Large Aquarium - Condensation on ceiling??

wicked1 · #1 01/03/2007, 01:56 PM

I setup a new 220 gallon aquarium last year. A little while before I setup the new aquarium I had a new roof put on my house. It was this way for a couple of months w/ no problems. Then before the winter I put in all new insulation in my attic.
Ever since, whenever it rains or maybe even whenever it is very humid (we haven't had an extremely humid day w/out rain since I put in the insulation, so Im not sure on this one) , my ceiling drips in 2 of the corners of my house. I have had the roofer back out twice, and he can not find any problems.
Before I call the roofer again, is it possible that Im seeing condensation from all the evaporation from this aquarium? It looses almost 10 gallons a week to evaporation!
the drips are always coming from the same spots, and it does look like the drywall in those corners is saturated, so a leaking roof would make sense. We just can't find the leak anywhere!
The only strange thing is that the new roof was on, and the aquarium setup for months w/out problem, then after the insulation, I get the leaking.

Any ideas??
Thanks

D659600 · #2 01/03/2007, 02:41 PM

Have you checked the insulation to see if it is moist? I dont think it is your tank, unless it is right over the tank and you have short ceilings with no air movement. Go in the attic while someone sprays the roof with water and see if you can see any water. I am brain storming. Do any of the shingles look out of place? Also, how many layers of shingles are on the house?

Hormigaquatica · #3 01/03/2007, 02:51 PM

Its possible, but very unlikely that the tank is the cause. I would get the roofer back out there (or maybe a different roofer just to inspect the other guys work...).

10gal a week on that size tank isnt that unheard of btw; my 240 can easily double that amount. You just need to make sure you have good ventilation around the tank or it can cause some increase in humidity and maybe some slight damage long term, but what youre seeing is a little too extreme to be due to just evaporation IMO.

flfirefighter13 · #4 01/03/2007, 06:29 PM

Also take a close look atr ac ducts and any other plumbing or electrical in the ceiling. I have seen ac ducts geta small tear in the fiberglass and have a condensation drip that would run across the house on a plumbing pipe and drip in very distant areas. Ive seen roofers miss this cause they had tunnel vision looking up and not down to see where the water can be traveling from. Ive also seen water pipes leak and the water drip from the pipe 50 feet away, had just the right slope and no hanger for a distance that touched the pipe.

scottfarcuz · #5 01/03/2007, 06:54 PM

If insulation was blown into the attic with no reagrd for keeping the soffit vent open it could be warming the attic space to the point moisture is condensating inside the attic. Were baffles installed in the soffits to prevent blocking the vents? I am assumng it also has soffit vents?

wicked1 · #6 01/03/2007, 08:55 PM

yes.. soffit vents and baffles were installed. There are no pipes or anything in the attic. It is the 2 exterior corners of the house. I tore the soffits off on those corners of the house today, and they are dry in there. The masonry wall goes up above where I can see into the attic.. but just outside of the wet spot is dry. I have looked in the attic, and it doesn't appear to be wet. I have not crawled to those corners to look at them more closely from above. That will be the next step. I just hate to do it, because my insulation goes WAY above the tops of the rafters. I will have to crush a lot of it to get there.

flfirefighter13 · #7 01/03/2007, 10:02 PM

push the insulation out of the way and buy some new stuff if you have to, will be much cheaper to ensure you know where the problem is than to end up with a major repair bill from leaking roof or something.

cdangel0 · #8 01/04/2007, 05:08 PM

Check to see that the insulation is not gapped in the spots above the drips - not sure where your from but with winter arriving if the air in the attic is cold, and the air in the house is warm and humid due to tank evaporation, you could very well end up w/ condensation on your ceiling.

Think bathroom mirror after your shower.

H20ENG · #9 01/04/2007, 08:22 PM

My first thoughts are like cdangel0, above. I'm wondering if the insulators missed a spot, allowing that section of ceiling to cool off more that the rest of the room. if you can get a hold of an IR thermometer ($50 point and shoot, laser type) it will tell you in an instant.
If not an insulation problem, it could be that the building materials are simply transferring heat away from those spots. Yes wood and drywall will still transfer a bit of heat, though not like metal. If in very close proximity (outside wall, as you said) then it could be the culprit. In many very cold climates, special care is taken to ensure the inside materials are "thermally broken" to the outside materials.

Where are you located / what is the outside temp? You may need to look into an HRV to keep the RH lower.

Please let us know what you find. Puzzles like this are always nice to hear the final answer.
Good luck!

BurntOutReefer · #10 01/05/2007, 07:56 PM

worst case...invest in a good de-humidfier....

rayjay · #11 01/05/2007, 10:06 PM

In my opinion, it is the cause and the best way to remedie it is to install an HRV.
I had to replace all my windows and doors, and have yet to replace the damaged drywall, all because I left mine too long before I did anything about it.
I have no problems with the humidity now since I installed my HRV.

ARNETT · #12 01/08/2007, 01:40 AM

So is the back side of the roof wet are damp if so it could be not
vented good I had to install a roo house fan in my attic that turn on when it get to humid ! Does it due this when its not raining out side or did the roofer not use ice gard on the edge of the roof we call it ice gard here dont know what they call it there ! ITS RUBER UNDER LAYMENT THAT STICKS TO THE WOOD AND KEEPS WATER FROM WORKING ITS WAY UP THE ROOF
iTS NOT USED EVERY WERE i THINK

wicked1 · #13 01/08/2007, 12:05 PM

I'll crawl up in the attic and get some more info. If it is an internal problem (roof not leaking) then that HRV system sounds great! Fresh air is always a big concern of mine. I'll often have a window cracked, even in the cold winter, just to get some fresh air. The HRV system sounds great!
My wife is an architect, and she hadn't ever heard of them! (things are a little slow making their way to St. louis)

Thanks

ARNETT · #14 01/11/2007, 09:11 PM

Does your furances have a cold air in take for freash air ?
All it is is a outside vent that lets some outside air in to mix with your cold air return ! On the furance its C.O.D. now on new homes where I live but most homes dont have it

siding88 · #15 01/11/2007, 09:18 PM

just remember that just where u see water on the ceiling doesnt usually mean thats where the leak is, water will follow the trusses so look closely in the attic, just part of my job always have to prove the roofers wrong when building new construction

BeanAnimal · #16 01/11/2007, 11:35 PM

This is almost surely from the tank, not a leaky roof. You have warm moist air that is condensating on a cooler surface. The scary part is that it could be in an area that you do not see and the wet corners are the spot where it is draining to.

A local reefer just moved his 500, 225 and 1something into a well sealed 3 story townhouse. While moving some stuff to the attic, they noticed a tremendous amount of water collecting there. The water vapor from the tank was making it all the wat to the attic, where it was then condensating.

You are certainly a candidate for an HRV or similar air exchange device or a dehumidifier.

Bean