I’m looking for some help with explaining a rather strange problem. I was recently elected to a post on the Board of Directors of our condo association. A lady has had a problem for some time that she has awaited resolution on, but has been constantly delayed. The problem involves stripes that have appeared on her ceiling, in more than one room, that are in correspondence to the joists in the ceiling. The stripes are not ulike the marks you see when you remove a picture from a wall that has not been painted in some time. In an effort to show the Board is on top of things I visited the apartment personally because I had heard that in the past there had been a moisture problem in the attic above her apartment (she is on the third floor of a three story unit) and this caused me considerable concern. We also sent in the roofing company that had addressed the issue several years ago. Apparently, the builder had installed insulation between the rafters of the roof (a construction no-no as far as I know) and the roofing company removed that insulation and layed it over and perpendicular to the insulation between the joists, thereby doubling the insulation. He also confirmed that he could find no evidence of moisture.
The stains started appearing in about February and basically spread throughout the apartment. I thought it is possible that these are the original stains that simply seeped through the paint and that maybe a new pain job with some sort of seal coat might do the trick, however, I wanted to be sure and any input would be appreciated.
Replies
Angelo, Colonel Whatshisname did it in the Library with the candlestick!
This has been discussed dozens of times over the years. The studs are generally a bit colder than the drywall and minute amounts of moisture condense there. The soot from candles is usually the culprit that leaves the visible stains. If no candles, soot from some other source.
Did she get a couple of big candles as Christmas gifts? Is this attic common to other units? Any stains in the others? Joe H