Dark Areas on Walls
 

On some interior walls in my house, I'm noticing dark patches that
seem to be appearing between studs. The walls are sheetrock that have
been painted a light color, and in several places, darkish, smokelike
color is emerging through the paint. Most of them appear high up, near
where the wall meets the ceiling. In the largest spot (about 3'
high), I can clearly make out where two studs straddle the dark area,
as if whatever is causing the darkening is trapped between the two
studs. What could be causing this discoloration?

-Fleemo

Dark Areas on Walls
 

Dark Areas on Walls
 

Abe wrote:
wrote:
On some interior walls in my house, I'm noticing dark patches that
seem to be appearing between studs. The walls are sheetrock that have
been painted a light color, and in several places, darkish, smokelike
color is emerging through the paint. Most of them appear high up, near
where the wall meets the ceiling. In the largest spot (about 3'
high), I can clearly make out where two studs straddle the dark area,
as if whatever is causing the darkening is trapped between the two
studs. What could be causing this discoloration?
Moisture would be the number one likely culprit...

Inadequate or nonexistent priming could be another.

Why only in the stud cavities, then?

--

Dark Areas on Walls
 

wrote:

On some interior walls in my house, I'm noticing dark patches that
seem to be appearing between studs. The walls are sheetrock that have
been painted a light color, and in several places, darkish, smokelike
color is emerging through the paint. Most of them appear high up, near
where the wall meets the ceiling. In the largest spot (about 3'
high), I can clearly make out where two studs straddle the dark area,
as if whatever is causing the darkening is trapped between the two
studs. What could be causing this discoloration?

-Fleemo

Is your house in Toronto near Queen and Broadview?

http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/223746

Probably moisture.
--
bmickey9

Enjoy'em yourself or pass'em along

Dark Areas on Walls
 

Yeah, a real cold case.

"bmickey9" wrote in message
news:1i1t9j3.a5e72p184gneN%bmickey9@sbcglobalNOSPA M.net...
wrote:

On some interior walls in my house, I'm noticing dark patches that
seem to be appearing between studs. The walls are sheetrock that have
been painted a light color, and in several places, darkish, smokelike
color is emerging through the paint. Most of them appear high up, near
where the wall meets the ceiling. In the largest spot (about 3'
high), I can clearly make out where two studs straddle the dark area,
as if whatever is causing the darkening is trapped between the two
studs. What could be causing this discoloration?

-Fleemo

Is your house in Toronto near Queen and Broadview?

http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/223746

Probably moisture.
--
bmickey9

Enjoy'em yourself or pass'em along

Dark Areas on Walls
 

Dark Areas on Walls
 

wrote...
What could be causing this discoloration?

Mold.

Check for roof leaks.

Dark Areas on Walls
 

Dark Areas on Walls
 

Thanks for all the input here.

Mold. Check for roof leaks.

It makes sense it would be in this particular room. This room did
have a leak in the ceiling which has been fixed. But do I have a
bigger problem now? Will the mold go away now that the roof is fixed,
or do I have to tear apart some walls? Is mold like this typically
toxic? I have a new baby in the house and want to be sure to do
whatever I need to do quickly.

By the way, the ceiling in this room is a vaulted ceiling, so there's
not much space above it in the attic, but some.

-Fleemo

Dark Areas on Walls
 

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:06:27 -0700, wrote:

On some interior walls in my house, I'm noticing dark patches that
seem to be appearing between studs. The walls are sheetrock that have
been painted a light color, and in several places, darkish, smokelike
color is emerging through the paint. Most of them appear high up, near
where the wall meets the ceiling. In the largest spot (about 3'
high), I can clearly make out where two studs straddle the dark area,
as if whatever is causing the darkening is trapped between the two
studs. What could be causing this discoloration?

-Fleemo

1. You or someone else smokes too much.
2. Your furnace is emitting soot.
3. Satan is trapped inside the walls and wants your walls to look like
HELL.

You choose which it is !!!!

Dark Areas on Walls
 

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:27:06 -0700, Abe wrote:

wrote:
On some interior walls in my house, I'm noticing dark patches that
seem to be appearing between studs. SNIP In the largest spot (about 3'
high), I can clearly make out where two studs straddle the dark area,
as if whatever is causing the darkening is trapped between the two
studs. What could be causing this discoloration?

Moisture would be the number one likely culprit...

Inadequate or nonexistent priming could be another.
I have to go with priming - over a lousy insulation job. As air moves
back and forth through the wall, bigger dirt particles get trapped on
the wall's surface. Only you will know if you can/should get more
insulation and a proper vapor barrier into that wall. In the interim,
I would scrub the wall and then prime the entire wall with one of the
commercial products like KILZ which advertizes it will cover anything.
Years ago (maybe still do) Glidden sold a vapor barrier paint for such
problems. Other mfgrs may.
You could get what you use tinted to match the current color if you
are enamored of it.
HTH

Dark Areas on Walls
 

fleemo,

If you think that it is mold then have an expert check so you'll know
whether it is a harmful mold. Use some caution, there are many crooks in the
"mold" business.

Dave M.

Dark Areas on Walls
 

David Martel wrote:
fleemo,

If you think that it is mold then have an expert check so you'll
know whether it is a harmful mold. Use some caution, there are many
crooks in the "mold" business.

Dave M.

Good advice. Most molds are harmless, but some are not and there is no
simple and accurate way for most of us to tell.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

Dark Areas on Walls
 

So how would I determine whether it is indeed mold or not? Will it
actually be fuzzy black mold on the wall surface? (It's up very high
on a wall in a high-valuted room so I haven't been able to examine it
closely yet.) If it is mold, must the walls be torn out, or is there a
surface treatment I can use?

- Fleemo

Dark Areas on Walls