How To Fix a Leaking Light Fixture

4/9/2022 (Permalink)

Learn More about How To Fix a Leaking Light Fixture by Following these Tips.

There are many ways a leak can start in your home. An overflowing toilet, damaged supply line or a malfunctioning appliance can all cause water to drain where you don't want it to go. A leak from an upper level of your home in North St. Paul, MN, not only causes water damage to the floor and walls in the room where it originates but also can leak into the walls, ceiling and light fixtures in the space below it.

If you see water in a light fixture, there are a few steps you need to take.

Practice Safety First

Electricity and water don't mix, so before you do anything else, you need to make sure that no water comes into contact with a live circuit. There are several immediate actions to take:

• Flip the circuit breaker that supplies power to the fixture off.
• Use a voltage tester on dry surfaces to confirm the electricity is off.
• Turn off the water main until you can find the source of the leak.
• Block off the area so that pets and children don't wander into it.

After you have these precautions in place, you can assess some of the water damage caused by the leak. This starts with finding the source.

Find the Cause of the Water Damage

The first place you should go, of course, is the room above the space with ceiling damage and a leaking light fixture. The reason the cause of the problem is important is that there are different cleanup methods used for different types of damage. For example, repairs prompted by an overflowing toilet must include thorough sanitation, and issues stemming from a pipe burst can turn out to be more widespread than you anticipate.

Contact Certified Technicians

The last step is to resolve the problem. Pinpointing where your leak came from not only informs which professionals you will need to call but also what they can expect when they arrive. You should never attempt to fix a leaking light fixture on your own. You need people who have the knowledge and the experience to complete the repairs correctly.

Contact certified professionals who can fix the leak and all the issues that it caused. If the source of the problem is a plumbing mishap, call a trusted plumber to repair the pipe, toilet or other feature before you turn the water back on.

To ensure that there is no residual electrical issue, hire an electrician to ensure that all the wiring to the light is intact and dry. Finally, you will need water damage repair specialists to tear out all the saturated materials, clean and dry the space, and rebuild the structure to ensure it is sound.

If you have moisture pooling in a light fixture in your home, you have a bigger problem than water damage to the structure to deal with. Take the appropriate safety precautions and call professionals who can assess and handle the situation quickly.

Your fast response may be the key factor in keeping an electrical or water problem from getting out of hand.