If you look up at your ceiling and notice a dark yellowish ring there, you’re likely wondering what it is, where it came from, and how to get rid of it. In most cases, when you spot a yellow ring on your ceiling you’re identifying water stains—which likely means there are ceiling leaks somewhere in your home plumbing system that is causing water damage to your ceiling. 

Water stains aren’t always completely yellow, and the rings they form aren’t always perfectly round and ring-shaped. However, most water stains show up on your ceiling as yellowish or yellow-brownish ring shapes—even if the ring shape appears somewhat deformed. 

A water stain on your ceiling is not something to take lightly. Once you notice a yellow ring on your ceiling, you should take steps toward fixing the problem right away. Ceiling leaks can cause water damage to occur gradually over time, and there might already be a significant amount of water damage in your ceiling even if you just now noticed the tell-tale yellow ring there.

What to do when you notice ceiling leaks

Ceiling leaks can cause severe water damage to your home and can even cause your ceiling to buckle and collapse once enough water damage occurs over time. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to identify and troubleshoot ceiling leaks in order to prevent them from causing further water damage to your home. Keep reading to learn what to do if you notice a yellow ring on your ceiling. 

Find the Source 

Water stains on your ceiling can come from a wide range of sources. If your roof is leaking, water from your roof can drip down to your ceiling and cause water damage there. A leaking or burst pipe that runs through or above the ceiling of your home can also cause ugly yellow water stains to appear on your ceiling. Even an air conditioning unit in your attic can malfunction and create condensation that leads to visible water damage on your ceiling. 

Leaking or burst pipes are the most common causes of visible yellow water damage on your ceiling. Over time, water from a leaking pipe can seep into the porous surface of your ceiling and cause significant water damage there. However, if you notice that yellow rings only appear on your ceiling right after it rains, the water damage might be a result of a leaking roof rather than a plumbing-related problem. 

Turn Off Your Water 

If the water stains on your ceiling are a result of a plumbing-related leak, one of the first steps you should take to prevent additional water damage is to turn off the main water line that leads to your home. 

First, find the main water shutoff valve for your home—which is most-likely located just outside your house or in a mechanical area of your home like in a basement or near your water heater. Turning off the main water line to your home is fortunately very easy. All you have to do is turn the shutoff valve clockwise to tighten it and prevent water from flowing through the pipes that run through your home plumbing system. 

Turning off the main water line to your home will prevent additional water damage to your ceiling, but it also prevents you from using any appliances in your home that require flowing water—including your dishwasher, washing machine, showers, faucets, etc.—which is important to remember. 

Trust a Professional 

Ceiling leaks can be tough to handle on your own. The last thing you want to do is fix the leak the wrong way and cause more gradual water damage to your home over time—or even accidentally make the problem worse. In many cases, it is best to turn the problem over to a professional who knows exactly what they’re doing when it comes to fixing ceiling leaks. 

Accurate Leak Locators and Plumbing is a family-owned, top-rated professional plumbing company that is based in Riverside County and offers a wide range of plumbing services—including service for ceiling leaks. 

Since ceiling leaks can cause significant water damage to your home if they are not resolved quickly, it is best to get these types of leaks fixed as quickly as possible. Fortunately, this professional plumbing company offers 24/7 emergency services for all types of leaks, including ceiling leaks. You can call Accurate Leak Locators and Plumbing at any time of day or night, no matter if it’s a weekend or a holiday or outside of normal business hours.

Call Accurate Leak Locators and Plumbing at any time to get your ceiling leak and any resulting water damage fixed the right way, right away.