Water Leak - drying joists

mattibbotson

Hi all

After some advice please after a pretty stressful weekend

I removed a radiator in my sons bedroom on Saturday, closed the valves and everything seemed fine when I went to bed. Woke at about 6:30 on Sunday and one of the valves had failed, carpet was soaked through and water was running into the playroom below. There were a number of big puddles where the water had run through the ceiling. Took up the carpet and the chipboard flooring has dried out (it looks like it’s semi waterproof). Ceiling in the playroom has some water marks. 

My question is how do I make sure the joists in the floor space are dry and don’t rot/go mouldy as it’s in effect a closed space?  Weather is on our side, but there is little in the way of ventilation in the floor space. Do I need to pull the playroom ceiling down?

Any advice would be gratefully received

Thanks

Matt

knightstyle

Time and free flow of air will dry them. Chipboard usually stops too much water getting to joists,  A dehumidifier will speed up the drying, you can hire one or look for a secondhand one locally.

Gavin83

Was it a TRV valve that leaked by any chance? You should always cap that side of the pipe off if removing the radiator. The other side that you close with a set of grips shouldn’t leak. You can get the capping nuts for a pound or so from Screwfix.

Is the ceiling OK? Plasterboard doesn’t mix well with water and if the flood was significant you may well find that needs replacing anyway. Personally I’d take the affected bit of ceiling down, leave it a few weeks to properly dry out and then patch it up. It’s a messy job though so make sure the room is empty or at the very least cover everything up.

Bendy_House

Hi Matt.

Was it a sealed CH system (does your boiler have a pressure gauge), or do you have a wee F&E tank in the loft? If the former, then I wouldn't worry at all as the quantity released would have been limited, and almost certainly it'll all dry out over the next two or three weeks (especially in this weather...) leaving no issues behind other than a bit of painting being required.

If the latter, then the amount of water will almost certainly be more significant, but - again - in most cases - the vast majority - you have absolutely nothing to worry about in terms of rot or structural damage. (Rot is caused by prolonged or repeated damp, not a one-of.)

The void between an upstairs floor and the ceiling below is ventilated, perhaps not as much as, say, under the ground floor or in the loft, but nonetheless it is not 'sealed', and any water in there will absolutely dry out by itself.

The playroom ceiling - what does it look like? Is it still completely flat? Or does it have sags? Paint flaking off (quite common)? Dirty water stains along the plasterboard joints (again normal)?

If the ceiling is still flat, then leave it. As much as you can, have the playroom (and the upstairs room - leave the carpet pulled away) ventilated - doors and windows open - but other than that, do not worry You would have to be very unfortunate indeed for this to cause any long term issues.

(Sis left her young son in the upstairs shower, and he happily showered away - with the door open. Water was streaming down through numerous cracks in the downstairs ceiling, and through the light fitting - tripping the RCD. She just ventilated the room, and it all dried away in a couple of weeks. Yes, the ceiling has lots of dark stains on it, and it'll need a sealer and repainting, but it is completely flat and solid.)

Eldi_Dos

If you have a fan leave it running in the room this will assist airflow and drying out. Some absorbent pets bedding scattered between the joists will help pull any moisture out, leave for a couple of days then remove.

Bendy_House

(If you lost a lot of water from your CH system, then it may need an inhibitor top-up when you've finished.)