I'm trying to decide how to repair a 10'X12" bedroom ceiling sheet rock where by the center light fixture has dropped down about 2" to 3" due to a previous slow water drip (since repaired). I have removed some of the loose sheet rock by hand but there is approx 8" loose cellulose insulation above the whole ceiling between rafters which creates a mess as I remove the damaged portion. I do not see or smell mold or mildew on the sheet rock or the loose insulation. I'm wondering if I should I R/R the whole ceiling and insulation or just patch the center section 6'x6' & replace the insulation? Any suggestions/tips would be greatly appreciated!

Mold is something I would mess around with.if there is any chance that mold could still be in the ceiling I would definitely replace it.once you replace the whole ceiling I think you would be glad you did anyway,just because it would look better.these are just my opinions,but I hope they help

I'm trying to decide how to repair a 10'X12" bedroom ceiling sheet rock where by the center light fixture has dropped down about 2" to 3" due to a previous slow water drip (since repaired). I have removed some of the loose sheet rock by hand but there is approx 8" loose cellulose insulation above the whole ceiling between rafters which creates a mess as I remove the damaged portion. I do not see or smell mold or mildew on the sheet rock or the loose insulation. I'm wondering if I should I R/R the whole ceiling and insulation or just patch the center section 6'x6' & replace the insulation? Any suggestions/tips would be greatly appreciated!
If it were me... and there wasn't any evidence of mold growing in that space (you can usually tell by the color of the insulation and sheet rock), I would just replace an area a little larger than the damaged area. If you have to match a texture on the existing ceiling and you think that it might be a problem to "feather" the new texture into the old, without it showing, it would probably be better to do the whole ceiling.

Better to do it right than "patch". Take out as much as it takes, mess and all, to get to SOLID attachment to the rafters/joists. Then, replace insulation and sheetrock.