Please advise... I have a leak

littlemissfavored

I live in a first floor flat, I have a leak coming through the ceiling just above a window but its beginning to spread through the wall and giving me concern.
I have checked the flat above-its not from them.
I intend to get a plumber in but not sure what to do.

The leak is far away from plumbing, sink etc. so I think the investigation to find leak will be a bit intrusive.

I have Home insurance with Sheila Wheels which includes emergency home Cover.

Should I get a plumber first and get a quote? or contact my insurance first?
or get the plumber and claim from insurance (I am careful not to drive up my premium)?
or get the plumber and just pay for it without claiming?


I look forward to alll your friendly advice, I am a relatively new homeowner. Thanks.

fto

If i t was me , I would contact the insurance company & ask them the procedure.
Leaks are often from overflows from toilets cisterns or tanks above.Would it be possible to take a floorboard up, in the flat above, to investigate futher.

keystone

littlemissfavored wrote: »

I live in a first floor flat, I have a leak coming through the ceiling just above a window but its beginning to spread through the wall and giving me concern.
I have checked the flat above-its not from them.
I intend to get a plumber in but not sure what to do.

The leak is far away from plumbing, sink etc. so I think the investigation to find leak will be a bit intrusive.

I have Home insurance with Sheila Wheels which includes emergency home Cover.

Should I get a plumber first and get a quote? or contact my insurance first?
or get the plumber and claim from insurance (I am careful not to drive up my premium)?
or get the plumber and just pay for it without claiming?


I look forward to alll your friendly advice, I am a relatively new homeowner. Thanks.

Just becase its wet it doesn't mean that its a plumbing problem. "Just above a window" says water ingress after its been raining as equally possible.

Do your flats have a managing agent on behalf of the freeholder? I'd be tempted to give them the problem.

Cheers

Wookey

If the flat above has no plumbing pipes nearhand the damp area and you don't have a false ceiling with pipework running thru it in that area either then chances are its damp/rain coming thru the walls from outside.

The_Pedant

Is there any plumbing on the opposing wall in the flat above?

We had a case once with water running down the centre internal wall in a house. Took the floorboards up, but only saw water. Turns out a radiator had leaked on the opposite wall under a window and then run across the ceiling, following the joist until it hit the centre wall.

Checking the mortar around windows, lintels & flashing can also be worthwhile, all could be route for water to find it's way in from outside.

ormus

water has a way of its own. often a hidden leak is nowhere near the point of exit.

27col

Water leaks in a ceiling, for whatever reason, can manifest themselves many feet away from the source of the leak. As I know from personal experience. Unfortunately there is no easy solution to the problem of finding the source.