Water dripping from electrical switches behind walls
Moisture and active dripping behind electrical switch plates indicate a hidden pipe leak or severe condensation inside the wall cavity. This creates immediate risks of electrical short circuits and black mold growth, while making it difficult to find the entry point without cutting into drywall.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1inspecting roof transitions and window flashing
- 2Opening up the walls above or inspecting the attic to find the source
- 3Running dehumidifiers and fans to dry out the moisture after fixing the leak
- 4checking carport ceilings for moisture
- 5opening up walls or roofing to investigate
- 6hiring multiple contractors to inspect roofs, windows, and walls
- 7checking attics and crawl spaces for moisture issues
- 8monitoring indoor humidity levels using a hydrometer
- 9Drilling holes in walls and running a small inspection camera
- 10frequently do clean the bathroom and occasionally bleach the tub/grout on the shower tile
- 11going to bleach the tub and scrub the tiles and grout tomorrow, as well as buy a brand new shower curtain
- 12penciling the stain to monitor it
- 13shutting off water or testing specific fixtures individually
- 14filling and draining sinks simultaneously
- 15hiring a professional plumber
- 16Waiting for the leak to get larger before attempting to find or fix it
- 17Shutting off the water supply when leaving town overnight
- 18Using third-party water sensors and checking water meter usage numbers
- 19Isolating parts of the plumbing system like water heaters or toilets to rule them out
- 20waiting for a professional repair appointment
- 21avoiding pulling panels due to safety warnings
- 22taking photos of open walls and framing before closing them up
- 23using a stud finder to guess what is behind walls
- 24filling the tub and letting it sit with the drain closed overnight
- 25running the shower for about five minutes and spraying the fixtures individually
- 26Checking outdoor drains and foundation pooling
- 27Cutting holes in drywall to trace the leak
- 28Using a non-contact moisture meter to map damage
- 29Checking if it has been raining
- 30Checking if pets might be urinating inside
- 31Watching the water meter to see if it spins while nothing is running
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Last spring I wanted to hang a heavy mirror on that wall. Knew exactly where the studs were, and more to the point, exactly where the water line ran behind them. Didn't have to guess or trust a stud finder.”source ↗
“Not seeing any obvious gaps or cracks that would allow this much water in. Any ideas?”source ↗
“I am having massive water stains underneath my windows.”source ↗
“The water damage companies we’ve hired to come out are all over the place (some saying our walls are soaked, others saying they are dry, some saying it’s an active leak, some saying it’s just humidity and condensation).”source ↗
“We have no idea what to do.”source ↗
“I have an area of damp along the top of my bathroom skirting as well as behind some sealant just behind the shower glass”source ↗
“I've pressed on the wood and it's only wet after a shower, so I'm trying to figure out if it's likely coming from poor sealing on the inside edges of the shower itself or worse case from the pipes being the tiles”source ↗
“I have random water piled up in the house. Yesterday it was in the garage. Today it is in the living room.”source ↗
“Wondering if something is happening and I should get it checked?”source ↗
“My wife noticed water dripping down the switches earlier today and when I took the plate off, you can see a whole ton of moisture back there. Is there cause for concern of mold within the walls now? What can also be causing all this moisture within the walls?”source ↗
“After about a year, we noticed the drywall in our closet which sits adjacent to a shower had water damage.”source ↗
“About a year or two after cleaning the closet out I saw the water damage was back. I opened it up again and this time I want to do it the right way.”source ↗
“Looking up thr cavity we cannot clearly track it beyond seeing the drips running down the wiring.”source ↗
“So, now we want to figure out how to track the drip. But not sure what to do.”source ↗
“I really looked at it today and it was dark, and one side actually had a soft spot down by the baseboard.”source ↗
“I’m really embarrassed I let it get like this, but how can I tell if it’s mildew vs black mold?”source ↗
“Sometimes when I take a shower I’ll get allergy like symptoms (really only a runny nose) but it’s definitely not every single time.”source ↗
“Having trouble figuring out next troubleshooting steps without having to cut behind sink cabinets.”source ↗
“Just odd that it has been intermittent. Figured it would be more consistent.”source ↗
“Leaks can be hard to re-create.”source ↗
“I have a water line leak so small it would be very expensive to find it (and one plumber said they could spend hours looking and might still not find it)”source ↗
“Plumber today said I could call in specialists with a lot of equipment but they might rack up hours of fees and still not find a leak this small.”source ↗
“I just don’t see a clear entry point or any damage.”source ↗
“Constant drip forming on the sheet metal directly above the compressor, underneath the left side of the freezer compartment”source ↗
“water seems to be traveling from somewhere else and surfacing at this one spot, but I can't trace the path without pulling panels”source ↗
“Saved me already when I wanted to mount shelf and knew exactly where the cables are going.”source ↗
“I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to track down a leak.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4Is my outside unit leaking oil or condensation?
- 2How to find where an unmapped drainage pipe discharges
- 12How to find where a roof leak is actually coming from
- 19Water keeps getting in the house during heavy rain
- 5Why is there a weird drop in my ceiling?
- 6Unexplained clicking or tapping noises inside the walls