Condensation like wildfire

[cjmort]

Hi all. I have discussed this before in here just l want more info. FYI this is not a leak. This only ever started when o took the hallway wall down behind the pillar the condensation started on. Since then it has started on both sides of the wall and is spreading daily even after I dry it out completely. (It takes 5 minutes to dry which tells me it’s just surface dampness)

The reason I know this isn’t a leak, is the mark appeared weeks and weeks ago and stopped when I had only take PART of the hallway ceiling down (I then assumed it was cold air getting under the floor upstairs and causing cold air to penetrate the wall)

Anyway, that then stopped, nothing ever happened until 3 weeks ago when I took the entire wall down, it went wild. I have since rebuilt the wall in timber and boarded it, and it’s still happening

Image 1 the condensation with paint removed

Image 2 the back of that wall (by stairs)

Image 3 is the new hallway wall that id previously removed that seemed to have started it

 

[JohnD]

Picture 2 "not a leak" you say. Are you constantly boiling a kettle under the damp patch?

Tape a piece of clear plastic or clingfilm tightly to the wall or ceiling covering the damp patch.

If it is condensation, water will form on the room side of the plastic.

If the wall or ceiling is damp, water will collect behind the plastic.

Can you show us a photo of what's above the ceiling at that point?

 

[cjmort]

Ok great will try this. Yes I will pull floorboards up over the weekend. There is no pipe work there as it’s a block pillar with an RSJ. Also reason for my thinking is this started months prior when I took a small part of the hallway ceiling down, stopped, and then started again once I removed the hallway wall, leading me to think it’s some sort of cold air.

Once I dry it, it stays dry for a good while and also dries very quickly