Can Anyone Help Identify This Sticky Substance Inside My House?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Can Anyone Help Identify This Sticky Substance Inside My House?

steve181

114 posts

Master Geek

#305962 17-Jun-2023 10:30

My house was built in 2016.

It seems to be the same substance at two different locations (different walls). It's sticky like the back of duct tape & seems to be odorless.

The red circle in the internet box photo shows where it is located there.

I have known about this for at least a year but only curious enough to ask about it now.

The substance doesn't seem to be noticeably increasing over time.

Thanks!

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1519 posts

Uber Geek

#3090921 17-Jun-2023 10:57

Have you tried removing it with anything?

Are you the first owner, or could a previous occupier have sprayed something there?

gbwelly

1243 posts

Uber Geek

#3090924 17-Jun-2023 11:10

Hard to see what is happening in photo 1, but I note a coax cable above the red circle. You may have 'flooded' outdoor coax which is filled with oily gel to increase water resistance.

robjg63

4096 posts

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#3090933 17-Jun-2023 11:13

gbwelly:

Hard to see what is happening in photo 1, but I note a coax cable above the red circle. You may have 'flooded' outdoor coax which is filled with oily gel to increase water resistance.

Pretty sure this is the answer. Gel from the coax.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

steve181

114 posts

Master Geek

#3090935 17-Jun-2023 11:16

k1w1k1d:

Have you tried removing it with anything?

Are you the first owner, or could a previous occupier have sprayed something there?

I haven't taken much effort to remove it as in both locations it's usually hidden away & there doesn't seem to be increasing amounts of it.

I purchased the house from the previous owners who owned it for a year since brand new. I don't expect they had anything to do with it.

I guess the thing both locations have in common is cables/wiring.

If I have no luck here my plan B is to email the photos to the house build company & see what they think.

Cheers.

steve181

114 posts

Master Geek

#3090937 17-Jun-2023 11:34

robjg63:

gbwelly:

Hard to see what is happening in photo 1, but I note a coax cable above the red circle. You may have 'flooded' outdoor coax which is filled with oily gel to increase water resistance.

Pretty sure this is the answer. Gel from the coax.

Ahhhh I see. This seems to be the answer.

I did some searching expanding from your response & found this thread; https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=249467

Thanks!

gregmcc

2147 posts

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#3090940 17-Jun-2023 11:51

I think that there is a cut in the outsheath of the white coax outside, when it rains some of the water flows down the coax and brings some of the GEL with it

Bung

6477 posts

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Subscriber

#3090946 17-Jun-2023 12:46

If it's coax from outside it seems odd that the splitter doesn't seem affected. What's in the flex conduit on left of cabinet?

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steve181

114 posts

Master Geek

#3090994 17-Jun-2023 13:04

Bung: What's in the flex conduit on left of cabinet?

Actually have no idea. Definitely some redundant cabling in there though at a guess. The only things in there I use is internet related.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3091040 17-Jun-2023 13:06

i've never seen coax gel leak like that. it would have to be very very hot to become liquid. tho what brand cable is used these days it may be different. very very common for houses to be wired with the cheapest junk they can lay their hands on.

i would pull the wall plate off and have a look. it could simply be someone had a tight F connector and sprayed it with lube to try and unstick it.

the other possible weird thing is if they used aircore cable and you can get moisture going down through the gaps in the core.

RunningMan

8953 posts

Uber Geek

#3091121 17-Jun-2023 15:17

Could be cable pulling lube for conduits.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#3091142 17-Jun-2023 16:52

gregmcc:
I think that there is a cut in the outsheath of the white coax outside, when it rains some of the water flows down the coax and brings some of the GEL with it

Also capillary action inside the wire can draw water in. I have seen water travel over a meter inside a wire between the surfaces. It isn't something people seem to really think about.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3091144 17-Jun-2023 16:57

mattwnz:
gregmcc:

I think that there is a cut in the outsheath of the white coax outside, when it rains some of the water flows down the coax and brings some of the GEL with it

Also capillary action inside the wire can draw water in. I have seen water travel over a meter inside a wire between the surfaces. It isn't something people seem to really think about.

i've had them so bad it corroded the plug into the tv and dripped water into the tuner. cut the plug off to get it into the workshop.

one of the common problem is the people who wire the house leave wires hanging outside in the rain, or worse left in the gutter. brand new house, rip it out and rewire it.

neb

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#3091159 17-Jun-2023 18:05

tweake:
one of the common problem is the people who wire the house leave wires hanging outside in the rain, or worse left in the gutter.

You mean the external cable tray don't you?

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3091219 17-Jun-2023 19:11

neb:
tweake:

one of the common problem is the people who wire the house leave wires hanging outside in the rain, or worse left in the gutter.

You mean the external cable tray don't you?

otherwise known as a roof ??

K8Toledo

1014 posts

Uber Geek

#3091220 17-Jun-2023 19:23

I think it's likely gel but why not simply look behind the lounge wallplate? That's what I'd do.

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