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

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...

--

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?

--

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

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

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

Those areas are slightly different temperatures. That causes a little
moisture to form on the cooler parts and that can trap dust or mold.


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

wrote...
What could be causing this discoloration?

Mold.

Check for roof leaks.

wrote in news:1185390387.781377.24340
@z28g2000prd.googlegroups.com:

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.

What's above the ceiling? Attic? (possible roof leak) or 2nd floor?
(plumbing or someone stole your shingles).

How's the siding look in those areas and above it?

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

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

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 !!!!

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

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.

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

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

wrote:
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

It is not all that easy to say. Based on my limited experience it has
turned out to be mold about half the time. So far I have not had any of the
deadly mold. I have had it professionally tested. Note, professional
testers associated with mold recovery companies may not offer totally
unbiased advice. A simple air test will almost always come up positive, the
stuff is in the air. One test showed "positive" but the air outside showed
about five times higher.

Usually a spray with bleach will kill it. If it is in the building
materials I suggest that they should generally be replaced.

You may want to check with your local authorities, but be aware that
doing that could, in some areas cause a lot more problems tan it solves.

Good luck

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit