Table of Contents
A: The dark areas are often called ghost stripes and they are not unusual. The basic cause is moisture that collects along the underside of ceiling joists or trusses, and sometimes along wall studs. When soot and dirt land on the moisture, it sticks there and creates the stripes.
What causes black marks on the ceiling?
It occurs when soot and dust particles stick to the ceiling. Over time, these particles cause a permanent stain. The framing is a worse insulator than the surrounding fiberglass, which passes through to the ceiling below. The colder temperature leads to condensation, which causes the soot and dust particles to stick.
How do you get rid of ceiling ghosting?
You need to clean the walls and ceiling thoroughly so the paint will adhere properly. If moisture is the culprit, you have to dry them out, too. But this is a temporary fix. Even if the paint covers them, ghost marks will simply reappear over time unless the root causes are cured.
Why can I see my joists through ceiling?
If a contractor installs thinner drywall panels, then the panels may sag between the joists. When that occurs, the nailing pattern over the joists may be seen, with the pattern creating visible lines on the ceiling in the same locations as the joists.
How do I get rid of black marks on my ceiling?
To clean mold from the ceiling, wash the affected area with a store-bought mold cleaner, or a mixture of dish soap and water. Let the area dry. Now it’s time to get out the big guns to kill the mold—bleach. Mix one-quarter cup of bleach with one quart of water and apply the solution with a spray bottle or sponge.
What causes black marks on walls and ceilings?
Ghosting happens when mildly damp, warm and possibly sooty interior air condenses on the sections of walls and ceiling that are colder because they are that uninsulated section of the wood frame. The result: black sooty stains on your walls and ceilings that follow the patterns of the framing.
How do you remove ghosting from walls and ceilings?
Create a solution that is 1/4 bleach and 3/4 water. Thoroughly soak the affected areas of the wall until it is saturated with the solution. Let the solution soak into the affected areas for 5-10 minutes. Scrub the affected area with a brush until the mold stains are removed.
Why are there dents in my ceiling?
The weight of the water and loss of structural integrity of the gypsum core causes the drywall panels to tear away from the fasteners. You’ll see small dimples form as the drywall surrounding the nails or screws succumbs to gravity and starts to droop, leaving an upside-down crater.
What causes studs to show through paint?
When the cold comes in through the stud, it cools the drywall right in front of the stud. The cooler area of the drywall collects moisture from the air, and even if the surface doesn’t appear wet, it will collect dust. That dust is what you see that appears to be the studs bleeding through the drywall.
What is thermal ghosting?
Thermal tracking is when dark stains appear on walls or ceilings along the lines of the framing. This phenomenon is also called ghosting and thermal bridging. These marks are often small airborne particles that stick to the surface and form a stain.
Is ghosting a mold?
While interior mold growth on the ceiling is often obvious, there is another building defect that can look eerily similar. It’s called ghosting. It occurs when soot and dust particles stick to the ceiling. The colder temperature leads to condensation, which causes the soot and dust particles to stick.
What causes dents in drywall?
Dented Corner Bead Regular wear and tear of that corner can cause damage, denting the corner bead. This can be anything from using a vacuum cleaner to moving items around yours house carelessly. You can do drywall repair by using a hacksaw and cutting about 2 inches above and below the damaged spot.
Can you see studs through ceiling?
Don’t panic Tim, this is unfortunately very common. It relates to a poor job of insulation in a cold climate. You see, the wood used to frame the house is about 1/3 as effective as fiberglass in stopping the cold. So the cold will come through where the studs are, more than anywhere else.
What does it mean when you can see studs through drywall?
Wall ghosting, also known as thermal cracking, results from dirt getting trapped in condensation on the wall’s studs. It shows up as shadowy-looking lines on the inside of your wall or ceilings. To fix this, you need to find the root of the problem, which is often poor insulation or a cold air draft.
Are there ceiling studs?
You find studs in the walls and joists in the floors and ceilings. However, they are very similar, and you can use a stud finder to locate a joist. Ceiling joists are always the same distance apart. The spacing will be either 16-inches or 24, and it will be the same everywhere in your home.
What causes thermal ghosting?
Thermal tracking or “ghosting” is the deposition of house dust and debris onto walls and ceilings in patterns caused by a combination of air movement, interior moisture, and in some cases, a source of high levels of particles.
What is thermal bridging in a house?
A thermal bridge, also called a cold bridge, is an area of a building construction which has a significantly higher heat transfer than the surrounding materials.
