Ceiling and wall stains

Originally Posted By: randerson1
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Here is a question not from an inspection but a condition in my brothers house. Here is what the problem is. On the ceilings and the walls throughout the house you can see dark lines about 2" wide where I assume the sheetrock joints are. We have tried to paint them many times but they always come back. We have also used many products such as Kilz first before repainting but these lines still show up. Wish I had a picture to show you how bad they really look. What do you think the cause could be. I crawled up in his attic thinking that maybe there wasn’t a moisture barrier between the sheetrock and the insulation thinking that it may be a moisture problem, but there is. So what do you think it is? I have done a lot of asking around to contractors and such but no one seems to have an answer icon_question.gif



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Originally Posted By: cbuell
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what year is the Home? How much insulation in side walls? in Attic? Sounds like thermal bridging to me. Most likely due to high humidity in the home. Wood smoke, furnace combustion issues, and smoking can all add to the accumulation of soot on cooler surfaces. Especially in MN.


Originally Posted By: randerson1
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The house was built in 1992 and has six inch walls. There is 14+" blown insulation in the ceiling. That is what I originally was thinking but this also is on the basement ceiling,



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Originally Posted By: rcooke
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randerson1 wrote:
The house was built in 1992 and has six inch walls. There is 14+" blown insulation in the ceiling. That is what I originally was thinking but this also is on the basement ceiling,

Try this it might give you the answer you need .
download the free PDF file


https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/b2c/b2c/init.do?language=en&shop=Z01EN&areaID=0000000040&productID=00000000400000000013b


--
Roy Cooke Sr.

http://Royshomeinspection.com

Originally Posted By: lleesch
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The problem is most likely “ghosting”. It is a common problem in the states. Here is a link to Ball University on it:


http://www.bsu.edu/web/IEN/archives/2002/110702.htm


I have also seen "ghosting" caused from a bad float job. Candles, fireplaces, high humidity can be factors and finding the exact cause can be a test of patience. Best of luck.


Originally Posted By: randerson1
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Thanks guys. This is all great information and may also come in handy on some inspection down the road.



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Work hard, play hard. and live long.

Originally Posted By: mcyr
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icon_smile.gif icon_smile.gif


Bob, I like Larry’s conclusion to your problem, when I read the posts, being french, the right descriptive words were not around. I believe in what he said. Contributing to the candles, could be dirty heat ducts, fireplace soot as Larry mentioned, dirty filters on air to air systems and etc…


Let us know if you found a solution to cleaning and exact cause if you find out.

Marcel


Originally Posted By: randerson1
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Might be candles but not likely because they don’t burn many. No smokers in the house. No fireplace. Furnace has been checked for problems with heat exchanger, good ventilation in the attic space but that wouldn’t explain the basement ceiling. These were all things I had thought of in the past but eliminated most of them. Next I guess we will check the duck work and humidity level in the house, although they run a dehumidifier in the basement in the summer. From the beginning I have always thought it may have something to do with the type of mud used on the seams but that was just a hunch. Just to give a bit of insight on this problem. After all the cleaning and painting (4 times in 6 years) the problem comes back within 6 months. Glad I don’t have this problem (hate painting ceilings). Also this problem has come back during the winter months when the furnace is running and the humidity levels are at their lowest.



http://www.inspectatoz.com


Work hard, play hard. and live long.

Originally Posted By: rcooke
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randerson1 wrote:
Might be candles but not likely because they don't burn many. No smokers in the house. No fireplace. Furnace has been checked for problems with heat exchanger, good ventilation in the attic space but that wouldn't explain the basement ceiling. These were all things I had thought of in the past but eliminated most of them. Next I guess we will check the duck work and humidity level in the house, although they run a dehumidifier in the basement in the summer. From the beginning I have always thought it may have something to do with the type of mud used on the seams but that was just a hunch. Just to give a bit of insight on this problem. After all the cleaning and painting (4 times in 6 years) the problem comes back within 6 months. Glad I don't have this problem (hate painting ceilings). Also this problem has come back during the winter months when the furnace is running and the humidity levels are at their lowest.

I do not think it is coming through the paint.
I like others feel it is coming out of the air to the cooler spots in the wall.
Look for a furnace leak, cooking fumes do they cook with gas,
does the dryer vent to the outside do they have Bath room vents.
Look to the interior my opinion .


--
Roy Cooke Sr.

http://Royshomeinspection.com

Originally Posted By: randerson1
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They don’t cook with gas. The furnace has been checked and rechecked, all bathroom vents and dryer vent outside. everything everybody has thought may be the cause has been checked before but still no clue as to what may be causing their problem. I am going to suggest the install a different filter system for their furnace to see if that helps, but for now it is still a puzzle.



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Work hard, play hard. and live long.

Originally Posted By: lleesch
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Robert, here is a dandy test for you to try to narrow the problem down a bit, apply a bleach to the stain. If it turns brown, it is organic in nature. Moisture is the likely culprit if it turns brown.