Marking edges can help, but also consider using a moisture meter—it's a handy tool to objectively measure dampness levels. Old stains usually read dry, while active leaks show elevated moisture content. Takes the guesswork out of it...saved me a headache more than once.
- Moisture meter's a lifesaver, agreed.
- I once spent an entire weekend repainting a ceiling spot thinking it was fresh...turned out it was ancient history, bone dry.
- Wife still teases me about "the phantom leak."
- Lesson learned: trust the meter, not my paranoia.
Gotta admit, moisture meters are handy, but do you ever second-guess the readings? I've had a couple times where the meter said dry, but the stain looked suspiciously fresh. Ended up poking around way more than necessary...turns out the meter was right all along. Guess it's just hard to shake that gut feeling sometimes. Glad your phantom leak didn't haunt you too badly though—at least now you've got a funny story out of it.
Been there myself...those moisture meters are usually spot-on, but it's tough ignoring your instincts when something just looks off. Trusting the tool gets easier with time, but hey, better safe than sorry, right? Glad it turned out okay for you.
- Moisture meters are great, but I've had mine lie to me once or twice...usually when I bragged about how accurate it was.
- Learned the hard way: trust your gut, double-check with the meter, and keep a bucket handy just in case.
