Well water is dripping quite steadily from my ceiling about a a foot out from my vent opening. I am thinking it is from condensation(and a lot of it) for it started as soon as i turned up my air conditioning. Now it does not always do this so I am thinking its humidity/condensation. Has any of you had this problem? The plaster is kinda bubbled out from the water and everything. Water is not pouring but its a slow drip...drip...drip...and its slowly stopping and drying since i turned the air off. WILL BUYING A SMALL INEXPENSIVE DEHUMIDIFIER FOR THAT ROOM SOLVE THE PROBLEM?
2007-08-30 15:50:14 · 8 answers · asked by hls 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Do It Yourself (DIY)
just to add. this problem happens once in a blue moon, i run the air a million times without issues thats why i am thinking its humidity. also i am on the middle floor on a 3 story apartment complex and it is not near any pipes where there is running water, nowhere near a torlet etc.... also please state ypour sources. thanks
2007-08-30 16:48:50 · update #1
If it,s an appartment complex do you own it? if not, it,s the owner,s problem call the landlord. But my guess is the ac unit needs to be opened up and cleaned. It sounds like the drain is clogged coming out of it and it,s backing up into the wall or under the floor. Is your floor damp by or underneath the unit? i would call the owner.
2007-08-31 09:02:34 · answer #1 · answered by noteethontop 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, a dehumidifier won't help. An aircondition works like a dehumidifier and takes water out of the air as it cools it. That is why it has a drain pipe to let this water run out. This sounds like you have water coming in from the roof or a room above the ceiling. Is your air conditioner up there? Maybe it is frozen up in the condensation pipe that takes the water out of the house or dumps it in a drain. There could also be sediment in the pipe or drain that plugs it up. If it doesn't leak as bad when it's off, that sounds like the problem. But, if your AC system isn't up there is there is a toilet that runs it may that have a faulty pipe or seal and run for awhile after being flushed? Or a shower could be leaking behind a loose tile or loose grout or behind the wall in the pipes. It would take awhile for the water to seep through the ceiling and, I assume, latex paint.
2007-08-30 16:03:15 · answer #2 · answered by realbohemian 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have it right. Hot humid air around your ducting in the attic is changed into water when the cold air runs through them. The colder and slower the air flow through your ducting the greater condensation! We have just had the same problem today. Ours case was two fold. Some insulation in the exchange unit was blocking about half the air flow and some of the insulation around the ducting was off on the underside. Water has made it's way through the ceiling at the vent and another place.
2007-08-30 16:16:10 · answer #3 · answered by journeyman505 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cold air is hitting hot moist air. You say the dripping is 2 feet from the vent. You may have a duct leak above this area. If you can get to it Thur the crawl space take a look. You might also try redirecting the vents the proper way is to have them pointed so the air goes across the ceiling and then the cold air falls.
2007-08-30 17:13:01 · answer #4 · answered by worknlakeside 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A dehumidifier won't solve the problem. If it's a swamp cooler that needs a float adjustment that should solve the proble if you have it serviced. The roof may also need repair and you will need to tear out the plaster that has been wet and replace it to prevent mold.
It's a lot of work now, but will be a lot of time and money if you don't fix the problem now.
2007-08-30 16:03:31 · answer #5 · answered by RT 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You want any condensation to be directed to a drainpipe, preferably to the outside of the house. Putting a dehumidifier in the room won't stop the problem AND it produces heat from its motor, thus making the A/C work harder, thereby producing more condensation. Call a *licensed* HVAC company to diagnose and advise.
2007-08-30 16:01:12 · answer #6 · answered by Dept. of Redundancy Department 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I DOUBT that's condensation... I think your Air Conditioning Unit is NOT venting off the Condenser Water the way it's supposed to. Have someone check it out- BEFORE it starts doing MAJOR damage to your ceiling & walls (no kidding- but your ceiling could come down if it gets waterlogged enough!). :0
2007-08-30 16:03:44 · answer #7 · answered by Joseph, II 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a dehumidifier wont fix the problem either.you need to find out where the water is coming from. it may be condensation from some plumbing in your ceiling going upstairs.these pipes need to be wrapped with insulation to prevent this type of problem that could lead to you getting mold growing up there that can make you sick.
2007-08-31 17:15:06 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋