Question

Anyone have any experience with shadowing on their ceiling? This is our first time owning a home with an attic. I’ve heard this is common with houses that have attics.  

Answer 1

Like this (this isn’t my house) they are like perfect straight lines it mirrors the attic framing

Answer 2

Shadowing? Not sure what you mean

Answer 3

Could be mold

Answer 4

Candles leave marks like this on my ceiling

Answer 5

I’m assuming it’s our fire place and candles just looks not good

Comments

@fallingout its the fire place residue

Answer 6

Shadowing? What’s that?  

Answer 7

Hmmmm. Equal distance apart?  

Comments

@dowdy Petrik yes like a grid

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@fallingout measure it. My guess is it’s the width of the plasterboard and length of the plasterboard. What you call shadowing are the joint lines that are taped, mudded, then sanded. If someone went in the attic and stepped off the rafters they probably cracked the seams. Easy to patch but once seen, can’t be unseen. Just painting over it won’t work. But it’s not really shadows and it’s not caused by the attic, although it might be caused by someone who didn’t know he shouldn’t just walk or crawl around on anything up there.  

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@dowdy Petrik no the lines are black and sooty

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@fallingout @dowdy is correct that those locations are the joist lines, however I suspect that the cause of the discoloring if black and sooty is small amounts of moisture collecting on the ceiling at the joists, especially because of having a fireplace and candles. Joists sometimes have less insulation than the surrounding ceiling, so you may want to have someone check to see if whatever type of insulation you have (batts, loose blown, foam) is covering the wood joists. Adding more insulation will prevent moisture from collecting and soaking up soot from fireplaces, candles, etc.  

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Adding insulation is a relatively easy and affordable solution. You can use Killz primer sold at most home improvement stores on the ceiling to kill any mold and cover the shadowy parts and then paint over.  

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@shannon thank you this what I thought it was! Just stinks cause we just moved in and it’s an eye sore!  

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@fallingout No problem and I completely understand being in the profession. A friend moved into a home that had a similar issue and it can be bothersome as it usually only shows up in winter when it gets cold.  

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You could try a magic eraser sponge from me clean. scrub some of it away.  

Answer 8

Is their radiant heating in the building?  

Comments

@chere no there is not and it’s a houseb

Answer 9

I left candles on to long and my walls got smoked up.  and the 2×4s show through more.