Quick answer
An expanding ceiling stain is an active leak — roof, geyser or an upstairs bathroom. A stain that is dry and static is old damage that has already stopped. Mark the edge in pencil and check it in twenty-four hours: if the mark has been passed, water is still coming in and the ceiling board is progressively losing strength. Active stains need attention the same week, not the same month.
Common causes
- Geyser drip tray overflowing into the ceiling
- Upstairs bathroom or shower waterproofing failure
- Roof flashing, ridge or gutter failure letting rain in
- Burst or weeping pipe running through the ceiling void
- Blocked gutter overflowing back under the roof sheet during storms
- Condensation in a poorly ventilated roof space, which stains without any leak at all
What you can do now
- 1Mark the stain edge in pencil with the date and re-check in twenty-four hours
- 2Note whether it grows after rain, after showers, or continuously — each points somewhere different
- 3Trace directly upward to the nearest fixture, geyser or roof penetration
- 4Move furniture and electronics out from underneath and stop using any fixture above it
- 5Do not paint over it; you will lose the only progress indicator you have
When to call a professional
Book the same week for any stain that is actively growing, and same day if the board is sagging or dripping — saturated ceiling board fails suddenly rather than gradually. A plumber will check the geyser, tray and any pipework in the void first, since those are both the most common and the most damaging sources, before the roof is considered.
Typical cost in Johannesburg
Detection R950–R1,800 · Repairs vary
Indicative ranges only. We provide written, itemised quotes before any work.
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