ceiling leak

jd4020 · #1 11/14/06, 01:46 PM

Does anyone have any advice on how we might repair this?
Our small bathroom has an exhaust fan in the middle of the ceiling. It just vents straight into the attic. The pipe for the toilet, running up through the attic and outside, has some condensation on it and is fairly close to where the actual leak is happening, directly over the sink, on the outside wall. The insulation is dry, but there is a rather large and consistant drip running down the wall, still in the fixable stage, but I'm just not sure of the process. Not sure just where the moisture is actually coming from. No leak in the roof or guttering.
Should we run a pipe for the exhaust fan on through the roof to outside? If it is condensation, it seems like it's a lot.
Thanks for any help.

dagwood · #2 11/14/06, 01:49 PM

You need to install a exhaust line for that bathroom fan before you develop a mold problem in your attic!!

The cold water pipe for the toilet can be wrapped with good pipe insulation and will stop the condensation problem.

Travis in Louisiana · #3 11/14/06, 02:01 PM

First of all, you should always run the vent exhaust to the outside. If it vents into the attic, all the moister goes in the attic, insulation, wood and may cause mildew and mold. I live in the south, so with the humidity it is worst. I have two vents I need to vent to the outside from both my bathrooms also. Now for the leak. Has it rained recently? How long has this drip been there? Is the water that is dripping, is it clear or dirty looking? In my mothers house, the drain line for the upstairs bath ran in the outside wall. When she screwed a cabinet in the wall, in the room below the upstairs bath, she screwed into the drain pipe, causing a leak. So, you haven't hung anything recently? I would not think there would be that much condensation from just a pipe, so I would think more in the line of a leak in a water or drain pipe or even the roof(even tho you said the roof does not leak). Check and report back. Later Travis

WisJim · #4 11/14/06, 02:04 PM

Run the exhaust from the fan directly outside, and insulate it well. That may be your problem. Some of the wettest air in the house is vented out the exhaust fan in the bathroom and it should always be vented completely outside.

jd4020 · #5 11/14/06, 03:06 PM

This was an add on to the original house for dhs' Grama when she lived with dh Dad and Mom. She really didn't use the bathroom a whole lot and after she was gone, about 15 years now, this bath didn't get much use at all. Now that we live here, that has changed. The water is clear, and although a spot has been there on the ceiling for a while, I couldn't say for how long, it has just started running the water down the wall. No, haven't hung anything on the wall, although we are considering a nice cabinet in place of the flat mirror there presantly above the sink. Dh was up there yesterday and today, and it has been raining today, and the roof and wall are dry, so at this time, we don't suspect that.
Thank you for the suggestions. I think we will do the venting and wrapping to see if that takes care of the problem.

Farmer Willy · #6 11/14/06, 03:21 PM

My first question is if this water running only shows up at specific times. Only after a shower? Only when running the fan? Only when raining? First, regardless of where the water is coming from you need to fix you fan vent. You're dumping a lot of moisture into a cold space and it will cause you problems. A leaky roof can be a real pain to track down. Water can travel a long ways unseen before it drips. My best guess is the unvented fan.