A: The dark areas are often called ghost stripes and they are not unusual. The basic cause is moisture that collects along the underside of ceiling joists or trusses, and sometimes along wall studs. When soot and dirt land on the moisture, it sticks there and creates the stripes.
What caused dark stain lines on walls or ceilings?
What caused dark stain lines on walls or ceilings usually spaced at regular intervals, or dark rectangular stains on walls or ceilings? A combination of thermal tracking or ghosting and insulation voids may explain these indoor stains.
What does it mean when the ceiling is black inside?
The narrow dark stains on the ceiling show the location of ceiling joists, and the wide black sooty stain in the upper left of the photo shows where ceiling insulation is less or has been omitted entirely. Long, narrow, parallel black or gray ceiling stains in buildings may be due to thermal tracking as we explain here.
What causes black soot on walls and ceilings?
Ghosting happens when mildly damp, warm, and possibly sooty interior air condenses on the sections of walls and ceiling that are colder because part of the wood frame is uninsulated. This results in black sooty stains on your walls and ceilings that follow the patterns of your home’s framing.
What causes stripes on the ceiling?
The basic cause is moisture that collects along the underside of ceiling joists or trusses, and sometimes along wall studs. The moisture is condensation that collects, usually in winter, because the joist areas have less insulation than the cavities surrounding them. When soot and dirt land on the moisture, it sticks there and creates the stripes.
How do I get rid of ghost stripes on my ceiling?
Here are a few tips on how to remedy unsightly drywall ghosting:Be sure gas or wood stoves are properly adjusted and vented.Keep the indoor relative humidity below 55% in the winter. ... Replace furnace filters often.Seal around doors and windows to eliminate cold air drafts.More items...•
How do I get rid of black marks on my ceiling?
Clean scuff marks with one-half cup vinegar and one-quart water. Wear rubber gloves and squeeze out as much liquid from your sponge as possible before gently scrubbing the scuff marks away. Clean grease stains with a water and cornstarch paste.
Why do I have black lines on my walls?
As air moves around the house, it is sometimes forced under or through hollow parts of walls, trying to get to those low pressure zones. The dust and oils in the airs are filtered by the carpet as air tries to move, creating black lines along the walls.
What do lines in the ceiling mean?
It occurs when soot and dust particles stick to the ceiling. Over time, these particles cause a permanent stain. The clue is in the pattern – ghosting often appears in perfectly straight lines. Why? The lines correspond to the framing in the attic above.
What is ghosting on a ceiling?
“Ghosting,” to a builder or painter, refers to apparently unexplainable dark streaks or patches on walls, ceilings, and carpets. A séance won't help you deal with these ghosts. They are actually caused by the slow buildup of dust, soot, and sometimes mold, and there are several root causes behind the buildup.
Can see seams in ceiling?
The most likely culprit is the manner in which your drywall was installed. For the seam between drywall panels to disappear after painting, that joint between drywall panels must be covered with compound in a specific way—in a series of layers, with each layer wider than the last.
Why is there a stain on my ceiling?
Some common causes of water stains on ceilings include plumbing leaks, HVAC leaks, and roofing problems (such as roof flashing failure and damaged waterproofing membrane). Whatever the reason, address it as soon as possible to prevent severe damage.
Can you see lines in ceiling?
A: The dark areas are often called ghost stripes and they are not unusual. The basic cause is moisture that collects along the underside of ceiling joists or trusses, and sometimes along wall studs.
Why is there a stain on my ceiling?
Some common causes of water stains on ceilings include plumbing leaks, HVAC leaks, and roofing problems (such as roof flashing failure and damaged waterproofing membrane). Whatever the reason, address it as soon as possible to prevent severe damage.
How do you remove smoke stains from the ceiling?
To start out, you should prep the ceiling by vacuuming it and the adjacent walls, as well as ventilating the room. You can simply use some dish soap and water with a clean rag, or apply vinegar or degreaser for smoke buildup. Scrub the area, then rinse and dry it thoroughly.
What happens when you burn candles in a building?
As air moves through the building, typically up walls and across ceilings, debris in the air, particularly soot such as that left by burning candles (scented candles may be more of an IAQ issue), adheres more to the damp surfaces than to others, leaving black marks or "tracks.".
Can you get air movement out of a ceiling duct?
If the stains are really ONLY at ceiling A/C air supply registers and those ducts and registers are used only for cooling, then yes, there can be air movement in and out of ceiling ducts and registers, by convection, during cold weather even when the A/C system and blower are turned off.
Why does my ceiling have mold?
The Causes. There are a few possible causes of mold stains. These include roof leaks, high humidity, moisture and lack of ventilation. I wrote a more detailed article covering the common causes of ceiling mold (with solutions). You can check it out here.
What is the most common type of ceiling stains?
Water Stains. Water stains are probably the most common types of ceiling stains and man are they UGLY! These stains are very easy to identify by their unique characteristics.
What color are nicotine stains?
It’s really not that important, to be honest, but I’ll tell you anyway…. Nicotine and tar stains are brown in color. Unlike other stains, they tend to be more consistent and uniform, like a thick layer of brown dust, spread evenly across the ceiling.
Why does my roof have water stains on it?
Roof leaks are the main cause of water stains on the ceiling. To identify a roof leak you should look for the obvious factors like missing or damaged shingles/roof tiles, torn flashings or loose screws on the exterior of the roof.
Why does Popeye have tar stains?
Again, very obvious but nicotine and tar stains are primarily caused by cigarettes. They can also be caused by old-school pipes (the type Popeye always had in his mouth) and cigars.
What causes a roof to leak?
Another potential cause for a roof leak, although less likely, is a hot water geyser leak. This will obviously only be a possibility if your geyser is located above the ceiling/in an attic. To fix this problem, you will most likely need a specialist.
Can you repaint over white ceiling stain?
In fact, most (if not all) of these stain blocking primers come in white, so if your stain is on the smaller side then there may not even be a need for you to repaint over the stain (if your ceiling is white of course!).
What if black stains are mold?
What if the black stains are actually mold? If you call a professional and determine that the black stains are actually mold, you have a few options depending on how severe the mold is. Regardless of what you do, it is essential that you contact an expert to assess the situation and determine the health risks.
What is mold on the walls?
Usually, they describe the mold patterns as black stains or spots on the walls and ceilings that seem to follow the framing of the house.
How to stop ghosting on walls?
The first step you need to take to stop ghosting on walls is to eliminate indoor air particles. Stop burning candles, firewood, or incense. The next step is to monitor the relative humidity inside the house. Buy an inexpensive humidity and temperature meter and try and keep your indoor humidity below 55 percent during the cold winter months. You can typically do this by turning on bath fans, which will have a drying effect on your home as you vent out moist warm air and replace it with dry cold air. Finally, you will need to use stain-killing paint to seal up the stains and repaint the walls and ceilings.
How to prevent mold from forming in bathroom?
To prevent mold from forming, check out the following tips: Make sure to run your bathroom’s fan while bathing and after to prevent moisture from accumulating. If possible, shower with the door open to encourage circulation and proper ventilation. Mop up any significant spills from water or other liquids quickly.
What does it mean when a wall is not insulated?
If you see the staining developing in larger patterns on the wall or ceiling, in places between the framing, this indicates the wall or ceiling is likely not insulated correctly. Unfortunately, the only fix is to open up the wall or ceiling and insulate it properly.
How to get mold stains out of walls?
Create a solution that is 1/4 bleach and 3/4 water. Thoroughly soak the affected areas of the wall until it is saturated with the solution. Let the solution soak into the affected areas for 5-10 minutes. Scrub the affected area with a brush until the mold stains are removed. Repeat until stains have been cleansed.
Why do ceiling joists get condensation?
The moisture is condensation that collects, usually in winter, because the joist areas have less insulation than the cavities surrounding them.
How to prevent stripes from forming?
One is to reduce the relative humidity in your house, which should be no more than 50 percent; this will help prevent condensation. Also, stop burning candles. If you must use the wood stove, make sure it is properly vented and kept clean.
How to get rid of gloss on paint?
First, try rubbing a spot briskly with a clean cloth soaked in warm water. Try to saturate the spatter to soften it. Then try scraping carefully with a plastic scraper to see if you can dislodge any of the paint.
Why do air particles clump together?
This positive and negative charges will cause the floating air particles to clump together. As water is also conducive to electricity, it attracts these charged particles to the cold spots on your ceiling rafters, wood framing and wall studs.
Why does my house have ghosting?
The most common causes of ghosting include: Static electricity. Excess humidity. Air passing through the home’s envelope. Ghosting on the walls and ceilings occurs when there is not enough insulation, or gaps in the insulation allow cold air to push through the walls. When the cold air passes through, it creates condensation ...
What is ghosting in a house?
Ghosting is the buildup of dust, dirt, soot and other debris on your walls and ceilings that can have a ghostly appearance like in the horror movies. Except it’s not an evil spirit! This issue is also known as “ghost stains,” “bridging” and “thermal tracking”, which create weird patterns along exterior ceilings and walls, ...