Water coming through one of your ceilings can be caused by several things that have nothing to do with your plumbing system. If it happens during a heavy rainstorm, it could be due to a defect in your roof or clogged gutters that are backing up. Or very strong winds that are driving rain in through cracks or vents.

In the winter, water could be coming through a ceiling from ice dams melting that formed under your roof or, again, may be blocking your gutters. And snow, too, can blow in through vents and cracks.

Or, indeed, unwelcome water may be coming from leaks around a plumbing fixture. For example, the caulking around showers, tubs and sinks where they meet walls and floors can crack. So check around for openings that could let water go

where you don’t want it to go. If a wall can’t be repaired and re-caulked, you may want to replace it, which can give you the opportunity to install new pressure-balanced faucets for additional safety.

More rarely but still a possibility, a pipe or an appliance could begin to leak. In any case of leaks where your plumbing system may be involved, call your local professional plumbing contractor promptly; a temporary remedy is just that – temporary. Leaks do not heal themselves; they get worse and cause increasing damage over time. Any time you have water coming through a ceiling or wherever else you don’t want it, call your local professional plumbing contractor.