Plaster and lath absorb far more than drywall and release it slowly. A ceiling that looks dry can still be wet inside.

This is most common in homes built before about 1940. Pre-war construction — galvanized supply, cast iron drains, cloth-wrapped wiring, ungrounded circuits.

You can handle this one yourself. No call needed.

Related

• Water under an old house after heavy rain
• Cast iron drain leaking below the floor
• Original galvanised supply burst
• Damage from a burst pipe in a freeze
• Wet insulation under the floor
• Historic staining nobody has explained
• No shutoff valves at individual fixtures
• Sewer backing up into the lowest fixture

Back to Water Damage.

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Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Fix earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.