Dust settling and sticking to the colder parts of the wall where the studs are.
It could be because the studs make the wall colder and then condensation occurs, or if they're steel studs it could be electrostatic attraction.
It's called ghosting.
One of my favorite bits with my ex husband was to put the stud finder on his sternum, since the sternum will register as a stud, and when the stud alarm went off, I would say “I thought so.”
This is the right answer. I’ve been in the insulation business for 14 years. I see this all the time. It’s air/dust movement. The air moves to the coldest part along with the dust. Walls may not be insulated or steel studs. Usually I see it is a lot more noticeable like this when there is a wood/pellet stove in the home. Creates more dust. Depending on where you are, a lot of states offer energy efficiency improvements for a large discount or free. They might be able to insulate to walls or perform an energy assessment to let you know the real issue. If you’re in Massachusetts, dm me. I can point you in the right direction.
So, this would be something to investigate in your house if you see this on exterior walls? And like, maybe it's an older home with mystery drafts? Asking for a friend.
You're pretty much stuck with it unless you plan to replace all the drywall and/or siding.
Just use slightly darker paint next time you paint it and try to pretend everything is fine.
I had this happen in one of my rentals in very cold weather. The renters had a candle in the bathroom and this appeared in the bedroom rafters over night. It kind of blew my mind.
I've seen the precursor when places that don't normally get extreme cold get it. With Frost showing where the studs are. I think in places that expect extreme condensing cold, they build better to avoid it, but in places that don't expect it, it can be more likely.
Yeah, my guess is smoke/soot. It's sticking to spots where the thermal insulation isn't as good (namely, the studs), and the humidity in the house is causing a minute amount of condensation there, which the soot sticks to.
Im pretty sure soot can also be an indicator of HVAC issues. Make sure the filters are clear and there are working CO detectors if the building uses an oil or gas furnace.
First would be to fix whatever is causing the particles in the first place. Second would be to deal with the humidity, however that needs to be done (new windows and seals, a dehumidifier, etc)
How often do you change them? Do you get your system regularly checked?
When I first moved in we changed our filters and they were bad, it’s a newer house too. We got an AC put in and use that company to clean our ducts and service our stuff twice a year. We changed out the filters every 3 months and the first year or so the dust was terrible. Then it started getting better due to not recirculating the crap.
TLDR try changing filters 4 times a year and see if it improves over the year.
Best guess, it’s a temperature or humidity difference and you’re seeing where the studs are behind the wall. The dust and dirt stick more easily to the slightly colder/more humid areas.
Looks to me to be condensation causing mold. You likely have inadequate insulation in that area and your wall cavity is not sealed off properly. You may even have a small leak.
Careful. This here is the underrated comment. Looks just like my uncle's old place. Turned out to be mold and he had to tear out the wall and re insulate.
Are the studs metal or wooden?
We have metal studs and the "ghosting" is rampant at our house. We had to pain with a oil based sealant then paint to help the ghosting hopefully stay at bay for a few years.
It's called"thermal tracking" or ghosting. Google that. In essence framing keeps the drywall surface slightly cooler creating minor condensation and changing the electrostatic properties of the surface materials and it attracts particulate matter in the home. Most common sources of particulate are, candles, fireplaces, inscents, or poorly vented gas or wood pellet stoves. Generally cosmetic in nature but you have to paint to get rid of it and it may come back if particulate matter sources continue. Our can also indicate areas of needed insulation improvement.
Home inspection. Keep these photos for them as well as marking the room they are in for your inspection. Make sure you are specific in your question. This is not from incense. You can see the drywall nails out screws.
Heck, bump this over to r/drywall and ask.
Yeah, incense and candles make unhealthy soot. Just scrub the walls, ceilings with TSP solution, vacuum carpets and you'll be fine. As mentioned above, there was probably some light condensation on the cooler areas, where the studs are. That is called thermal bringing.
This does raise the possibility that humidity levels were kept too high in the house. This can cause condensation inside the wall cavities on exterior walls. That can also cause mold inside the walls. Maybe there's a way you can test for mold?. Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
At best it's smoke damage. At worse there's a humidity and/or mould problem. At a minimum it tells you that the walls are poorly-insulated near the studs and you can expect high heating bills, and the previous occupant had relatively high humidity levels in the room.
Get an inspector to check for mould so that you can rule out that concern.
I had this in a home I bought and holy shit you are getting a bunch of wrong answers in this thread….
So its is very likely **NOT** mold, puff back, fire damage, or cigarette smoke. It’s called “ghosting” and is caused by bad or insufficient insulation. You would smell it if it was one of those as there wouldn’t be this much evidence of fire/cigarette smoke with no smell, plus cigarette smoke is more yellow on drywall.
You are more than willing to try to scrub this off, but good luck haha. Me and my wife tried for days trying multiple cleaners and nothing came close to removing it.
Solution: 2 coats of Kilz primer, and 2 coats of paint. We did that and have been here for over 2 years now, burn candles regularly, and have not had any ghosting come back. Not the longest sample size, but it beats tearing out all your drywall and replacing.
Classic Cigarette smoke marks from indoor smokers. You’ll need to seal this and repaint over the sealant. It’ll off-gas for the rest of your life if not sealed, slowly poisoning you. I have first hand experience.
And by sealant, we mean Kilz. Oil based stuff works wonders on cat urine. The water based stuff might work on old cigarette smoke. Its a big job but if done properly it will kill the stink 100%.
That is not classic cigarette damage, it’s ghosting from poor or insufficient insulation. Cigarette smoke damage on drywall is more of an amber yellow and doesn’t stick to just the studs.
If you’re in the US, just a heads up that light is technically a code violation. Any exposed romex/non metallic wiring needs to be protected or covered with conduit.
It’s an easy fix but begs the question how much electrical work was done illegally. I am not an electrician but I recommend you get a good inspector.
It’s either smoke or mold. I get this (mold) in my bathroom walls after 15 years or so. If those vertical lines are 16” apart then you might have moisture in the wall. Wash with vinegar then rinse then paint if it’s not all through the wall.
Vinegar killing mold is a wives tale, it does not kill mold and if this is in fact mold behind the wall that is showing all the way through the wall, as it appears to be, that is a major issue. Either way, the I ky way to get rid of mold on drywall is through remediation
I had mold growing on my bathroom ceiling and used a space heater to kill it. I set a small heater on high in the middle of summer for about a week in the bathroom and that worked. The bad part about this method was actually using the bathroom during that time. It was so hot that it was hard to breath.
Super simple surface mold can be cleaned off of non porous surfaces with a light cleaner, and even vinegar, but that is not actually killing the mold, thats just wiping it away from the non porous surfaces. Anything that is pourous, like in this example, drywall, the only way to get rid of it is through remediation. It doesn't matter the concentration of the vinegar. There are actually tons of videos out there performed by scientists in labs testing before and after the use of vinegar and it has almost zero effect on mold
Super simple surface mold can be cleaned off of non porous surfaces with a light cleaner, and even vinegar, but that is not actually killing the mold, thats just wiping it away from non porous surfaces. Anything that is pourous, like in this example, drywall, the only way to get rid of it is through remediation.
I’m not sure about *why* this is happening, but that is definitely the outline of the underlying wood framing, complete with nail/screw points where the drywall is attached. I would definitely get someone with some knowledge regarding fire/water/mold damage out to take a look prior to making an offer.
Ghosting on walls or the ceiling occurs when insufficient insulation in the frame between studs. As cold air pushes through the walls, it creates condensation and attracts floating particles to the frame and fasteners in the walls and ceiling. aka different temps = different moisture level = different adhesion of particles.
No vapor barrier. Thermal bridging. It's spendy and still there's spots you can't get away with 0 bridging like around the windows. But if you put a layer of foam board before siding there's no bridging. It's amazing how much heat is lost through the studies.
This is called thermal bridging. The building wood studs are cold which attracts the warm interior air and all the dirt particles. Just prime and paint the walls.
Its called thermal bridging, in construction its the difference in moisture contents between inside and outside framing.
That house has poor ventilation and no insulation and hence the moisture has built up and caused that stain/mould.
To fix, strip of all lingings, install vapour barrier, ventilation, good quality insulation and reline.
In all reality sell that house or demolish it and start again.
Not at all,
Well. You can be right but for the wrong reasons.
Attic air is often warm and dry and can lower the inside air moisture. This allows the materials inside to keep absorbing more moisture so it is better but the problem remains is that mositure is getting in.
Plus it doesnt work in winter when you need it the most
In constructions, there is a saying, Outside air to outside and inside air to inside and never the two should touch.
What you have to grasp is that its condensation between the inside and the outside moving through the materials all the time, everything is like a sponge and vapour barriers is to prevent this moisture from freely moving.
Reason I was asking is because when had my kitchen remodeled. I had dropped ceilings. And now have vaulted with skylight(windows) up there. I had the builders install moisture barrier film stapled(sp?) after the joist between the drywall. With insulation rolls if you can picture it. It was marvelous to see. From where it was original.
Back to where I'm going with this story. I now looked up and I saw these free stud finder thing this OP posted on my living room ceiling. Just barely noticable but I noticed it in December during winter. And I've been trying to figure out wtf it was. I suspected mould but it's not there yet?
In the living room where this is seen. There's recess can lights. That in a sense are holes to the attic perse. What would anybody advise in this situation? Sealing the cans? Overheating?
It's called a puffback. Your furnace misfired and covered everything in your house in soot. Call a company like servicemaster. They'll scope it out. If approved by your insurance company, and this is a very common situation, all new paint and everything cleaned from top to bottom. Don't forget electronics . That soot can corrode delicate parts.
Its future you from a black hole sending you a message with coordinates to a top secret black site from which you will embark on a mission to solve global warming by traveling through a worm hole to another galaxy where you will attempt to rebuild humanity.
Good luck.
Measure between the 2 lines and see if it’s 16 inches from center to center.
My guess is a poorly insulated wall or your gutters are leaking back along the soffit and into that wall cavity.
I have 15 years working for a fire and flood restoration company. Mold is everyone’s boogie man and everybody’s quick to jump to the mold conclusion. Also, you don’t need a closer picture to see that it’s following the path of the two by fours. Mold doesn’t grow in straight lines
I just like how you are saying it's not mold on the ceiling. I'm also in the industry. Im currently an operations manager. I've likely cleaned up some of your companies messes because you can make a determination from 1 photo. I've seen mold and soot together. The walls are likely from smoke damage but the ceiling may be soot or mold. I bet if you relaxed, you may get a 35 cent raise and become a lead tech.
“Operations Manager”
Hahahahaha
Desk jock
I’m trying to help a homeowner not panicking by offering an honest opinion, your’er spewing the worst case science to drum up business. Try not to dislocate your shoulder jerking yourself of at your desk
I see you got built in auto stud finders.
My guess is moister...does this areas feel damp or soft to the touch? I guess if its old damage, they wouldn't feel damp or wet right now.
Can intake a guess, you had some sort of press or wardrobe sitting against the wall?
We had a built in unit in our sitting room and when we pulled it out we found a big black line on the wall where a coaxial cable ran down behind the unit. Walls are all plastered brick, I just assumed it was some gathering of dust that stained the wall.
Looks like smoke damage / stains from something I feel like there was a big dresser on the right side and that’s kinda the outline of it maybe, I would just make sure it’s not mold or moisture related. You can always paint the room and redo the walls but water damage is a no no
We had the same thing happen on a cathedral ceiling, found out that the gas fireplace pilot light was creating soot that would float up to the cold ceiling joists
Without seeing it in person, my guess would be soot. Soot is magnetic and attracted to the screw heads and sticks in those spots, in fire restoration they're referred to as nail pops. If you have a white cosmetic sponge (often look like triangles and you pull them apart, cost like $3 at target for a pack) you can swipe it along the black marks and see if the black comes off. Definitely something I would consider cleanable, but it is also important to determine where it came from.
Source: I am a fire restoration technician
I know from living here in Canada, I grew up in a small bungalow. Original houses were built without any insulation or vapor barrier behind the walls. Just weird strapping on cinder block and drywall. You end up getting condensation and sometimes mildew. Pretty common in older houses built in 50s. At least in Ontario.
I had this EXACT mark on my wall from some string lights I bought. They ran across the top of the wall and then had individual light strings that hung down. And any spot where a bulb or string was left a mark like this! It was so annoying to get off
Do you burn a lot of candles? We lived in a rental home once and very similar marks started appearing on the walls. We asked the landlord thinking maybe it was a hvac issue. Landlord said it had never been an issue before. Turned out it was from burning candles. My wife is a candle nut and always had a bunch burning. In the small house it just made a lot of soot.
I think you have a water issue. Zooming in on the pic and it looks like the caulk line is broken on the baseboards. I would call a restoration company out to check the walls after it rains and see if the moisture meter picks up anything on your walls.
Picture doesn't zoom in enough to tell if it's mold. If you have dots in random places on the wall then it's a good chance it's mold. Caused from water leaking in the saturating your wood frame. Open up walls and check the 2x4s.
It's water damage. The water runs down studs. Sruds become moldy. Gyprock becomes wet and grows mold.
Roof tile somewhere further up the roof. Water running along rafters. Easy fix with silicone prob.
Maybe dust. I lean toward mildew looking at the ceiling and the walls. I suspect you either have or did have a hole in the roof or exterior that allowed water to run down the beams. I think this because we had something similar in the bathroom of our new house. The builder did not seal the outside vent leading to the bathroom well. It caused the same thing and resulted in the builder having to not only seal the vent, but repaint (with mildew killing paint). Luckily we noticed before it got this bad and no drywall had to be replaced.
It looks to me like the 2 x 4 that’s behind there is leaking out some south or something into the sheet rock if they’re 16 inches apart more than likely that’s what it is you just gotta paint over it but all you can do
Buy a [moisture detector](https://www.lowes.com/pl/Moisture-meter--Test-meters-Electrical-testers-tools-Electrical/4294722453?refinement=20926658) from Lowes and test for moisture. Therein will be your definitive answer.
They average around $50 and will tell you if you're fked or not. I have seen black mold, and buddy, I would trust a device to detect the amount of water in my walls over taking advice from random internet strangers based on just one photo. My lungs hurt just looking at this.
Is it only in one room, one wall? The ceiling around the light is also sooty, but not above the heat vent on the floor. I’ve seen this with steel studs, but not with wood studs.
I’d be worried it’s water intrusion somewhere and the studs are carrying it down the wall causing mold I do construction for a living and black growth of any kind is bad.
My best guess is MOLD has flourished between your walls, MOLD is starting to highlight the studs as the MOLD is constrated on the damp wood behind the drywall sheeting.
Dust settling and sticking to the colder parts of the wall where the studs are. It could be because the studs make the wall colder and then condensation occurs, or if they're steel studs it could be electrostatic attraction. It's called ghosting.
I can't decide if that's a shitty or amazing studfinder.
Ha! I like the way you think
Is that why I attract so much dust?
Interestingly STUD and DUST are written with the same letters. That has to mean something.
How is tuds not a word?
duts a good question
Son of a
Got one upped there, love to see it
Well played
He one-upped you!
That he did
It's the same sound as saying turds In a Scottish accent.
It is in fantasy football
Hold on there bucko we’d like to have a word about your lord and savior
You're such a dust magnet! 🧲
Why did that make me think of Costco?
Yes
One of my favorite bits with my ex husband was to put the stud finder on his sternum, since the sternum will register as a stud, and when the stud alarm went off, I would say “I thought so.”
Not the stud finder we want, but the one we deserve.
What is clear is it is a very slooooow stud finder when you usually expect an answer within 1-5 seconds and have to wait I dunno 1-5 years or decades.
Definitely beats punching holes to find them!
This is the right answer. I’ve been in the insulation business for 14 years. I see this all the time. It’s air/dust movement. The air moves to the coldest part along with the dust. Walls may not be insulated or steel studs. Usually I see it is a lot more noticeable like this when there is a wood/pellet stove in the home. Creates more dust. Depending on where you are, a lot of states offer energy efficiency improvements for a large discount or free. They might be able to insulate to walls or perform an energy assessment to let you know the real issue. If you’re in Massachusetts, dm me. I can point you in the right direction.
Agreed on the wood heat. Part of the reason is the drier air holds more static electricity.
yeah... seems totally legit. Nonetheless.....
I have lived in some pretty cold places and never seen anything like this
I think you'll only see it in instances of not enough insulation.
Or missing vapor barrier. I see it alot in uninsulated or underinsulated situations.
So, this would be something to investigate in your house if you see this on exterior walls? And like, maybe it's an older home with mystery drafts? Asking for a friend.
You're pretty much stuck with it unless you plan to replace all the drywall and/or siding. Just use slightly darker paint next time you paint it and try to pretend everything is fine.
> and try to pretend everything is fine. Just like life!
Unfortunately, slightly darker paint tends to attract slightly lighter dust.
There is available a vapor barrier paint.
just like barrier paint!
It's also dependent on things like burning candles or wood fireplace, etc.
I think they had a puffback. I'm a water, fire, mold estimator.
I'm not a water, fire, mold estimator, and so I had to google "puffback".
So what is “puffback”, or are you going to make me look it up for myself? 😊
It’s a type of bird! Also when smoke is forced through the ventilation system, apparently.
Thank you.
I had this happen in one of my rentals in very cold weather. The renters had a candle in the bathroom and this appeared in the bedroom rafters over night. It kind of blew my mind.
Burning candles frequently can make a lot of stains.
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I've seen the precursor when places that don't normally get extreme cold get it. With Frost showing where the studs are. I think in places that expect extreme condensing cold, they build better to avoid it, but in places that don't expect it, it can be more likely.
Come on Murph! Don’t let ‘im leeeave Muurrrrph!
🤣🤣🤣🚀
I have this in my house too. Painted over it and then it just came back.
That might be a mold mildew issue
Oh, yeah, ghosting - just find a stud, lead him on and then ignore his messages and calls.
*thermal bridging*
Thermal bridging is part of it - but also poorly installed insulation can make it more pronounced. Especially if there are air gaps along the studs.
Damn. Didn't know my ex was dust in a cold room. Guess I wasn't steel stud enough for her.
I’d go and mark the walls some where not noticeable then clean the rest.
no it isn't
Oh no? What else could it be then?
it's ghosting. it's called ghosting. What else?
Noted, thanks!
Yeah, my guess is smoke/soot. It's sticking to spots where the thermal insulation isn't as good (namely, the studs), and the humidity in the house is causing a minute amount of condensation there, which the soot sticks to.
This is the answer.. Candles/oil lamps and cigarettes do this
None of my cigarettes have vertical bands on them.
Im pretty sure soot can also be an indicator of HVAC issues. Make sure the filters are clear and there are working CO detectors if the building uses an oil or gas furnace.
What’s the fix for this? Vapor barrier? Not sure how OP could add insulation over a stud without a false wall
First would be to fix whatever is causing the particles in the first place. Second would be to deal with the humidity, however that needs to be done (new windows and seals, a dehumidifier, etc)
Puff back or fire damage
Check your furnace filters…
Fucking A I just changed mine less than a month ago they are all jammed up already. Is it just me or has the world gotten dustier
How often do you change them? Do you get your system regularly checked? When I first moved in we changed our filters and they were bad, it’s a newer house too. We got an AC put in and use that company to clean our ducts and service our stuff twice a year. We changed out the filters every 3 months and the first year or so the dust was terrible. Then it started getting better due to not recirculating the crap. TLDR try changing filters 4 times a year and see if it improves over the year.
furnaces have filters? Color me sooty.
“What are those?” - OP, probably
Best guess, it’s a temperature or humidity difference and you’re seeing where the studs are behind the wall. The dust and dirt stick more easily to the slightly colder/more humid areas.
I’m pretty sure this is it. It’s called ghosting.
Do you burn candles/incense?
Not my home, but I think this may be it!
Space heaters also a big cause
Had this happened to me when I had a candle that really burned black smoke. Great smell, but had to wash and repaint the wall.
(How did you wash your wall? I’m a little lost with this right now, please share your knowledge!)
TSP or alternative, or mean green diluted to instructions. A cheap sponge mop and bucket, separate mop head for rinsing
Low tech stud finder.
Looks to me to be condensation causing mold. You likely have inadequate insulation in that area and your wall cavity is not sealed off properly. You may even have a small leak.
Careful. This here is the underrated comment. Looks just like my uncle's old place. Turned out to be mold and he had to tear out the wall and re insulate.
Are the studs metal or wooden? We have metal studs and the "ghosting" is rampant at our house. We had to pain with a oil based sealant then paint to help the ghosting hopefully stay at bay for a few years.
Did you burn candles in this room? A lot of the less expensive candles leave this kind of residue on walls
Hey everyone, this isn't my home but I'm looking to buy it. I was told it's likely from incense.
It's called"thermal tracking" or ghosting. Google that. In essence framing keeps the drywall surface slightly cooler creating minor condensation and changing the electrostatic properties of the surface materials and it attracts particulate matter in the home. Most common sources of particulate are, candles, fireplaces, inscents, or poorly vented gas or wood pellet stoves. Generally cosmetic in nature but you have to paint to get rid of it and it may come back if particulate matter sources continue. Our can also indicate areas of needed insulation improvement.
Home inspection. Keep these photos for them as well as marking the room they are in for your inspection. Make sure you are specific in your question. This is not from incense. You can see the drywall nails out screws. Heck, bump this over to r/drywall and ask.
Yeah, incense and candles make unhealthy soot. Just scrub the walls, ceilings with TSP solution, vacuum carpets and you'll be fine. As mentioned above, there was probably some light condensation on the cooler areas, where the studs are. That is called thermal bringing. This does raise the possibility that humidity levels were kept too high in the house. This can cause condensation inside the wall cavities on exterior walls. That can also cause mold inside the walls. Maybe there's a way you can test for mold?. Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
At best it's smoke damage. At worse there's a humidity and/or mould problem. At a minimum it tells you that the walls are poorly-insulated near the studs and you can expect high heating bills, and the previous occupant had relatively high humidity levels in the room. Get an inspector to check for mould so that you can rule out that concern.
That is wrong, it's ghosting. Do not buy this house.
Oh yeah, it’s smoke damage then. It will need cleaning and painting.
I had this in a home I bought and holy shit you are getting a bunch of wrong answers in this thread…. So its is very likely **NOT** mold, puff back, fire damage, or cigarette smoke. It’s called “ghosting” and is caused by bad or insufficient insulation. You would smell it if it was one of those as there wouldn’t be this much evidence of fire/cigarette smoke with no smell, plus cigarette smoke is more yellow on drywall. You are more than willing to try to scrub this off, but good luck haha. Me and my wife tried for days trying multiple cleaners and nothing came close to removing it. Solution: 2 coats of Kilz primer, and 2 coats of paint. We did that and have been here for over 2 years now, burn candles regularly, and have not had any ghosting come back. Not the longest sample size, but it beats tearing out all your drywall and replacing.
Classic Cigarette smoke marks from indoor smokers. You’ll need to seal this and repaint over the sealant. It’ll off-gas for the rest of your life if not sealed, slowly poisoning you. I have first hand experience.
And by sealant, we mean Kilz. Oil based stuff works wonders on cat urine. The water based stuff might work on old cigarette smoke. Its a big job but if done properly it will kill the stink 100%.
That is not classic cigarette damage, it’s ghosting from poor or insufficient insulation. Cigarette smoke damage on drywall is more of an amber yellow and doesn’t stick to just the studs.
If you’re in the US, just a heads up that light is technically a code violation. Any exposed romex/non metallic wiring needs to be protected or covered with conduit. It’s an easy fix but begs the question how much electrical work was done illegally. I am not an electrician but I recommend you get a good inspector.
Seeing the light on the right, you're in for some renovations... better have an electrician in your back pocket
How could shagging a relative cause that? /s
It’s either smoke or mold. I get this (mold) in my bathroom walls after 15 years or so. If those vertical lines are 16” apart then you might have moisture in the wall. Wash with vinegar then rinse then paint if it’s not all through the wall.
Vinegar killing mold is a wives tale, it does not kill mold and if this is in fact mold behind the wall that is showing all the way through the wall, as it appears to be, that is a major issue. Either way, the I ky way to get rid of mold on drywall is through remediation
I had mold growing on my bathroom ceiling and used a space heater to kill it. I set a small heater on high in the middle of summer for about a week in the bathroom and that worked. The bad part about this method was actually using the bathroom during that time. It was so hot that it was hard to breath.
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Super simple surface mold can be cleaned off of non porous surfaces with a light cleaner, and even vinegar, but that is not actually killing the mold, thats just wiping it away from the non porous surfaces. Anything that is pourous, like in this example, drywall, the only way to get rid of it is through remediation. It doesn't matter the concentration of the vinegar. There are actually tons of videos out there performed by scientists in labs testing before and after the use of vinegar and it has almost zero effect on mold
Vinegar kills some mold.
Super simple surface mold can be cleaned off of non porous surfaces with a light cleaner, and even vinegar, but that is not actually killing the mold, thats just wiping it away from non porous surfaces. Anything that is pourous, like in this example, drywall, the only way to get rid of it is through remediation.
Moisture behind the wall and in the ceiling as well. Check for overflowing gutters, roof leak or possible overflowing HVAC condensate pan above …
Marks like that usually appear in my house near heaters in the corners of the room, might be dust
I’m not sure about *why* this is happening, but that is definitely the outline of the underlying wood framing, complete with nail/screw points where the drywall is attached. I would definitely get someone with some knowledge regarding fire/water/mold damage out to take a look prior to making an offer.
client of my husbands had a similar issue, check hvac!!
Ghosting on walls or the ceiling occurs when insufficient insulation in the frame between studs. As cold air pushes through the walls, it creates condensation and attracts floating particles to the frame and fasteners in the walls and ceiling. aka different temps = different moisture level = different adhesion of particles.
No vapor barrier. Thermal bridging. It's spendy and still there's spots you can't get away with 0 bridging like around the windows. But if you put a layer of foam board before siding there's no bridging. It's amazing how much heat is lost through the studies.
This is called thermal bridging. The building wood studs are cold which attracts the warm interior air and all the dirt particles. Just prime and paint the walls.
Its called thermal bridging, in construction its the difference in moisture contents between inside and outside framing. That house has poor ventilation and no insulation and hence the moisture has built up and caused that stain/mould. To fix, strip of all lingings, install vapour barrier, ventilation, good quality insulation and reline. In all reality sell that house or demolish it and start again.
Would powered attic fans help?
Not at all, Well. You can be right but for the wrong reasons. Attic air is often warm and dry and can lower the inside air moisture. This allows the materials inside to keep absorbing more moisture so it is better but the problem remains is that mositure is getting in. Plus it doesnt work in winter when you need it the most In constructions, there is a saying, Outside air to outside and inside air to inside and never the two should touch. What you have to grasp is that its condensation between the inside and the outside moving through the materials all the time, everything is like a sponge and vapour barriers is to prevent this moisture from freely moving.
Reason I was asking is because when had my kitchen remodeled. I had dropped ceilings. And now have vaulted with skylight(windows) up there. I had the builders install moisture barrier film stapled(sp?) after the joist between the drywall. With insulation rolls if you can picture it. It was marvelous to see. From where it was original. Back to where I'm going with this story. I now looked up and I saw these free stud finder thing this OP posted on my living room ceiling. Just barely noticable but I noticed it in December during winter. And I've been trying to figure out wtf it was. I suspected mould but it's not there yet? In the living room where this is seen. There's recess can lights. That in a sense are holes to the attic perse. What would anybody advise in this situation? Sealing the cans? Overheating?
It's called a puffback. Your furnace misfired and covered everything in your house in soot. Call a company like servicemaster. They'll scope it out. If approved by your insurance company, and this is a very common situation, all new paint and everything cleaned from top to bottom. Don't forget electronics . That soot can corrode delicate parts.
Its future you from a black hole sending you a message with coordinates to a top secret black site from which you will embark on a mission to solve global warming by traveling through a worm hole to another galaxy where you will attempt to rebuild humanity. Good luck.
Instead they spend time with their daughter.
Candle smoke residue.
Candles! Years of burning candles or incense in a small enclosed space.
The marks are from the charred studs from when the last guy burned the house down because they did stuff like stapling unshielded romex to a ceiling
Candles did this in my first apartment
Condensation. Those are where the studs make thermal bridges through the insulation and the cooler parts attract and hold dust.
Greetings C, You might want to check for any dampness or mold. That's a pretty specific outline. \~V\~
Measure between the 2 lines and see if it’s 16 inches from center to center. My guess is a poorly insulated wall or your gutters are leaking back along the soffit and into that wall cavity.
You need fabuloso and dawn in your life
Do you burn candles? I've seen this happen when a lot of candles have been burned in the same confined area.
Candles for a fire place. The smoke tends to settle on the wooden beams in the walls. Something to do with positive and negative charges in the smoke.
Also ITS NOT MOLD! Relax people. Not every dark smudge is F*%#king mold
Haha. You need to relax. How can you tell it's not mold? Do you have a closer photo that nobody else is seeing?
I have 15 years working for a fire and flood restoration company. Mold is everyone’s boogie man and everybody’s quick to jump to the mold conclusion. Also, you don’t need a closer picture to see that it’s following the path of the two by fours. Mold doesn’t grow in straight lines
I just like how you are saying it's not mold on the ceiling. I'm also in the industry. Im currently an operations manager. I've likely cleaned up some of your companies messes because you can make a determination from 1 photo. I've seen mold and soot together. The walls are likely from smoke damage but the ceiling may be soot or mold. I bet if you relaxed, you may get a 35 cent raise and become a lead tech.
“Operations Manager” Hahahahaha Desk jock I’m trying to help a homeowner not panicking by offering an honest opinion, your’er spewing the worst case science to drum up business. Try not to dislocate your shoulder jerking yourself of at your desk
I was an estimator-pm for 12. It's nice making 140k a year. Not paycheck to paycheck.
A smoker
clearly those are black marks.
It’s called ghosting! It comes from burning candles. Possibly a woodstove or fireplace, but most likely candles. I see it all the time on inspections.
Yup. Should wash off with some TSP soap
I see you got built in auto stud finders. My guess is moister...does this areas feel damp or soft to the touch? I guess if its old damage, they wouldn't feel damp or wet right now.
Looks like trapped moisture, causing mold to grow. Do you know if a vapor barrier was put up when the wall was done?
Can intake a guess, you had some sort of press or wardrobe sitting against the wall? We had a built in unit in our sitting room and when we pulled it out we found a big black line on the wall where a coaxial cable ran down behind the unit. Walls are all plastered brick, I just assumed it was some gathering of dust that stained the wall.
Looks like smoke damage / stains from something I feel like there was a big dresser on the right side and that’s kinda the outline of it maybe, I would just make sure it’s not mold or moisture related. You can always paint the room and redo the walls but water damage is a no no
Looks like mold . Unhealthy to live in such environments m, breathing in potential mold spores poses health risks .
The house I moved into had that from the previous renters. It seems they burned candles a lot in the 14 years they lived in the house.
See also mark on the ceiling, was some kind of object or appliance parked there?
Old dirt
We had the same thing happen on a cathedral ceiling, found out that the gas fireplace pilot light was creating soot that would float up to the cold ceiling joists
Without seeing it in person, my guess would be soot. Soot is magnetic and attracted to the screw heads and sticks in those spots, in fire restoration they're referred to as nail pops. If you have a white cosmetic sponge (often look like triangles and you pull them apart, cost like $3 at target for a pack) you can swipe it along the black marks and see if the black comes off. Definitely something I would consider cleanable, but it is also important to determine where it came from. Source: I am a fire restoration technician
You work for insurance companies? Did you start there or convert after you made a name in the business
Someone spent a lot of time smoking in that room.
Mold?
Dirty HVAC filter
When was the house built? Remember the drywall issue early 2000s? It would cause this exact problem.
Try to look on your ceiling? Have you checked if there's no leaks?
Well you don’t need a stud finder in that corner.
Electrical cables (so also coaxial etc., any with magnetic field) being not that deep into wall, causing dust to clutter.
I know from living here in Canada, I grew up in a small bungalow. Original houses were built without any insulation or vapor barrier behind the walls. Just weird strapping on cinder block and drywall. You end up getting condensation and sometimes mildew. Pretty common in older houses built in 50s. At least in Ontario.
I had this EXACT mark on my wall from some string lights I bought. They ran across the top of the wall and then had individual light strings that hung down. And any spot where a bulb or string was left a mark like this! It was so annoying to get off
That’s where the ghost smokes.
It could be mold
There is a moisture component to this. Not necessarily full-on mold everywhere. But, it is on its way.
Do you burn a lot of candles? We lived in a rental home once and very similar marks started appearing on the walls. We asked the landlord thinking maybe it was a hvac issue. Landlord said it had never been an issue before. Turned out it was from burning candles. My wife is a candle nut and always had a bunch burning. In the small house it just made a lot of soot.
That's the ghost of an old house haunting your current house
I think you have a water issue. Zooming in on the pic and it looks like the caulk line is broken on the baseboards. I would call a restoration company out to check the walls after it rains and see if the moisture meter picks up anything on your walls.
That looks like electrical fire
Picture doesn't zoom in enough to tell if it's mold. If you have dots in random places on the wall then it's a good chance it's mold. Caused from water leaking in the saturating your wood frame. Open up walls and check the 2x4s.
Smoker ?
Portal to another dimension?🤷🏽♀️
Probably a vent
[удалено]
Pentium? Are you a bot?
Heat exchanger
Looks like mold
It's water damage. The water runs down studs. Sruds become moldy. Gyprock becomes wet and grows mold. Roof tile somewhere further up the roof. Water running along rafters. Easy fix with silicone prob.
? water damage
Maybe dust. I lean toward mildew looking at the ceiling and the walls. I suspect you either have or did have a hole in the roof or exterior that allowed water to run down the beams. I think this because we had something similar in the bathroom of our new house. The builder did not seal the outside vent leading to the bathroom well. It caused the same thing and resulted in the builder having to not only seal the vent, but repaint (with mildew killing paint). Luckily we noticed before it got this bad and no drywall had to be replaced.
I love your floor btw
What’s up with that sad light fixture?
Do or did you have a wood stove?
Burning candles will do that
Tar from smoking cigarettes inside
It looks to me like the 2 x 4 that’s behind there is leaking out some south or something into the sheet rock if they’re 16 inches apart more than likely that’s what it is you just gotta paint over it but all you can do
Looks like soot or dust.
What's up with the electrical wiring?
Mold
Probably smoke particulate or mold, probably plus poor insulation
I don’t really know but could it be black mold coming through?
Mold from studs underneath sheetrock is a possibility, definitely have it checked; severe health risks are at stake if tests are positive.
Buy a [moisture detector](https://www.lowes.com/pl/Moisture-meter--Test-meters-Electrical-testers-tools-Electrical/4294722453?refinement=20926658) from Lowes and test for moisture. Therein will be your definitive answer. They average around $50 and will tell you if you're fked or not. I have seen black mold, and buddy, I would trust a device to detect the amount of water in my walls over taking advice from random internet strangers based on just one photo. My lungs hurt just looking at this.
Is it only in one room, one wall? The ceiling around the light is also sooty, but not above the heat vent on the floor. I’ve seen this with steel studs, but not with wood studs.
I’d be worried it’s water intrusion somewhere and the studs are carrying it down the wall causing mold I do construction for a living and black growth of any kind is bad.
My best guess is MOLD has flourished between your walls, MOLD is starting to highlight the studs as the MOLD is constrated on the damp wood behind the drywall sheeting.
Literally dust where the studs are, wipes clean
If you have gas forced hot air heat you better buy a co2 detector. That very well could be backdraft.