Something is happening to my ceiling and I don't know what is causing it...

[Vee711]

Hi

Sorry - this is my first post and I'm frantically asking around to see if anyone knows anything before I pay stupid $ for someone to tell me what's wrong and then more to fix. And my apologies if this is in the wrong section.

So I have noticed these 'creases' in the ceiling for some time (about a year ago) but didn't think much of it - just thought it was due to the house being old (about 15-20 years old - we are original owners). But recently, I noticed that there were more of it along other areas of the ceiling.

Now I'm starting to worry because I'm afraid that the ceiling might suddenly fall.

Does anyone know what it is and how it can be fixed? Is it a DIY job or should I get a professional?

A relative thinks it might be water damage, in which case I might have to call insurers (I'm hoping its not....)

[annajohnson]

I have similar lines in our ceiling, and it's because of sagging.
Sagging ceilings, sometimes known as ceilings with a "pillowing",. The longer a ceiling is left to sag, the higher the risk of someone being badly injured or killed due to ceiling collapse.

There are many reasons for sagging ceilings, including age, structural moment, water damage, and poor construction. Most of the time, sagging ceilings are simply a matter of finding the cause of the sag.
As you noticed, it is spreading, so I suggest hiring a professional and fixing it earlier.