What is oozing out of my house??

Was outside cleaning our neighborhood's trash out of the back yard today when I noticed this black/brown stuff dripping down the siding. Anybody have any idea what this could be, or what I should do to investigate further?

This section of siding is under an overhang. As far as I know there are no pipes behind this wall. It can't have been there longer than a week or two but as my wife will remind me I'm not the most observant sometimes.

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I bet you have a leak in your roof or somewhere near that siding

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Originally Posted by bobbyfairbanks

I bet you have a leak in your roof or somewhere near that siding

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Could be. Or could be condensation issues. Sweating houses can be a PITA. Do you have really high humidity inside, or in that location. Bathrooms, hot showers and no vents can cause that, as can many other issues.

I'd be inclined to think there is a leak based on the location and relative newness.

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Psychomagnotheric slime?

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Originally Posted by Madeinhb

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Psychomagnotheric slime?

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Classic!

Recent high winds forced moisture/snow under the shingles? I would get in the attic and see if I could see same type of stains.

Moisture behind the siding is causing the "tar" from the vapor barrier to leak out. Bobby might be on to something with the ice dam theory. Is that the North side?

Thanks for the responses. There is a bathroom on that wall, about 10 feet left of the top photo and on the 2nd floor. The pictured part of my house faces southeast and is near the east-pointing corner. The water heater is in the center of the house and so is the sewer line, so that's why I thought there were no pipes going through that area. I guess it could be leaking in/under the bathroom and traveling a ways before coming out.

But judging by the color (and lack of putrid smell) my ignorant mind is inclined to think that Irving is on the right track regarding the tar. The 2nd story overhangs that part of the first floor by about two feet, so the horizontal section you see in the first photo is under the floor of the 2nd story. Can you get an ice dam underneath something like that? Other than blown rain/snow that area "should" stay relatively dry.

There aren't normal sources of humidity behind that wall, it's straddling the kitchen pantry and the dining room. Probably a leak somewhere but could be a siding issue. Our siding is getting near the end of its useful life.

Anybody have recommendations for a siding company in the Springs? I'm thinking I should start there and if they discover a plumbing problem try to call one of those 24-hour plumbers to fix it quick.

Didn't realize that was the bottom of the second floor, and not the soffit at the roof line. I'm really struggling with figuring out where that moisture is coming from. As you said, it should be pretty dry right there and I can't see how damming could be an issue in that location.

Is there a second story bathroom above the one mentioned?

I edited my post to try to clarify that but your response was too quick. The bathroom I mentioned is on the 2nd floor, but 10 feet to the left of this dripping. Pipes "should" be on the far side of the bathroom as well, since that's where it comes up from the basement, and there are no other water fixtures above or to the right of the photographed area.

Sometimes you can get a leak in a pipe jack boot on your roof, so water runs down the outside of the pipe from the roof, then at the first bend or junction, the water leaves the pipe and settles on whatever horizontal surface is available. That's just an example of how you can have water in an area that doesn't otherwise have pressurized water lines near by, but may not apply to your situation. Also, if the toilet is up against the exterior wall, there could be a leak around the wax ring, but under the floor, that allows just a bit of water to seep out everytime the toilet is flushed. If that's the case, it could run along the top side of that flat panel in the photo. Hopefully that's not the case though.

Yeah, agree. Nothing jumps out after more explanation other than water migration from a vent line, sewer line or from a roof issue above coming down the wall and just manifesting there.

Weird--I just saw a house in my neighborhood with something similar on the south facing side. The drips looked much more like tar than yours, though.

I find that often these are from a vent pipe that they forgot to glue or something simple like that

You didn't wrap that body in your attic good enough, now that the weather has warmed up a bit, it is starting to bloat & leak........

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Originally Posted by Wulf202

I find that often these are from a vent pipe that they forgot to glue or something simple like that

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I'd go with this for $200 alex. Seen it before only on an interior area , turns out it was from the bathroom vent pipe. Old steel line not the pvc used today. The line ran onside the wall and had that same discoloration in the crawlspace.

http://www.bestmaterials.com/detail....FR6ewAodzSQDIg

http://www.flexsealproducts.com/prod...FQMtaQod8MMKNg

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Originally Posted by Rumline

Thanks for the responses. There is a bathroom on that wall, about 10 feet left of the top photo and on the 2nd floor. The pictured part of my house faces southeast and is near the east-pointing corner. The water heater is in the center of the house and so is the sewer line, so that's why I thought there were no pipes going through that area. I guess it could be leaking in/under the bathroom and traveling a ways before coming out.

But judging by the color (and lack of putrid smell) my ignorant mind is inclined to think that Irving is on the right track regarding the tar. The 2nd story overhangs that part of the first floor by about two feet, so the horizontal section you see in the first photo is under the floor of the 2nd story. Can you get an ice dam underneath something like that? Other than blown rain/snow that area "should" stay relatively dry.

There aren't normal sources of humidity behind that wall, it's straddling the kitchen pantry and the dining room. Probably a leak somewhere but could be a siding issue. Our siding is getting near the end of its useful life.

Anybody have recommendations for a siding company in the Springs? I'm thinking I should start there and if they discover a plumbing problem try to call one of those 24-hour plumbers to fix it quick.

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I would be chasing moisture to that bathroom.