid yourself?
There are several ways to remove accumulated liquid on the tension fabric. The choice of method is determined by several factors: the location of the water bubble and the presence of lamps on the suspended ceiling.
Through the hole of the built-in lighting fixtures
If a water bubble has formed near chiseled lamps or chandeliers, The easiest way to eliminate water accumulation is as follows:
- After making sure that all automatic devices in the meter are turned off, the lamp or chandelier is removed from the mounting ring. To prevent water from pouring out when dismantling the lamp onto your head, it is better to choose a ring located a little further than the bubble with accumulated liquid.
- A hose is inserted into the installation ring, the end of which is lowered into a container to collect water. In order for the liquid to begin to flow through the hose into the substituted basin, the end of the rubber tube must be leaned against the mouth and several strong breaths must be taken. In the process of eliminating a flood, one person carefully lifts the tension fabric in the place where water accumulates, and the second directs the hose into a bucket, changing the container if necessary.
If a little water has accumulated, you can drain it by carefully lifting the canvas and directing the flow through the installation ring into the prepared container.
The video will show you how to drain water from a suspended ceiling:
Remove through the edge of the tension fabric
If the ceiling is not equipped with lamps, You can remove a water bubble in the following way:
- determine the angle to which the accumulation of water is located as close as possible;
- carefully dismantle the finishing panel;
- in the place where the tension fabric is fixed with a harpoon, screw in a long self-tapping screw;
- Carefully grab the screw that is screwed in with pliers and pull it towards you;
- simultaneously with the fasteners, the canvas will stretch (it must be pulled out of the baguette by about 50 cm);
- Through the hole formed, the water is poured into the prepared container.
After the measures have been taken, the stretch fabric is thoroughly dried and mounted in its original place (tucked into the baguette with a spatula).
How to remove water from a suspended ceiling, video instructions:
Drying and elimination of consequences
After the effects of the flood have been removed, it is very important to dry the ceiling. Ignoring this rule will lead to the addition of troubles in the form of the smell of mold and mildew to the problem of wrinkled stretch fabric.
A stream of hot air is directed onto the wet spot (it is important not to touch the surface with the device, but keep it at a distance of 30-40 cm).
Unfortunately, prolonged contact with water does not leave its mark. Yellow stains remain on the tension fabric, which can be removed by the following means:
Ammonia. A few drops of ammonia are dissolved in a glass of water. The resulting composition is used to treat the problem area.- Liquid dishwashing detergent. Dissolve 0.5 tsp in 250 ml of warm water. liquid detergent. Use a soft sponge soaked in soapy water to gently wipe the stain on the stretch ceiling.
- Hydrogen peroxide (9%). Treating the stain with a cotton pad soaked in hydrogen peroxide will help quickly get rid of small yellow stains.
Using a washing vacuum cleaner will help not only speed up the process of removing local contaminants, but also, in general, clean the surface of the stretch ceiling.
Calling a specialist and price of work
When there is no time and confidence that you will be able to drain the water accumulated on the tension fabric on your own, Service center specialists will help solve the problem (addresses and telephone numbers are not difficult to find through Internet search resources).
The cost of such services varies from 3,000 to 8,000 rubles. The amount of payment depends on several factors:
- area and complexity of flooding;
- list of work performed;
- volume of accumulated liquid;
- type of tension fabric and method of attaching it to the wall (multi-level structures are more expensive);
- the complexity of the lighting system (for example, a “starry sky” can increase the cost of work by 50%);
- pricing policy for similar services in the region.
The final check amount will be announced only after a thorough inspection and assessment of the problem area. It is better if the solution to the problem of flooding of a suspended ceiling is dealt with by a company that previously provided services for installing a suspended structure. This will speed up the process of restoring the deformed surface.
What not to do and why?
In order not to completely ruin the suspended ceiling in the process of eliminating the consequences of the flood, it is important to remember a few “don’ts”.
Under no circumstances should you puncture the bladder.. Water under pressure will simply break through the suspended ceiling and all that remains is to dismantle the torn sheet and re-install the ceiling structure.
Do not smooth water bubbles over the entire surface of the ceiling. Such actions lead to the fact that the liquid, penetrating through the fastenings of the canvas, deforms the decorative finishing of the walls.
Do not treat traces of leaks with acetone, solvents, or abrasive dry powders. Not only are these products ineffective in the fight against yellow stains, their use can completely ruin the appearance of the stretch ceiling.
Adviсe
When preparing the equipment necessary to remove water from a tension stream, it would be a good idea to acquire plugs for the hose.It is very inconvenient to squeeze the edge of the drain tube with your hands, and besides, you don’t always have the strength to clamp the hose so that water does not leak. The plug will make this process easier.
The more containers for liquid are prepared, the better.. Visually it is very difficult to assess the volume of water accumulated on the tension fabric. To avoid a situation of a shortage of basins and bowls for collecting drain water, you should take care of the necessary containers in advance.
The thing is that the accumulated liquid stretches the tension fabric, and the longer this process continues, the more the glossy surface is deformed.
It is convenient to use a medical bulb to pump liquid out of a hose.. By sucking water into the hose with your mouth, you can swallow dirt, which can lead to health problems.
To prevent the wallpaper on the walls from being damaged when removing water from the stretch ceiling, the gaps between the profile and the wall must be carefully coated with a thin layer of sealant.
A flooded ceiling structure is not always subject to restoration. In the event of a breakthrough in the sewer system or heating system pipes, the tension fabric is completely deformed and cannot be restored.
Conclusion
Anyone can eliminate traces of a flood on a suspended ceiling.. Subject to calm, well-thought-out actions, the glossy surface will very quickly restore its original appearance.
