Doesn't Seem Right

9 years ago

In a nutshell: roof leak was fixed. Rain water was dripping thru ceiling fan but nowhere else on ceiling on first floor. No ceiling damage. Rented heavy duty dehumidifier and it has been pulling 2 gallons of water out every 24 hours for over a week. Have two fans pointed at ceiling. Hygrometer levels read 35 in area. Pin-type moisture meter shows highest levels of 20 in a couple of areas on ceiling. Should I continue using dehumidifier until it quits pulling water? Thank you.

Featured Answer

User

9 years ago

If the leak was actually fixed a week ago, you've removed 14 gallons of water weighing some 110+ pounds.

Has it been raining since the leak was fixed?

Is the area above the ceiling accessible?

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Comments (10)

pipsmom49
Original Author
9 years ago
Yes it's raining now and has rained since it was fixed. No sign of the leak since the first time I discovered it (even before it was fixed). Area above the ceiling would be in a bedroom with a hardwood floor...no sign of any water problems there.
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User
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You do not have snow on the roof, I assume.

Also, where is the ceiling fan with respect to the outer or exterior wall?
pipsmom49
Original Author
9 years ago
No, I'm in SoCal. Ceiling fan is near a bay window; roofer found leak in roof area covering the bay window; couple of cement tiles were out of place
User
9 years ago
The good news is you're finally getting prolonged rain in SoCal.

I've got nothing more to suggest - hopefully someone else will weigh in.

That said, if you never previously had a problem and the roofer "fixed" an issue, sounds as if he needs to come back.
pipsmom49
Original Author
9 years ago
SaltiDawg: Yes the rain is a good thing; the leak is not! I appreciate your help!
toxcrusadr
9 years ago
If you never ran a dehumidifier before, and it's been raining, it seems like some of that humidity could just be from the ambient air. Maybe a lot of it. You don't really know how much it would be pulling out of the air if there hadn't been a roof leak.

In my finished basement in the hot humid Missouri summer, I get a couple gallons of water every 24 hrs in my dehumidifier, and that's with the air conditioner running and the house closed up.
pipsmom49 thanked toxcrusadr
pipsmom49
Original Author
9 years ago
tox: I think you nailed it; thanks.
arcy_gw
9 years ago
The leak was fixed at the level of the fan, only? The source of the water needs to be found. Chances are the water followed a pipe/rafter along until it found a way out or the low spot in the ceiling. Since there is a room above the fan my guess would be a bathroom but not necessarily it could be from the roof above, a vent leaking water following the path of least resistance. Most free standing dehumidifiers have a two gallon holding tank. I have always heard everyone has to empty them daily, which is why many people attache a hose to a near by drain. Your meter readings mean nothing unless you can tell us what they read in an unaffected area. Is the ceiling drying or not?
pipsmom49
Original Author
9 years ago
arcy_gw: leak in roof tile found and fixed; ceiling opened up, dried, replaced; new fan going in today. Thanks.