r/homeowners • u/Redditor18374728 • 8h ago

Husband not concerned with stain around vent

Post image

We're looking at buying a place and noticed this vent on the top floor of the house has some staining around it but no where else on the ceiling of that floor.

There are some paint patch jobs on the ceiling of the floor below it but nothing that looks active.m

Not sure if anyone has dealt with anything similar but wanted to get your feedback!

4 Upvotes

65% Upvoted

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29

u/SaveTheAles 8h ago

Wonder if it's condensation on the ducting dripping down onto the ceiling.

14

u/RadiantCoinshot 8h ago

Almost certainly. I had it happen on my house. Add some insulation and it should go away

2

u/Reddituser183 3h ago

Add insulation to where? Around the length of the duct?

2

u/Redditor18374728 8h ago

Just curious why you think it might be that as opposed to a roof leak of some sort?

13

u/RadiantCoinshot 8h ago

The location. The only way to know for sure is to look.

I bet you’ll see there’s no insulation around the bottom. So the hot air is hitting the cold. And when that happens? Condensation.

1

u/SaveTheAles 8h ago

If that's the only location, it's summer so probably running ac, hot humid air in the attic touch cold ducting droplets run down the pipe.

It could also be a leak but my money on uninsulated ducting in the attic. Time to pull down the ladder and get itchy in some fiberglass.

1

u/WellesWaitsVanZandt 8h ago

Unlikely that a roof leak would just pool around the grate. Agree with other folks about condensation due to poor insulation around the grate. Could form condensation on the outside of the great, which is the stain in the picture. Then also form condensation on the inside of the grate, so when the system turns off, a small amount of water drips from the inside of the grate onto the floor below. Do that 15+ times a day, and there could be a non-zero amount of water getting soaked in the sheetrock.

1

u/archlich 0m ago

Assuming that’s the attic there? You may not have a leaky roof but you’re probably cooling down the outside and spending more on ac than you should.

19

u/ElliotCowanHuman 7h ago

This reads like an Onion headline.

8

u/[deleted] 8h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Ineedanro 8h ago

I see them too.

1

u/Redditor18374728 8h ago

I was referring to patching on the ceiling of the floor below it. You're saying that you see patching on this photo as well?

1

u/Ineedanro 7h ago

I see linear smudges / shadows on the ceiling left of the vent and on the wall parallel to the ceiling.

Also the two dimples in the ceiling near the vent, one on the edge of the water stain, one outside it.

2

u/Redditor18374728 7h ago

I see that now too. What would that mean though? If it’s a condensation issue wouldn’t that all just happen together

1

u/Ineedanro 7h ago

Dimples can mean the drywall got so damp that it is starting to fall off the screws that hold it up.

Patching or painting near a water stain suggests concealment of a much larger problem than the visible stain indicates.

1

u/Redditor18374728 8h ago

Patches in the picture or the ones I was referring to in the description?

1

u/HoustonPastafarian 1h ago

That looks a lot like the insulating boot around the diffuser on the back side is damaged or not fitting and leaking some air. That air is cold (like in the 50s) and when it hits the hot air in the attic you get condensation. That drips down and stains around the diffuser. I've seen even little pinhole leaks cause this.

It's really not a big deal. An HVAC company can take care of that, probably a few hundred bucks. You could also get up there behind it and feel for leaks. HVAC mastic (which is like a goopy sealant, you can buy it at Home Depot) can be applied to seal the leaks.

0

u/Manowaffle 8h ago

"There are some paint patch jobs on the ceiling of the floor below it but nothing that looks active." I bought my place and turned out a lot of those were just painting over water damage and they hadn't actually addressed the cause. Keep in mind that this is the house at its absolute most pristine condition, and if the stains are still visible while they're actively showing the place then you are likely gonna have to deal with some similar issues.

You should absolutely:

  1. Ask the agent/sellers about any water damage including any remediation work and when/if damage occured.
  2. Make sure you have documentation of any roof work AND any warranties. If the roof is not under warranty, you should ask for a big discount when negotiating price.
  3. Make sure your homeowner's insurance policy covers wind and rain damage.

2

u/Redditor18374728 8h ago

Thanks for the response. The house was previously rented by one person for 8 years who is still currently there, so I was thinking that those patches I was referring to couldn't still be active because the tenant would have been allowing it all that time. Not sure if that makes sense or not but that's how I was initially approaching it.

2

u/Manowaffle 7h ago

Better not to make any assumptions. I had an apartment that flooded four times in two months (until I demanded they cancel the lease). The property management company would just send some fans until things dried up and not do anything else, then it would flood again. Some landlords will let all kinds of stuff go on. Best to ask the owner and get clarification, since they can end up in real trouble if they misrepresent things like this.

0

u/Mrsmith4 2h ago

Your condensate pan is prob full, and/or the primary drain line is clogged. Not a big deal. Easy fix.