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- Your Carpeting Needs Cleaned. There are many reasons why wall-to-wall carpet throughout the home has fallen out of favor—a major one being that carpet retains odors.
- The Ventilation Is Inadequate. According to Murphy, inadequate ventilation is another primary source of those musty aromas. “Limited fresh air can lead to stale, musty conditions,” she explains.
- There’s A Leak. Leaks can also cause musty odors, but the bigger problem is that they aren’t always visible. “Hidden leaks within walls or under floors can perpetuate ongoing mustiness,” Murphy explains.
- Mold Is Growing. While mold on surfaces can be obvious, such as when you see it growing on a wall or ceiling, that isn’t always the case, explains Momplaisir.
- Rotten Eggs
- A Fishy Smell
- Sewage Or “Bathroom” Odor
- Cat Urine
- Wet Dog Smell
- Decomposition
- Gym Or “Locker Room” Smell
- Musty and Dusty
- “New Paint” Smell
- Burning, Smoky Odors
About half of the homes in the United States use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, or drying clothes, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. An undiscovered gas leakcould cause a fire or explosion. However, under normal circumstances natural gas is colorless and odorless, which could make gas leaks practically undetecta...
If something smells fishy in your home, it might not be the lingering odor from last night’s tilapia. In fact, you may want to call an electrician ASAP. That fishy smell is typically a sign that an electrical componentis overheating or burning. The smell can come from loose or frayed wires or cords, overloaded circuits, faulty outlets, incorrectly ...
Don’t blame the bean dip! If you have a sewer smells in the bathroom, you may want to call the plumber. That smell may mean that your plumbing system or vent pipe is clogged, or that you have a broken sewer pipe. The smell might also be caused by a dried-up P-trap, especially if the stench is coming from a drain that has not been used in a while. (...
Even people without feline friends may smell cat urine, especially after it rains, and wonder how to get rid of cat pee smell that’s plaguing them. That distinctive odor can be an indication of a mold problem. Certain types of mold smell like cat urine, including dangerous toxic black mold, which should be remediated by a professional. Another sour...
Nothing smells like a dirty, wet dog, but squirrels, raccoons,and rats do give off a similar odor. If you don’t own a pooch but keep getting a whiff of a wet dog, you may have rodents in residence. Many wild animals may bite or have rabies, and through their infected feces they can transmit worms and diseases to humans or pets. Keep everyone safe b...
Rotting food has a distinctive sickly-sweet smell that tells our animal brains to stay far, far away. If you notice a rotten smell in your home, it could be that an old potato has fallen into the back of a cabinet. Otherwise, it could be that a mouse, rat, or other animal may have perished inside your home’s walls, ductwork, attic, crawl space, or ...
That all-too-familiar “dirty sock smell” may not be coming from your teenager’s gym bag. Instead, it could be caused by a buildup of bacteria on your heating system coils. Bacterial growth can occur at any time of year but is especially prevalent in the spring and fall, when the system is constantly cycling between heat and cold. Condensation on th...
A musty or dusty smell is often a sign of mold or mildew, especially in humid or moisture-prone environments like the basement, laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom. Mold and mildew can create severe respiratory problems and can exacerbate allergies and asthma in sensitive individuals. It’s important to eliminate moldas quickly as possible. Small are...
Some people just love the smell of freshly painted walls, but for others, fresh paint can cause throat irritation, sneezing, coughing, headaches and dizziness. The culprit: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are common components of many paints and release odors as the paint dries. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that consumers...
Unless you have a fireplace, the smell of smoke or something burning is definitely dangerous. Even if you don’t see signs of fire, you could have something smoldering in the basement or inside the walls. The smell of ozone, common during a lightning storm, could mean overheated electrical wires or appliances, overloaded circuits, frayed or loose wi...
Aug 15, 2024 · Get some fresh air circulating in your space. Take 5-10 minutes to completely air out your space. The air outside is a lot cleaner than the air inside your home. If your home is really smelling musty, give it some fresh air. [3] [4] Do this regularly to prevent the musty smell from coming back.
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- Call a mold expert to come out and do an inspection. It's best to have a professional take a look, as some kinds of mold can be hazardous to your h...
- Change your home's air filters and increase ventilation for several weeks. Open a couple of windows and a door across the home from each other, whi...
- It might just be in need of a good cleaning! It could help to hire a maid service to regularly clean your home if you don't have time to vacuum and...
4 days ago · 1. Mold & Mildew Growth. (Image credit: Getty Images) In conversation with Emily Adams, cleaning expert at NW Maids, she tells us that mold and mildew tend to be the prime reason your home is developing a musty scent. "Mold and mildew thrive in damp, poorly ventilated areas, such as basements and bathrooms," she notes.
6 days ago · High humidity creates an environment conducive to mold and mildew growth. By keeping humidity between 30% and 50%, you can discourage the development of musty odors and prevent mold from thriving. Improving Ventilation. Adequate ventilation is key to reducing indoor air pollutants and eliminating stale odors.
Oct 11, 2024 · 1. Mold and mildew. The most common cause of a sudden musty smell in a house, especially in winter, is the development of mold and mildew, often caused by humid conditions and condensation. A musty smell, accompanied by dark discoloration on walls, furnishings, ceilings, or carpets can be the first sign of spores.
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Moisture. Excess moisture in your home is a leading cause of mustiness. Typically, it’s due to the growth of mold, mildew, or bacteria — all of which thrive in moist environments. Mold and mildew are both types of fungi, which means they reproduce by releasing spores. When mold or mildew are present you can smell these spores in the air.
