Drywall – Bathroom flooded by condo upstairs. Can there be mold on the drywall between the floors

drywallleakmold

Upstairs condo neighbor had an ongoing leak for about two weeks in their bathroom. Not sure what was leaking, but they replaced toilet ring and shower faucets and since then the leak has stopped. This has caused the this damage to my ceiling:
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There are only spots visible on the ceiling, but no signs of mold. Can there be mold growing in the ceiling drywall between the floors? Is it a concern? Does the drywall need to be cut out or is it sufficient to remud damaged area, sand and paint?

Best Answer

If it was a toilet ring, you can be sure that it gradually started leaking longer than two weeks beforehand. It takes sometimes weeks before a slow leak accumulates enough water and softens the gypsum board enough to leak down to the ceiling below. There may very well be mould above in the ceiling space. This should be investigated asap and the appropriate authorities contacted (insurance company, condo committee, etc.) so that you are not ultimately left with the mitigation costs when it is clearly the neighbour's fault. Mould can be a health hazard. You want to be sure that there is none in the ceiling space. Good luck..