something red'ish dripping from duct in ceiling

[jbagnall]

Hello-

Went to check on my camper before it's time open it up. I have visited a couple times this winter, but this time I noticed a lot of red fluid (almost blood looking) dripping from the air duct in the ceiling of the master bathroom. When we first bought the camper two seasons ago, I noticed some staining in the same area and just cleaned it up and never thought about it since. I did poke my head up there as far as I could when we first got the camper and didn't see anything unusual.

As far as I know - mice urine is yellow or blue'ish - so not sure what this red could be. No other signs of rodents anywhere. Could my AC be leaking something?

I didn't snap any pictures at the time, unfortunately, and the camper is about an hour away. Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[Grumpy]

I don't remember a/c oil being red. There is a red/pink mold, but not dark red.

 

[jbagnall]

Yeah it's hard to tell the color. Red/pink or red. Looked kinda like power steering fluid to me.

I forgot to add that I did hop on the roof and it all seemed fine and clean up there.

I have read a bit about this red/pink mold - what's that all about? The camper has been unused in the midwest winter since about last October.

All cabinets and stuff are open for airflow, and there are a couple of those damprid buckets throughout the camper. One even in the master bedroom.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

It might be that there has been some leaking that has saturated some luan plywood, if this is part of your roof skin structure under the membrane. This will create a dark stain liquid if its been going on for a long time. Have you walked on the roof instead of just looking at it and possibly found any soft spots? I bet that's what you are dealing with, which will create an oozing if its been going on for any length of time. I would recheck in the area that you are getting the liquid or pink staining in your overhead.

 

[jbagnall]

Thanks. The roof looks great, but there are always some bouncy spots when I'm walking around up there. I'll have my wife hop up there next time we visit - she's a lot lighter than I am.

I'll also bring my inspection camera when we open it up, to see if it's actually coming from inside the duct or not.

 

[jbagnall]

I was able to head back out there and take some pictures. I brought my inspection camera, and only found it "wet looking" on the top of the ceiling plywood. I saw no signs of any wet insulation or framing wood. I even poked a hole in the duct work and it looked like bubble wrap and all dry. It is pretty warm in that bedroom, I wonder if I have a moisture problem. I left the door open over the winter to get as much airflow as possible.

The last time I was there it was an active drip, but now it's all dried up on the yellow bin lid that was placed underneath the vent. When I fished a paper town underneath the ceiling framing, I was able to get a little bit of the "red stuff" on it. It doesn't smell unusual.

I wonder if it's some sort of humidity problem. Some pictures attached. I didn't get back on the roof (short on time), but I don't think there is anything that far forward of my camper above the bedroom where this issue is, and like I mentioned, the roof appears to be in great shape.

 

[jbagnall]

Found the issue! Indeed a small puncture in the roof. Wonder how long that has been present for, and hopefully hasn't done too much damage to the ceiling.

What does everyone typically do to try and "dry out" as much as you can after finding small leaks in the roof?

Time to order some eternabond.

Thanks!

 

[Grumpy]

Do you have a shop vac? Put the hose on the exhaust side and let it blow into the area affected. It will be somewhat warm air from the motor.

 

[jbagnall]

Great idea. Thanks, Grumpy.

 

[JFlightRisk]

If you have a dehumidifier at home, let it run in the trailer for a few days and see what you get in the bucket. it will eventually help suck moisture from the inside. I agree with Grumpy on the shopvac idea also. Warm air moving up there will work well.