# Ceiling blister that comes and goes?



## need2speed75 (Mar 12, 2012)

Hello. This one area in my 1st floor ceiling just started doing this at this one spot. I've been in this house for 3 years and never seen this. A bathroom is right above and we used it many times and never seen this. On the day this happened, it was very humid outside 70%+ and we had windows opened. When shut the windows to turn on the A/C, it began to dissipate and within a day, gone. Now, it comes and goes with the a/c running, but nothing as bad as that day, more of a slight blister, but would go away within same day. It's been over a month and I don't see any paint peeling or discoloration or water dripping. In fact, I ran the shower/bath for an hour to test and didn't see this blister happening or a week after. Any advice would be great! BTW, the pics were taken the day it first happened and at its worst.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

My guess would be a small leak. It leaks enough to bubble then the water soaks into the surrounding drywall and the paint pulls back up. The next time it bubbles stick a pin in it and see if you get any water.


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## need2speed75 (Mar 12, 2012)

ToolSeeker said:


> My guess would be a small leak. It leaks enough to bubble then the water soaks into the surrounding drywall and the paint pulls back up. The next time it bubbles stick a pin in it and see if you get any water.


I actually put a small hole in the plaster, about nickle size in diameter and 1/4 deep, right in the center part of the blister and no water leak, discoloration or dampness.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Could be that the high humidity is making the framing swell just enough to pop a loose area of drywall tape. Also, Toolseeker could be correct about a small leak from the bathroom and it's following along a ceiling joist where the drywall sheets meet forming a seam. Doesn't take much of a leak to produce results like you are seeing. Of course, in the end, the best way to find out what's going on is to cut away the drywall in that area to see what the problem is.


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## need2speed75 (Mar 12, 2012)

Gymschu and Toolseeker, how do I begin to see if it's a leak? Should I have a drywall guy cut through the plaster and then a plumber to see? ONce you cut away the plaster would there signs of water damage? I'm not sure who to contact for this?


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Before we do any cutting, what is above this area? Is there a second story or attic? If second story and a bath I would check the bath. Check around the tub or shower inclosure for signs of caulk that is loose or missing. Check around the fixtures especially in the shower. Check around tub or shower for grout that may be missing or cracked.

Also make these checks around the baseboards. Could be just leaking when floor is being mopped. If an attic above go up and spend some time looking for any water intrusion from the roof. 

If this is a moisture issue, and I think it is, it is a small leak or the area would have gotten bigger. If you find nothing from the above suggestions I would cut out the paint that is loose and look for any signs of moisture, discoloring of the drywall or plaster, feels damp or wet, then watch the area for a while. I would try all this before cutting for such a small leak.


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## scottktmrider (Jul 1, 2012)

It looks more like movement. in my house when I bought it the previous owners converted the carport into a bedroom that's on a concrete slab. every winter the wall that connects to the house the inside corner the tape looks like yours. than when the weather warms up it goes back and looks like nothing ever happened.I figured its movement in the slab


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## need2speed75 (Mar 12, 2012)

scottktmrider said:


> It looks more like movement. in my house when I bought it the previous owners converted the carport into a bedroom that's on a concrete slab. every winter the wall that connects to the house the inside corner the tape looks like yours. than when the weather warms up it goes back and looks like nothing ever happened.I figured its movement in the slab


Hello Scott, can you further explain movement? It seems to happen when we open the windows for couple of days straight and in high humidity. Since this happened, we see it once in a week or two, but nothing as near pronounce, just tiny bit, barely noticeable. This is with windows close and a/c on. It would come and go. Some further information, the only think I can think of was a poorly plaster job done and the high humidity just screw it up. Also, you can't see from the picture, but the blister is along the border that divided the newly repainted/plaster ceiling and the original /plaster ceiling if that makes any sense. It seems the previous owner did some paint job or sort on half the ceiling.


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## jogr (Jul 24, 2007)

need2speed75 said:


> Also, you can't see from the picture, but the blister is along the border that divided the newly repainted/plaster ceiling and the original /plaster ceiling if that makes any sense. It seems the previous owner did some paint job or sort on half the ceiling.


 
This is important information you didn't mention before. Was there a wall there previously? Why was the new section of ceiling put in?


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## scottktmrider (Jul 1, 2012)

need2speed75 said:


> Hello Scott, can you further explain movement? It seems to happen when we open the windows for couple of days straight and in high humidity. Since this happened, we see it once in a week or two, but nothing as near pronounce, just tiny bit, barely noticeable. This is with windows close and a/c on. It would come and go. Some further information, the only think I can think of was a poorly plaster job done and the high humidity just screw it up. Also, you can't see from the picture, but the blister is along the border that divided the newly repainted/plaster ceiling and the original /plaster ceiling if that makes any sense. It seems the previous owner did some paint job or sort on half the ceiling.


I had concrete movement, sounds like you have wood expanding, you might try a de humidifier, or put an expansion joint in the ceiling, lol


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## need2speed75 (Mar 12, 2012)

jogr said:


> This is important information you didn't mention before. Was there a wall there previously? Why was the new section of ceiling put in?


The ceiling has always been there, but one can tell the "paint job" is two different shades and so is the pattern. Going back to the disclosure form, the bathroom above had a broken pipe which was replaced in 2008. This resulted in the P.O. to re do the plaster and everything for that part of the ceiling. Maybe a crappy job along the "seam" of the old and new portion?


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

One thing about the plaster part of that ceiling. If there was indeed a substantial leak in 2008, plaster is like a sponge in that it can hold moisture for a long time. So, if the redo of the ceiling was done shortly after that redo, well, there could be moisture trapped in that seam between plaster and drywall. Maybe not, but the possibility is there.

I don't know how good your drywall skills may be, but, at this point if you can't find a leak and you're not sure about "movement" perhaps the best thing to do is cut out that bad seam and redo it. At this point you really are out of options.


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## scottktmrider (Jul 1, 2012)

If you are going to try to repair this I would use a quality tape like no coat or straight flex


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