Crummy ceiling surface

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matts19

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Please see attached....

The ceiling started to form this crummy surface and it is dry but spreading.. I have never seen anything like this.

Would someone kindly let me know what is happening ? The crumb feels hard with grits coming off when I rub it. It does not seem like peeling paint either because it is spreading fast. The picture is from yesterday - today this crummy pattern got bigger. Again it is dry and it is not insect poop or anything like that. I am totally stumped...

Thanks

KakaoTalk_Photo_2017-08-08-20-18-33_68.jpeg
 
Do you have bathroom or kitchen above this or if it has roof above has it rained?.

It has been raining and incidentally this started...so maybe it is leaks...?

Above this pattern is a roof - but close to the top ridge of the roof so I cannot really imagine leaks but I will take a look tomorrow and report back..
 
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It has been raining and incidentally this started...so maybe it is leaks...?

Above this pattern is a roof - but close to the top ridge of the roof so I cannot really imagine leaks but I will take a look tomorrow and report back..

It was just a thought, most time we find soft drywall but if you have plaster, it won;t get soft.
 
Mystery mostly solved... I just had to get into attic to what might be happening!

There is a central AC unit in the attic above the ceiling and the condensate drain is wet (but not dripping water at that moment in time).

I cannot tell whether the pvc pipe is leaking, or the condensate water is forming around the pipe even though pipe itself does not leak. Which is more likely scenario and does anyone know how I can test this ?

In the picture I hand-digged the wet (blown-in?) insulation and it was soggy all the way down to the ceiling.

Do you think I should try to replace the pipe myself or call a professional ? There is this U-shaped clear pipe that might be tricky to replace ?

Thank you

KakaoTalk_Photo_2017-08-09-09-55-20_22.jpeg
 
The condensate drains can get a scummy mold growing in them. Add some bleach to the line to kill it off and flush the line out. You should be able to just pop the red cap to get to the line. Since you have a cap on both sides of the trap you can also try snaking it out.

Also, put a small open container below the trap and see if any water drips into it. If it is an occasional drip it will evaporate out. This is kind of a safety measure. If it is dripping enough to fill the container you need to figure out where it is leaking and fix it. My HVAC guy had me do this under the connection to keep any drips from hitting the metal pan under the unit and to keep any drips from causing rust on the galvanized metal pan.
 
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If you are having high humidity it will be in the attic too and that pipe is carrying cold water. I would not suspect a leak but a pail under it would be a good idea.
 
I placed a pail under the U-tube and returned 24 hours later.

I collected about 1/2 cup of water. One side of U-tube was wet and the other half of it was dry; I suspect that there is a leak from one side of the tube, perhaps at the connector/joint. I suppose it points to a leak..

I will try replacing the tubing myself.. wish me good luck :)

Thank you all for you input!!
 

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