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dpb

wrote:
On Sep 23, 4:57 pm, dpb wrote:
The water stain indicates a leak.

Whether it's actually the drips hitting the ceiling or inside the drain
is of little consequence; the leak needs fixing.

The thing is the dark area on the ceiling is so small and slow-growing
that I'm not even sure it's a leak. It's maybe 6 inches long and a
quarter inch wide, along the edge where the ceiling meets the molding.
....

What else do you think it might be? Even if it's mold/mildew that would
be indicative it's damp.

Get up there and see if the spot is damp to touch, slightly softened if
actually plaster, etc., ...

The drip may or may not be inside the pipe; there's no way to tell from
here as I can neither see nor hear it to judge.

If it's actually the water dripping on the upper side of the ceiling it
may be possible to tell that by being close and listening carefully--the
old mechanic's trick of the screwdriver touching the wall and using it
as a stethoscope might help locate it if so.

Drips inside drains can occur w/ either Cu or PVC. If it's been a long
time in the house and never noticed it at all until recently, it's
likely a new symptom.

How long before the area dries out if damp would depend on many factors
but I'd think a week would make a difference that should be discernible
at most if it's significant at all...

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