mysterious liquid on garage floor

[hulsky]

I have a mysterious liquid that keeps appearing on the floor of my garage. It looks clear and doesn't smell. Yet, it doesn't dry. It also increases in volume. I put some sand on it thinking it might have been oil (although I do not keep my car inside). Hours later the sand turned into mud. I looks like water, but doesn't evaporate. It has no odor. I touched it with one of my fingers, thinking it might be oil, but it didn't feel like oil. There is a large stain going from the middle of the floor heading mostly to the back of the garage. It also traveled to the front, but in a narrow path.

I can not see any cracks in the floor and it is a very old garage - over 60 years old.

There is no evidence of a leak. The liquid is at least a few feet from any wall. There is no dripping or water stains from the roof. When the liquid eventually drys, it leaves a stain on the floor.

I read a similar post, but there was no solution offered. If anyone knows what this is and what to do about it, please let me know.

[email protected]

 

[Krash Kadillak]

Do you have any pipes running under your garage slab?

 

[dmeadow]

Ectoplasm.

Seriously, just sounds like you've got a constant source of water. It is evaporating, but doesn't appear to be because it is constantly being replenished.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

If your garage floor is cold, and the outside air is hot and humid, you have a condensation issue. Otherwise, you could have a vapor barrier problem, or both.

There are products like Radonseal that will close the pores in your concrete if that is your problem.

 

[garboui]

it's a clear discharge, I hear that's healthy. though it's happening when your not around, maybe your garage is cheating on you.

 

[woodrail]

If the floor is in decent enough condition to do so, duct tape a piece of saran wrap to it. This might hlp determine whether the moisture is come up from below, or if you have a very sneaky dog with a serious urination issue.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Is your garage built into the side of a hill ?

 

[CNGsaves]

Ectoplasm.

Seriously, just sounds like you've got a constant source of water. It is evaporating, but doesn't appear to be because it is constantly being replenished.

+1 . . . could be land version of Bermuda triangle??

What country and state you in?? Pictures??

 

[APEowner]

That sure sounds like water seeping up from below. Have you either had an excessive amount of rain lately or made any drainage/landscaping changes?

 

[Lippyp]

Got any kids that don't quite make it to the toilet? Incontinent old folks around? Lazy pets?

 

[James E]

Stigmata.

Advertise it in the local paper and pretty soon you'll have pilgrims paying to see it.

 

[signcrafter]

Do you use any salt to melt ice in the winter? I've had some salt spill left on the concrete floor and once it gets humid it "melts" and leaves a residue looking thing.

 

[koditten]

Why do you care if he gets what he needs and is never heard from again?
Seriously. Why do you care?

Good question, had to think about it for a minute.

OP had 1 post, this tells me that they had the desire for answers only. I guess my take is that I view the site as a place to gain info as well as entertainment purposes as well. I always hope there will be an opertunity for me to return something to the site.

When I see a single post member asking a question right off the bat, I think we won't be hearing much from them in the future or at all.

I have many threads that I and others have responded to and never heard back from the original poster that had only their 1st and only posting. I know it is no way to judge. Its just my view.

As I write this, I see the OP still hasn't responded. When I respond to threads like this and the OP doesn't chime in, it feels like I'm just writting and sending myself an email. Whats the point?

But, yeah, why should I care? I guess I shouldn't.

KO

 

[malibu101]

Do you use any salt to melt ice in the winter? I've had some salt spill left on the concrete floor and once it gets humid it "melts" and leaves a residue looking thing.

Yep. I have seen this exact same thing.

The non-salt ice melting stuff seems very hygroscopic.
It leaves a moist looking glaze on concrete and if the bag is left open it attracts moisture and turns into a rock by the next winter season.

OP- As was asked above; Any chance of ice melter residue left there?

 

[Highbeam]

What does it taste like?

 

[sophijo]

What does it taste like?

IQ test?

 

[porschedude996TT]

Don't eat yellow snow...

 

[Steroblan]

Possibilities: Leaking pipe from old underground fuel oil tank (some of the distilate may not smell but could burn). Leaking abandoned rusty water line that won't evap because it's being fed. High water table that has found a spout. Pinhole in the roof you haven't seen. Somebody's messin with your head?

 

[KPSquared]

I think he's hoping someone will email him the solution so he doesn't have to go to all the trouble of participating on the forum. . .

x2 for ectoplasm. . . Who you gonna call?

 

[RCPro87]

Ive had this exact thing happening in my wood shop. It is in a finished part of the pole barn and is insulated so it doesnt suffer from moisture too bad. The floor will develop a water spot about a foot in diameter. I have been all through the ceiling and loft looking for where it is coming from. Set a table over it and it still appears. I am guessing its just a spot of concrete that has mositure gather under it and seep through.

 

[bgarrett]

Good question, had to think about it for a minute.

OP had 1 post, this tells me that they had the desire for answers only. I guess my take is that I view the site as a place to gain info as well as entertainment purposes as well. I always hope there will be an opertunity for me to return something to the site.

When I see a single post member asking a question right off the bat, I think we won't be hearing much from them in the future or at all.

I have many threads that I and others have responded to and never heard back from the original poster that had only their 1st and only posting. I know it is no way to judge. Its just my view.

As I write this, I see the OP still hasn't responded. When I respond to threads like this and the OP doesn't chime in, it feels like I'm just writting and sending myself an email. Whats the point?

But, yeah, why should I care? I guess I shouldn't.

KO

Thank you for the response KO. You are a good guy and I enjoy your posts. I have on occasion gone to a forum for specific information and after I got it, never went back to that forum. I appreciate the information available on the internet but cant be active on every forum there is. This one is a favorite.

Last year My backhoe began spraying oil 30 feet into the air, out of the reservoir and I had no clue. Getting it hauled 50 miles to a repair shop would have been a LOT of money but a backhoe forum told me that I need a new oil filter. $45 Wonderful! but I have no desire to be active on a backhoe forum.

 

[koditten]

Exactly!

Thanks

Kirk

 

[signcrafter]

Thank you for the response KO. You are a good guy and I enjoy your posts. I have on occasion gone to a forum for specific information and after I got it, never went back to that forum. I appreciate the information available on the internet but cant be active on every forum there is. This one is a favorite.

Last year My backhoe began spraying oil 30 feet into the air, out of the reservoir and I had no clue. Getting it hauled 50 miles to a repair shop would have been a LOT of money but a backhoe forum told me that I need a new oil filter. $45 Wonderful! but I have no desire to be active on a backhoe forum.

I've also gone to some vehicle specific forums and asked a question on a car I'm working on, a family member's car for example. Usually they can answer the question real quick. I usually will do a google site search first to see if I can find the answer on my own but sometimes have a question not answered or I couldn't find or have a more specific question. I usually will go back and thank them for the advice and do a follow up on the solution for other's future use. But there are a number of forums I'm a member of and only have 5-10 or less posts on. Not because I don't appreciate the advice, but because the forum answered my question, I thanked them and don't have any more questions about that forum's specialty and most of the time if I went to that forum asking for help I can't offer much back so don't really hang around.

I hang out on this forum because it's a pretty broad forum with a wide range of very useful info and I feel like I have some info to offer on certain topics. Forums are a great wealth of info online these days for everyone to use to get help and give back when they can. I'm guessing the OP googled something like "liquid on garage forum" or similar and this site popped up in the google search so they came here to get some help. Probably isn't a big garage person so won't hang around much, does that mean they shouldn't ask a question that maybe someone on here has the answer to? I like to think of it as karma, if I can help I will and then hopefully get an answer to a question I have in the future.

I've also never understood those that will take the time to tell others to "search" or similar. Sometimes certain sites search feature ***** and sometimes the topic of the posts isn't worded right so even though there might have been a topic very similar just the week before it won't find it in a search. Also some site's search function will bring up thousands of topics that have nothing in common with what you searched for. I've had the best luck doing a google site search on forums.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Mouse piss.

 

[CNGsaves]

Mouse piss.

. . . that's one BIG mouse . . .

. . . . or lots of Mice that have got into the beer frig !!

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Mouse piss.

Close...It's actually JC23's piss...I caught him peeing in my garage one time...I chased him off and he never came back....Yupp, I think It's gotta be JC....(If you had a large poop on your floor, I'd have to say it was NJHANDYGUY.....)

 

[koditten]

This thread has officially been hijacked! Something tells me nobody is gonna complain.

 

[aka Larry]

I think someone buried that damn CARP under his slab!

 

[raddksn]

I think someone buried that damn CARP under his slab!

That's funny! What ever happend to that carp

 

[aka Larry]

That's funny! What ever happend to that carp

I dunno, but to date that is _the_ best thread I've read on GJ.

 

[koditten]

I would think there would be a pretty good smell from a dead, big *** carp.

This is scaring me, referring to old threads and knowing right away. Maybe I better step away from the 'puter for a while.

Of course someone else is gonna run another old thread and I will be right back where I started.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

This thread has officially been hijacked!

Bull$hit......"Ok ladies and gentleman just remain calm...We're going to be flying this thread to Havana..We'e not gonna hurt you...You will be relased once we exit the thread...."

 

[koditten]

At least it will be short flight from Tampa International

 

[TAMPAGT07]

At least it will be short flight from Tampa International

I love TIA.....Having moved down from NY, and having to deal with Newark, Laguardia, and Kennedy, TIA is a paradise..

 

[koditten]

You got that right!! That has to be one of the top ten best airports in the world. I love using that airport.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

You got that right!! That has to be one of the top ten best airports in the world. I love using that airport.

I do really like Orlando's airport too, but TIA is only about 25 mins from my house...

 

[koditten]

I don't know what it is about Tampa and its burbs, but for 4 generations, my family has vacationed and retired to the Tampa area. We just seem drawn to the area.

It looks like I might be the next generation as well. My best friend from my college days moved down to the Brandon area. We get together every year or so to do some of the wonderful fishing the area has to offer. I can see myself as a resadent.

KO

 

[CNGsaves]

I would think there would be a pretty good smell from a dead, big *** carp.

This is scaring me, referring to old threads and knowing right away. Maybe I better step away from the 'puter for a while.

Of course someone else is gonna run another old thread and I will be right back where I started.

Is is possible that Carp was under that slab, and leaking??

Then maybe OP tried to "****" .. er caulk . . the gaps in garage floor??

Surely OP needs those links to read up on proper procedure!!
Any one willing to help the OP out??

 

[aka Larry]

Surely OP needs those links to read up on proper procedure!!
Any one willing to help the OP out??

I tried, but the big-a** carp thread was deleted I guess. I thought it was locked, but not deleted. That is just sad.

 

[koditten]

Maybe the OP read up on how the topics of PVC air lines, DIY A/C repair and welding on air compressor tanks would get us worked up. Decided this place wasn't for him.

Seems like there was one more. Just can't recall.