Thread: Red/ Brownish Moisture from behind cedar siding

Came across this moisture condition on the exterior of a 1920's home. Cedar siding shingles. (Say that 5x fast). The first 2 photos are from underneath a porch ceiling, a few feet back from being exposed. The third is from the north exterior wall of the home. Nowhere else. Note that the top course is clean. The reddish brown moisture (watery) is flowing from behind the siding to the face. There was wood paneling with no evidence of moisture on the interior side of these walls. The young resident of the home said he tasted it at one point and it tasted of cedar pitch. Has anyone seen this before?

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HE TASTED IT?

Yeah he was the kid on the couch that slept through the first 30min of the inspection and put in a dip to start the morning. Said he tasted it because "That's just the kind of guy I am."

I had something similar recently, cedar bevel plank siding. There was a leaking chimney flashing, which I could see in the attic. The leak was causing water to run along the top plate of the wall until it could find a path down behind the topmost siding plank. The stains were several feet to the right of the chimney.

That roof is probably leaking. Don't worry about the kid. He'll survive to become a topnotch pest inspector. "Hmm, round droppings with a nutty flavor".

He knew what cedar pitch tasted like!!! - Obviously a connoiseur.

ip

The siding appeared to have been recently applied (square edges, limited wear) and this condition appear to have been around too long. Could this be improper sealant on the cedar making the tannic acid flow with condensed water that should have breathed through the shingles? The only areas this was happening were where there was a low soffit or porch ceiling above......?

It could be tannins leaching out of the wood framing, the cedar shingles or who knows what. Did a moisture meter indicate elevated levels of moisture on the interior walls in those areas? You did check it with a moisture meter I hope???

This is due to water that has been / is in the wall. Since there is no apparent flashing above the brick work it's likely that the water has entered down behind the brick as well.

Originally Posted by Luc V. L.

Came across this moisture condition on the exterior of a 1920's home. Cedar siding shingles. (Say that 5x fast). The first 2 photos are from underneath a porch ceiling, a few feet back from being exposed. The third is from the north exterior wall of the home. Nowhere else. Note that the top course is clean. The reddish brown moisture (watery) is flowing from behind the siding to the face. There was wood paneling with no evidence of moisture on the interior side of these walls. The young resident of the home said he tasted it at one point and it tasted of cedar pitch. Has anyone seen this before?

I have seen things like this that turned out to be inadequate ventilation in the attic. Moisture had condensed on the roof sheathing, run down the sheathing where it dripped onto the exterior wall top plate and then down the inside face of the siding where it leaked-out at the horizontal laps.

what is on the otherside of the wall inside? bathroom or kitchen? could the mositure be comeing from inside the house? otherwise I would be looking to the roof and flashings. this is where a good olde water hose comes into play. as for the taste if it smells like cedar and looks like cedar and tastes like cedar my bet it sure isn't pine.... I vote for it being cedar lol

The interior walls were of a bonus room/ office so probably not coming from in there but rather the condensation in the attic space observed above that region of the home like Gunnar suggested. There were no soffit vents and only 4 ridge vents present so the story is shaping up..... Thanks all for the replies.