Originally Posted By: sandra simkus This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
My husband and I bought a new home 3 years ago. We knew there was a problem when each year during the late winter/ early spring we had a leak in the cathedral ceiling over the living room/ dining room area. Since the builder would do absolutely nothing about it, we were forced to hire a lawyer and threaten to sue. The lawyer also has us hire a structural engineer who discovered that there was no ventilation in any portion of the roof. The ridge vents were never cut and the gable vent is just for decorative purposes. Part of the roof has since been replaced but there is still one troubling problem. The entry way is 2 stories, so there is a portion of wall that drops to where it meets the cathedral ceiling. On this wall there is a dark line where every 2 X 4 is located. The nail heads are also turning black, and these show up as “polka dots”. I have also noticed that the outside wall on the other end of the room is showing these lines and darkened nail heads. Has anyone seen this? The builder just wants to paint over it.
Originally Posted By: Richard Stanley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Leak (water) plus no ventilation equals fungal growth. No way to tell for sure without inspection but your suspicion is very possible. Get an inspector to check the interior side of the wall for fungus or moisture presence or damage. You may have to allow disassembly of wall components for full inspection. Other possibility is that you have been smoking bad pot in the house!!!
Originally Posted By: dvalley This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Great article Mark,
This article should be read by all homeowners who have a firplace with hvac heating. I've seen candle soot in several of the homes that I've inspected.
I've had customers ask me why there was blackening on the walls or around the window trim and I told them that someone liked the effect of glowing candles around the house, maybe for incense reasons or just to give the house a different effect.
As for the fireplace causing soot damage, I would advise people with HVAC heating that burning a fireplace in the winter while the heat is on, will definately cause blackening of the walls.
Take Care, 
Originally Posted By: ekartal This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Hi Sandra, here’s another opinion!
The roof leak may have been from defective or missing flashing around a vent stack. As far as the wall problem, the black streaks on the wall are referred to as "ghosting". The surface of the wall studs are cooler than the air inside the home. Condensation forms leaving the "streak". This is generally a winter problem. Insufficient insulation may be the culprit. No way any of us can tell for sure without being there.
