# Condensation/Leak on Cathedral ceiling with no attic.



## Ben Bernard (Mar 2, 2011)

I am admittedly new to the forum and I've read other forums on condensing at the ceiling interface, but nothing I felt that applied to my situation. Here we go:

I've recently inherited my mother's house and ripped down all of the ceiling tiles and drywall to remodel. The home has cathedral ceilings (in other words, the outer tar and gravel roof, tongue and groove wood planks, a 2x10, and tongue and groove on the inside ,in that order). The old insulation in the roof was worn down and settled beyond salvage, so in the course of electrical we cut misc. holes in the tongue and groove to pull out the old insulation and install new R-19 24" kraft faced batts.
Let me also mention that I've also removed the A/C unit and heater
We were so excited so finally finish electrical! I don't have the time to do the drywall so I have contracted it out.
Well, when they were installing the drywall they called me over to tell me some of the insulation was wet. I was curious as to if it was a roof leak or condensation, so I went on the roof with a hose and soaked the entire area at all different angles for an hour. No leak. It rained the next day, no leak. So I told them to button up the roof and move on, that it must just be a small amount of condensation.
The contractors call me today and tell me that the beams (three 2x10s that runs horizontally throughout the house that the rafter 2x10s are nailed to) were wet and it was making the drywall wet. I went on the roof and checked and some of the tar and gravel was loose, but not enough to soak end to end of the house (~75ft). I've attached a picture of one of the wet spots, but there are at least 5 of these spots in different places on the ridge of the roof in different rooms spanning the entire middle beams of the house.
These are my thoughts:
1, There are soffit vents but no ridge vent - doesn't this counteract the ideas of either venting the attic (would need a ridge vent) or unvented attic (with the soffit vents)?
2. I'm thinking if there were any roof leak we would have noticed that amount of water when the drywall was down (for about 3 months while we were doing the electrical).
3. If it is in fact condensation, will an a/c dehumidifying the air change this problem?
Any help is appreciated!! i have pictures of the wet spots if this would help.
By the way, I am in South Louisiana.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

You state that you removed the heater and the A/C. Is that what you meant? There is no heat in the house?
Or did you mean you replaced the units with new ones?
What's the temperatre difference between the interior and the exterior?
What's the humidity level in the house?
There is no picture posted.
Ron


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## Ben Bernard (Mar 2, 2011)

Correct. The original a/c and heater were removed and not put back in. There is no heating or cooling present in the house. I gutted the house down to the studs (EVERYTHING went), and drywall is just being hung-nailed and screwed but not yet taped and mudded.
There's a differential of about 15 degrees. Temperatures here are around 50 at night and mid 70s during the day. I don't have a Moisture probe but I'd assume the humidity is the same as outside air, or about 60% during the day and closer to 85-90% at night.
I apologize about the picture, it didn't upload. I'll upload one when I get home from work tonight.
Thanks for replying!


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

benbern125 said:


> Correct. The original a/c and heater were removed and not put back in. There is no heating or cooling present in the house. I gutted the house down to the studs (EVERYTHING went), and drywall is just being hung-nailed and screwed but not yet taped and mudded.
> There's a differential of about 15 degrees. Temperatures here are around 50 at night and mid 70s during the day. I don't have a Moisture probe but I'd assume the humidity is the same as outside air, or about 60% during the day and closer to 85-90% at night.
> I apologize about the picture, it didn't upload. I'll upload one when I get home from work tonight.
> Thanks for replying!


I don't know how you could have condensation if the house has no heat. The temps and humidity levels are almost the same.
Ron


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