"Always skeptical when folks jump straight to 'roof leak.' Usually something simpler and sneakier."
Couldn't agree more about the sneaky culprits. Had a similar head-scratcher a couple winters ago—homeowner was convinced it was the roof, but after checking shingles, flashing, and vents, everything looked textbook-perfect. Finally traced it back to improperly insulated HVAC ducts running through an unconditioned attic space. Warm air was escaping the ducts, hitting cold surfaces, condensing, and voilà... mysterious midnight drips.
It's funny how quickly people jump to blaming shingles or flashing. Understandable, since that's the first thing we usually suspect, but attics have a way of surprising even seasoned inspectors. Moisture issues can be surprisingly subtle—often it's something like ductwork or exhaust fans that seem minor until winter hits.
Glad you caught it before it turned into a mold situation. These little mysteries definitely keep us on our toes...
Had a similar one last year—turned out to be bathroom exhaust fan ducting. The duct wasn't insulated and ran straight through a cold attic. Warm, humid air from showers condensed inside the duct, dripped back down, and made it look exactly like a roof leak. Took forever to pinpoint. Definitely worth checking exhaust ducts if you're chasing mystery drips...
Wish I'd seen this thread sooner. Just bought my first house last summer and spent weeks chasing down a phantom leak—turned out to be exactly what you're describing. The duct was just bare metal running through the attic, and I had no idea that could even cause an issue until I stumbled across a random YouTube video (shout-out to late-night DIY rabbit holes...). Insulating it fixed everything. Seriously folks, check your ducts before you climb onto the roof in the rain for no reason.
Glad you figured it out—duct condensation is sneaky and often overlooked. Curious, did you notice any rust or corrosion starting on the ductwork? I've seen that happen surprisingly fast in humid attics...
Yeah, duct condensation is definitely sneaky stuff. Usually the rust starts subtly around seams or joints—easy to miss unless you're really looking for it. Had a client once whose attic ducts looked fine at first glance, but when we poked around a bit, the underside was already rusting pretty badly. Humidity plus metal equals trouble every time...worth keeping an eye on if you haven't already checked closely.
