He knew he couldn't just paint over it—that was like putting a band-aid on a broken leg. He grabbed his toolbox and got to work, following the steps he’d once seen his father take. Phase 1: Stopping the Bleed
Once the area was dry a day later, Elias set up a ladder. He used a utility knife to cut out the soft, crumbly sections of drywall, creating a clean, rectangular hole. He checked the wooden joists inside; luckily, they weren't rotting. He set up a fan and let the "innards" of the ceiling dry out for 24 hours. Dampness is a playground for mold, and Elias wasn't inviting that guest over. Phase 3: The Patch how to fix water damaged ceiling
"Sand, mud, repeat," he whispered. It took three thin coats and some dusty sanding to make the patch disappear into the rest of the ceiling. Phase 4: The Finishing Touch He knew he couldn't just paint over it—that
The steady drip... drip... drip was the only sound in the hallway, a rhythm that made Elias’s heart sink faster than the water pooling on his hardwood floor. He looked up to see a yellowish, sagging blister right in the middle of the hallway ceiling. "Great," he muttered. "The upstairs bathroom." He used a utility knife to cut out
He measured a fresh piece of drywall, cut it to fit the hole like a puzzle piece, and screwed it into the joists. Then came the "mudding"—applying joint compound over the seams and smoothing it out with a wide putty knife.