3. Tiny Ceiling Stain? Look for “Shiners”
Sometimes the leak mark appears far from the actual entry point, especially if there’s a plastic vapor barrier above your drywall.
In that case:
- Push insulation aside.
- Look for flow marks or stains on the plastic — water often rides the barrier to openings like ceiling lights.
If you don’t see obvious flow marks, go hunting for shiners — nails that missed a rafter when the sheathing was installed.
On a cold night, these nails can frost up as warm, moist air from below condenses on the cold metal. When the attic warms slightly, the frost melts and drips. Then it re-freezes and repeats.
When you spot frosty or wet nails, simply snip them off with side-cutting pliers to stop the drip.
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