Rain leak stain can be found anywhere on your ceiling: near an exterior wall, surrounding a ceiling fixture, around a ventilation pipe or even in the centre of the ceiling. This stain tends to be concentric rings that get progressively lighter as they move outward. The centre stain is dark, because it is the oldest stain. Each "ring" by the way, is a separate occurrence. If you see lots of rings surrounding the dark stain in the middle, you know the leak has been around for quite some time.

Condensation means you have too much moisture building up in your home. Because the stains are on the ceiling panel, the first place you should check is the area above the ceiling panel. Ways to reduce condensation build-up:

• Keep inside air circulating with fans.

• Reduce moisture build-up in the kitchen and bath by using exhaust fans.

• It’s a good idea to install an exhaust in your laundry. Make sure your dryer is vented ion the outside.

• Fix leaky faucets and dripping toilets.

Inspect outside walls, doors and windows at the beginning of each monsoon season for unusual wear or tear. Water and moisture can penetrate these common areas if they're not maintained regularly. Repair or replace caulk, weather stripping, glazing, window seals, door seals or any other exterior area damaged by use, abuse or normal weathering.

Houses can trap excess moisture and condensation inside, especially if you have inadequate ventilation. This unwanted moisture shows up as: musty odours, rusty stains around light fixtures, damp, sticky floors, mildew along the ceiling and walls, dripping pipes, condensation on windows and cold surfaces, and mould and mildew growth.

If you discover a build-up of water on the floor, find standing water in your home or experience severe, sudden and accidental water damage, take steps to begin ventilating and drying out your home immediately:

• Shut off the water source, if possible.

• Protect your property from further damage with temporary, stop-gap repairs, like plastic covers over the roof or wall openings.

• Move household items to an undamaged area of your home or cover them with plastic. Mop, blot up or drain away as much water as possible.

• Don't leave books, magazines or other colored items on wet carpeting. * Remove oriental or other coloured throw rugs from wet wall-to-wall carpeting. Remove the pad from under saturated carpets Place wood blocks or aluminum foil between furniture legs and wet carpeting.

• Wipe excess water from wood furniture. Open drawers and cabinets to aid in faster drying. Open windows to speed up drying.

• Turn on the air conditioner or fans for maximum drying .

• Make small holes in sagging ceilings to get rid of trapped water. Be sure to put a pan or bucket below to catch the water before you make a hole. And don't turn on a ceiling fixture if the ceiling is wet—don't mix water and electricity!

• Remove any insulation that is wet and have it replaced with new, dry insulation.

• Make sure that flooring and carpets are dry before starting any repairs or making replacements.

• Don't use appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors. Don't leave wet fabrics in place. Dry them quickly. Prop up wet upholstered cushions for even drying.

— Compiled by Chetna Banerjee