Bath overflowed & dripping through ceiling

[legoqueen]

The bath has completed overflowed - human error although overflow may be blocked? - and although it has been turned off & mopped up there is water dripping through the ceiling in the room below. Any tips please for minimising damage & ensuring safely?

We've been flooded a few times by an upstairs neighbour. Once the tap has been turned off there is not much you can do except wait it out with buckets under the dripping water. I was told that if the ceiling started to bulge I should make a small hole in it to let the water out to stop it bringing down the ceiling but fortunately we didn't have to.

After that it's a case of waiting to let it dry, we had to replace some light fittings as water had got in them and have the electrics checked as an emergency. The water will stain as well so you will likely need to redecorate.

overflow pipe could be disconnected,
wait it out.

Poke a hole or holes in the ceiling with a large screwdriver to let the water out. You can put buckets under the holes.

Small holes are quite easy to fill and redecorate once dry.

Take out the bath panel to aid drying

Take up any wet carpet

If you can, lift floorboards to help the void dry out.

Watch electrical items, especially the ceiling lamp and any lightswiches in the room below, and turn off that circuit if wet.

Thanks all - the dripping has stopped this morning - do you still recommend making the hole?

Had this exact problem when my son flooded my bath with loo roll. If you can, try and get a dehumidifier. We had it on for 2 days but it dried the ceiling completely

We've done this, it turned out fine so don't panic! Put the heating on and see if you can get a dehumidifier too. I wouldn't make a hole now.

Wouldn't bother with dehumidifier- not on it's own anyway.

Good advice from posts above; put the heating on high, remove as much floor coverings as possible (air affected rooms every couple of hours- getting moisture out from the fabric of the building is one thing, don't let it stay inside).

If you happen to have any fans handy, point them towards affected areas. Keep an eye on your electrics- if fuses begin to pop (lights flickering or anything else that isn't usual) turn power off and get someone competent to inspect the installation.

Concrete, lath and plaster, bricks and blocks will dry out just fine. Mineral wool insulation if accessible is easier to replace than to dry. Plasterboard isn't easy to dry- depending on how much exposure it has had, sometimes it is just more cost efficient to cut out and patch up once everything is dry (make sure everything dried out completely otherwise you might get mold) - you will be redecorating once all is dry anyway...

Good Luck.

Thanks, all helpful.