One of the most common home inspection concerns for home buyers is ceiling stains. Surprisingly, ceiling stains can go unnoticed for days, weeks and even years. If a stain is wet, most homeowners will be able to trace down the source of the moisture. When a stain is dry, the conditions that caused the staining to occur are no longer present, but might return next time it rains, etc. While it’s not always possible to determine exactly what caused a ceiling stain, the location of the stain will often give away what caused the stain. When a homeowner finds a stain below a plumbing fixture, obviously the fixture above should be thoroughly tested, and then the stain should be checked again. If you have a vaulted ceiling with moisture staining, chances are pretty good it’s not a plumbing leak. Other types of ceiling stains that are quite easily identified:
Caused by condensation, this is quite common in humid Georgia. When a bathroom exhaust fan is connected to an uninsulated duct that runs through the attic space and doesn't make an airtight connection to a proper roof cap, the moisture that’s supposed to exhaust to the exterior condenses inside the duct. Eventually it drains down to the bottom of the duct and then leaks on the ceiling next to the fan. Harper Special Service will fix the exhaust problem and then fix the ceiling.
To determine if an attic experiences condensation problems, the team will take a close look at the nail heads; if they’re rusty and there are stains on the roof sheathing around nail heads, it’s a condensation issue. Painting the ceiling will only hide the problem until next year. The fix for this is to seal attic air leaks and reduce indoor humidity levels.
Water intrusion is the most likely cause for ceiling stains but in all actuality, not the only cause for staining. L ack of ventilation is a leading cause of mold on the ceiling in bathrooms and laundry rooms. Left untreated, ceiling stains may contribute to unhealthy living conditions. Such as the case with mold. Mold can be directly related to poor indoor air quality and health risks. Current building codes require some sort of ventilation in a bathroom and laundry room; Harper Special Services can upgrade your old bathroom by adding some fans.
Harper specialists can determine whether or not the stain is in fact an active leak or from a previous event. Once the stain is proven to be either an active or old, they will proceed on repairs. Remediation can take on many forms, from simple touch ups to completely removing interior and exterior building finishes. You need a team that can quickly identify the cause and make the best repairs. Harper Special Services is a fully licensed company who can provide all types of restorations: water, fire, mold, storm restoration. Whether you are looking for a restoration service by itself or a company that can provide you with the full package emergency services, debris removal, shoring, board ups to restoration, trust our water damage cleanup experts. The quality team of water damage cleanup experts will take care of every aspect of the water restoration project after such a traumatic experience.