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Water coming through ceiling fan next to air vent

Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:09 am
Posted by yomamak
Member since Feb 2008
591 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:09 am
Quick back drop of my situation. 1800sq house with a 4 ton unit (think I am a bit oversized). Old old house. Recently over the winter added a ton of insulation to the attic. Have a few soffit vents and two gable vents at each end of the house. With the new insulation I am able to keep my inside temp at 72 and last year before insulation 78 was about the best I could do.

So yesterday I noticed a drip from a ceiling fan that is right next to one of my vents. Not a huge drip but I could feel and see some moister in the fan and even saw some rust. I am guessing this is condensation from the vent but is it more likely my vent is leaking air right there or is the condensation coming from the air duct? The air handler is in a closet, not in the attic so its not the drain line. What is the best way to fix this, wrap the duct with insulation?
Posted by LSUDad
Still on the move
Member since May 2004
61738 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:16 am to
Check the A/C drain lines, check the A/C refrigerant lines.
Posted by yomamak
Member since Feb 2008
591 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:33 am to
Drain line was just checked last month along with refrigerant lines. Plus the drain line is below where this leak is.
Posted by Shexter
Prairieville
Member since Feb 2014
18919 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:35 am to

99% probably condensation that's running to the lowest spot around the fan.. The moisture is collecting around the cold duct just like condensation forms on a glass of ice water.
Is there insulation wrapped around the duct?
Check it from the attic side. If it's dripping that much, it should be easy to find.
Posted by LSUDad
Still on the move
Member since May 2004
61738 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:36 am to
Does this leak come close to a bathroom area?
Posted by yomamak
Member since Feb 2008
591 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:39 am to
quote:

Does this leak come close to a bathroom area?


No, pretty far from it actually.
Posted by yomamak
Member since Feb 2008
591 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 8:40 am to
quote:

Is there insulation wrapped around the duct?


There is but it's starting to be worn out and old. I have been in the house for 11 years so it's at least that old.
Posted by ItzMe1972
Member since Dec 2013
12115 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 9:14 am to
i"ve had a similar issue with no dripping. Just rust and moisture on one of the registers.

I piled insulation over the area in the attic to seperate the hot attic and cold room below. It seems to have corrected it or limited it.

Make sure no air is leaking out where the register and duct tie into each other.
Posted by Turnblad85
Member since Sep 2022
4209 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 9:25 am to
Something is cold and getting warm exterior air flowing around/across the cold area. This could be the fan getting cold air blown on it and some warm air is leaking thorough ceiling around electric box and condensing on cold metal parts.

More likely is a either a duct or refrigerant line has compromised insulation. Or more specifically, the vapor barrier around the insulation. On a duct this is the outer foil layer. On suction refrigerant line this is the armaflex (looks like pipe insulation). Its a closed cell foam that does the job of insulation and vapor barrier.

If either of these has a broken/leaking vapor barrier it will allow the humid-arse attic air to find the cold duct/pipe and start condensing water.

This should be easily sussed out by going up there and seeing if either a duct or refrigerant line is in an area for it to be possible to drip down near the fans electric box.
Posted by RaginRampage
Detroit Lions Fan
Member since Feb 2018
270 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 9:38 am to
quote:

duct


I've seen in older houses where the ducts are just run through the gaps in the joists and can create moisture nightmares.
If this is the case, It might be worth having an AC company quote you on hanging your ducts from the rafters, which I'm pretty sure is standard in most newer houses. It might even be something you could DIY.

Posted by Turnblad85
Member since Sep 2022
4209 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 11:14 am to
thats a good point and something I left out. Ducts can be perfectly sealed but If they are half buried in insulation, that can insulate the vapor barrier jacket and drop it below the attic dewpoint. Code in most places it that the ducts must be hung above the attic insulation. Counter-intuitive for sure.
Posted by notbilly
alter
Member since Sep 2015
6674 posts
Posted on 7/8/24 at 2:48 pm to
quote:

This could be the fan getting cold air blown on it and some warm air is leaking thorough ceiling around electric box and condensing on cold metal parts.


I had an issue similar to this. In a bathroom, I had a light fixture with condensation all around it. I went in the attice and noticed very little insulation on top of it and around it. Cold air from below was going into the hot attic and condensation was forming. I put insulation there to keep the air in and haven't had any more condensation since.
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