# Mystery Droplets on my ceiling and walls

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-droplets-on-my-ceiling-and-walls/970261>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 25, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-droplets-on-my-ceiling-and-walls/970261 "2022-08-25T00:20:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-droplets-on-my-ceiling-and-walls/970261/1 "2022-08-25T00:20:57Z")

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In the exact center of my ceiling there is a strip about 12" wide that runs across my ceiling runs into the two adjoining walls and goes down the wall toward the floor like a horseshoe shape. The droplets look and dry hard like varnish. I have no clue why they would only be in the one area and I have no clue what it is. Kind of a yellow color. There is an electrical wire in the attic above this spot in the ceiling. Could it be attracting cooking grease droplets?

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**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-droplets-on-my-ceiling-and-walls/970261/2 "2022-08-25T00:26:48Z")

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Pine sap, maybe? Sweated out from beams in the attic on a hot day, then dripping through a crack in the ceiling.

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**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-droplets-on-my-ceiling-and-walls/970261/3 "2022-08-25T01:25:18Z")

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My first guess is a leak in the roof. Water travels in ceilings and walls and comes out in weird unexpected places and sometimes picks up strange stuff. How old is the house?

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**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-droplets-on-my-ceiling-and-walls/970261/4 "2022-08-25T07:53:30Z")

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Usually stains indicate a moisture issue from either a leaking roof, sweating a/c duct or animal urine. Racoons occasionally enjoy nesting in attics. I’ve also seen homes with the a/c air handler located in the attic resulting in a leak from the condensation drain system.

I can’t imagine the electrical wire is involved unless it’s allowing moisture from another area to run down the wire and follow it’s path to the ceiling area.