We had an air conditioner leak that damaged our ceiling drywall. The leak has since been repaired, the drywall and insulation removed, and appropriate moisture mitigation completed by a restoration company.
It doesn’t look like the reconstruction contractors will be able to drywall it within the next month. Is there any danger in taping/stapling some plastic sheeting over the ceiling opening?
I’d feel better about (a) tiny bugs that come in through our soffit vents no longer finding their way down into the living space and (b) having a modicum of air sealing as we are now entering the chilly season and there’s currently a huge gap in our insulation envelope.
EDITED TO ADD: Risks I can think of that might be some concern: Airborne moisture being improperly trapped somehow by the plastic? Fire safety?
Because of the amount of time before you get the whole thing repaired correctly, I would go beyond just stapling some plastic sheeting over this hole. Depends upon your, or your friend’s, skills.
I would put up some cheap 1/4 inch plywood. Screw it up with short deck screws so it can be easily taken back down. It will be more secure from bugs and bats and probaly just as easy to put up and remove.
Temporary fixes can be up a lot longer than you think.
Since the moisture has been mitigated. And since it opens to the attic if there is any moisture left. I don’t see a problem.
I just had a shower drain fall off this summer. On the second floor. Destroyed a bunch of drywall and the composite ‘wood’ floor on the main level. One showers worth of water went into the main floor ceiling. I was up in my office. My wife came to me and said -
Wife “We have a leak downstairs”
Me “Can it wait a bit?”
Wife “No, no it can’t”
Understatement of the year.
Went downstairs to see drywall laying on the floor, the entryway, dining room and kitchen flooded.
We are still trying to get it all sorted out. The drywall is up at least.
A brewery we go to had the front of their building damaged when a truck going by caught on fire/exploded. Their front windows/doors were destroyed.
I was surprised to see how long it took for definitive repairs. Plywood went up right away, and the business reopened a day later using the side entrance. But it was a solid two months before the front doors reopened.
Maybe screw some foam board insulation on the ceiling. It’s 4x8 sheets of closed cell foam board. It is relatively lightweight so it’s easy to work with, not too expensive, and will provide some insulation. You can easily cut it with a razor blade.
I’d also consider taping the seams with something like duct tape just to make sure that bugs and what-not aren’t coming in between the old drywall and the new plywood.
Right now, contractors and construction companies are slammed. Lots of folks spent their lockdowns looking around their houses thinking, “I really should replace these windows/front door/flooring/whatever”. If you’re a contractor, you’re probably booked for the next two months.
Real wall/ceiling finish to the outside (or attic) involves a layer of plastic moisture barrier behind the drywall. Do you not have this? It prevents condensation from moist warm air leaking into the colder insulation in the winter, or moist summer air condensing when it hits the air-conditioned drywall.
So the quick, simple and accurate fix is to tape any new plastic over the hole to the existing plastic moisture barrier, which is what the repair guys will do eventually anyway. Leave no air gaps in the taping. There is a special tape (here, it’s red, about two inches wide) to tape the plastic together to eliminate air holes. The plastic is stapled to the studs or rafters. usually acoustic sealant (a black caulking that dries very slowly) glues the plastic to the wood. Staple through this goop to ensure that the staples don’t create air leaks. But for a temporaty fix that’s going to be take off, sealant probably is not necessary.
If necessary, cut back the drywall to find the existing plastic, but don’t cut the plastic - the mitigation people should have done this when removing damaged drywall… If you do cut, ensure the plastic is intact beyond that. I presume the repair folks will do this anyway, since they have to cut back to where there is a wood rafter to attach the drywall edges. Be sure to take pictures before you do any repairs yourself, in case insurance tries to claim “this isn’t water damage”. (Be sure you are entitled to do any cutting of the drywall.)
If you live in a cold climate, throw a few batts of insulation over top of the plastic for a modicum of heat retention. As others point out, screwing plywood to ensure the plastic does not sag and tear etc. is a good idea.