WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT CEILINGS!

Unless you sleep on your back, most of us do not pay much attention to the wall that links the four walls. Like a fifth wheel, ceilings are the underappreciated fifth wall in a room.

Let’s take a look at a few things to know about ceilings!

They don’t get the attention like freshly painted walls or wallpaper.

They are often ignored unless they are sagging, leaking, or covered in a popcorn texture.

Just below the roof, drywall, usually painted flat white, carries the weight of the room. Eight-, nine-, or ten-foot rooms compete with paint colors, furnishings, fans,windows, and light fixtures.

TYPES

Several types of ceilings are used in residential and/or commercial spaces. I found this Better Homes & Garden article that explains the types.

And then we need to talk about the sordid details of popcorn- textured ceilings and water damage.

POPCORN CEILINGS, LEAKS & CRACKS, OH MY!

As a real estate agent Inotice the fifth wall in most showings. if it is covered in the popcorn texture a popular application decades ago.

Diane from In My Own Style walks you through the steps to test and how to test and safely remove a popcorn ceiling.

WATER DAMAGE &CRACKS

The other scenarios where I may look up as I enter a room is if there is evidence of a waterdamage or noticeable cracks along the ceiling.

CEILING FANS

If a ceiling fan looks like a ockey launcher or has oversized blades that could be used as canoe paddles it might be a good time to replace the ceiling fan.

CEILING MAINTENANCE TIPS

If your ceiling has dust bunnies hanging onto it like bats or is the color of the popular Tuscany-era paint colors of the early to mid-90s, here are a few suggestions for showing a little love to the fifth wall in the room.

START WITH A VISUAL INSPECTION

Take a look at your ceilings.

A visual inspection will point you in the right direction.

CLEAN THE CEILING AND FAN

Grab an old sheet or drop cloth to catch dust bunnies.
Use a clean broom and a ladder (with assistance) to sweep the cobwebs.
Is it time for a ew fan? Does it have a dated base or style? Do you live in Evergreen and the fan blades are out of scene from the series, Palm Royale.

If it is rattling it may need to be tightened. The good news is

Home Depot has a variety of ceiling fan options to update a space.

Sidenote: Lately, I notice sellers noting new ceiling fans” in their property disclosure, but focus on the “larger” attributes of the property. If the ceilings are freshly painted or repaired I would include that in a description.