Water stain on basement drop ceiling next to exterior wall

[Peter Louis]

The exterior is brick veneer & wood siding with a chimney adjacent. A small stain on the drop ceiling next to wall & mark on the floor joist as well. The exterior wall looks fine. where is the water from? Condensate or leaking? 1988 house

Thanks

[Michael Dennison]

I can see the middle picture fairly well but are having trouble putting the 1st and 3rd pics into perspective of what I am looking at.

Do you have a picture from a higher angle showing the junction of the wood siding and the brick?

[Billy Stephens]

The exterior is brick veneer & wood siding with a chimney adjacent. A small stain on the drop ceiling next to wall & mark on the floor joist as well. The exterior wall looks fine. where is the water from? Condensate or leaking? 1988 house

Thanks
.
The Stain on the Ceiling Tile appears too large for condensation , I'd look for leak.
.

[Eric Barker]

What if the tile was not stained at that location?

[Peter Louis]

Could it be by the masonry chimney which cold draft caused spot condensate? or previous leaking from chimney flashing

[Stephen G]

My thoughts as well.


What if the tile was not stained at that location?

[Steven Turetsky]

The transition from siding to veneer can certainly be a trouble spot. But you say the ceiling is leaking, isn't that below the ceiling?

With 1st and 3rd, post some far away photos, so I can visualize what I am looking at.

In a building that size, I agree that it is not condensation... unless there is a leaking condensation drain or some other unusual condition.

[John Kogel]

The dropped ceiling usually is added to cover up a bunch of unsightly ducts and plumbing pipes. The stains are usually from dripping plumbing pipes. Sometimes the copper cold pipe will sweat a bit, but more likely it was a leak, maybe a dripping drain pipe.

At sea level in Southern BC, brickwork against a wall doesn't get cold enough to cause condensation. Any moisture behind bricks will be due to rain leaking in.