Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !!

   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #11  
Make sure your dryer vent is venting outside properly, not damaged or plugged. Had a case were the tenants were complaining about high humidity and mold. Turned out they had moved the dryer a bit, that opened up the seam :( and it was sending lots of moisture into the home.
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #12  
Are you sure you can rule out a leak? Batt insulation can retain a lot of water and it could readily be released some time after a rainstorm. If there's no leak, do you have any water pipes in the roof void that might have a slow leak? If neither of these, the cavity might be bridged inhibiting ventilation. This can sometimes be checked with a flashlight and mirror or by removing a section of eaves soffit and inserting a cavity scope which you might be able to rent. Last resort is to open the area up. Depending on the roof finish, this can often be less disruptive to decor if opened up from the outside.
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #13  
Moisture in and on wood is something you sure should be worried about.

The next stage is decay (that follows with the mold). Often the large black carpenter ants will move into wood that is wet, and they are something to watch for in the near future.

As mentioned, check the vents in the eaves to be sure they are clear of debris and dust, and that air is flowing above the insulation and up to the ridge vent. If this ventilation is comprimised, the wet conditions can happen as described.
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #14  
You might want to see if you can rent a moisture meter. Maybe one with a long probe to access the cathedral ceiling from the attic. It does not sound like you would be able to reach the peak of the ceiling from the attic space but if you had a leak you would think the water would run downhill towards that attic space.

Course this depend on how the ceiling was constructed. In our old house there was enough attic space over the cathedral ceiling that you could carefully get into. Not fun though.

If you can't get to the insulation side of the ceiling from the attic then use a probe moisture meter to poke through the drywall and see if there is water on the roof side of the ceiling. Sounds like you are going to need a very big step ladder from the same place that rents the moisture meter. :D

Later,
Dan
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #15  
Is something generating a lot of moisture in the house? Hot showers, cooking, a hot tub or spa? Are there vent fans in the bathrooms and kitchen, and do you use them? Is the house tightly sealed?
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !!
  • Thread Starter
#16  
Thanks for all the ideas guys. I did turn on the ceiling fans and the condensation quickly disappeared and hasn't returned.
I am 99.9% sure it wasn't a leak. It was very nice for a few days beforehand and the condensation was over a large area and not just one spot. You could clearly tell it was condensation.
My Mother was baby sitting the whole day for us and once I thought about it she was in fact cooking something and had the windows closed and ceiling fans off not to mention it was very himid and hot out that day. ( although my house stay pretty cool even without the fans or A/C.)
Hopefully this was a one time thing...
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #17  
Thanks for all the ideas guys. I did turn on the ceiling fans and the condensation quickly disappeared and hasn't returned.
I am 99.9% sure it wasn't a leak. It was very nice for a few days beforehand and the condensation was over a large area and not just one spot. You could clearly tell it was condensation.
My Mother was baby sitting the whole day for us and once I thought about it she was in fact cooking something and had the windows closed and ceiling fans off not to mention it was very himid and hot out that day. ( although my house stay pretty cool even without the fans or A/C.)
Hopefully this was a one time thing...

Any pics of the house? Was it a package, and if so, what company??
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #18  
Might have been a one time thing, but a good idea for you to find out if you are getting proper ventilation of that roof. Figuring out if there are working/open vents at the eaves that allow air to move over the insulation to the ridge vents would be what I would do in your case. If no ventilation, you will have expensive decay problems down the road.
(and if big black carpenter ants show up, they are an early predictor of rot/decay/wet wood as they don't move into dry wood).
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !!
  • Thread Starter
#19  
Any pics of the house? Was it a package, and if so, what company??

No pics right now. I did check the insulation behind the T&G and it was fine.

I don't really think there is a moisture problem with my logs. they are kiln dried and look to be in very good shape. I re stained my house just last summer and didn't notice anything to be concerned with as far as moisture.
 
   / Condensation on my Cathedral Ceiling !! #20  
My Mother was baby sitting the whole day for us and once I thought about it she was in fact cooking something and had the windows closed and ceiling fans off not to mention it was very himid and hot out that day. ( although my house stay pretty cool even without the fans or A/C.)

Had you not insulated the roof so well, it would warm up, and not be able condense the warm damp air from infiltrating form outside, as well as the moisture created inside.

It's actually raining inside your house.

I would get a good humidity gauge, and monitor the humidity level inside.

You may need an air conditioner, or at lest a dehumidifier, at times, to keep the humidity controlled.
 

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