When There’s a Must Smell in Your Home, It’s Important to Get to the Bottom of It Right Away
You’ve finally found a home that is everything you could have ever wanted it to be and more. The five-bedroom house has a modern kitchen, plenty of room for entertainment, and even that wrap-around porch that you had growing up. You negotiated fiercely to get this dream home under budget, and now it’s all yours. However, even though you have the home with all the features that you were looking for, you can’t seem to shake the odor that’s overpowering the ambiance. No matter how many scented candles you light, that musty smell in your new home continues to linger. Why is that?
Before you panic, it’s important to identify where the smell is coming from first so that you can find the source of the problem. While some musty smells are simple to remove from your home, others might require a specialist like CLEAR Restoration to remove the odorous source effectively.
Dead, Musty Smell- Check for Animal Carcasses
If your new home smells like something is decomposing, chances are there is a dead animal either within or underneath your home. There’s no reason to be alarmed- it’s actually quite common for wildlife to venture into places they shouldn’t be. The first thing to do is to determine if it is stronger inside or outside your home. Once you narrow that down, walk around to find where the smell is most foul. After a little searching, you should be able to locate and remove the animal.
When to Call a Specialist: If the dead smell makes you too uneasy or is coming from a part of the home that you cannot reach, be sure to call an animal control specialist who can safely remove the carcass and in turn, the smell out of your home.
Musty Sewage Smell- Check Your Drains and Sewage System
Even a kitchen drain that looks clean on the surface could be a hub for bacteria and mold growth in the drainpipes. If your sink or shower drain has a foul smell, there are several homemade remedies that you can try to remove the smell such as pouring a cup of bleach down the drain or a mixture of vinegar and baking soda.
When to Call a Specialist: If you try to get rid of the smell on your own with no luck, call a plumbing technician right away. There are many reasons why your drain system would emit a rancid scent, and it’s important to get to the bottom of it right away. You should also call a mold remediation specialist like CLEAR Restoration to make sure that the mold growth in the drains is not a part of an even bigger mold problem.
Damp, Musty Smell- Check for Water Leaks or Water Damage
More often than not, moisture is the main culprit for a home’s musty smell. Moisture feeds into mold and mildew growth, causing that stale, musty odor that you smell. Be sure to check for roof leaks and plumbing leaks around your home. Even the washer machine can be the source for the musty odor invading your home. If you do find that an appliance is trapping moisture and causing it to smell moldy, let the appliance air out and be sure to dry the machine properly after each use.
When to Call a Specialist: If you find water damage in your home, it is important to call CLEAR Restoration right away. Mold can grow and spread in as little as 24 hours throughout your home, so it’s important to get any water damage in your home inspected by a specialist right away.
Damp, Musty Smell with No Water Damage- Check Your Air Vents and HVAC System
When the presence of moisture is in your air ducts, mold can quickly grow in your duct system and release spores throughout your home. Especially in Louisiana, high humidity levels inside makes the air around you damp- making the environment feel stuffy and your home more prone to mold. A proper ventilation system can reduce the humidity levels within the home. Investing in a dehumidifier is also a great way to remove the amount of moisture in the air.
When to Call a Specialist: If the musty odor in the air doesn’t seem to improve with a dehumidifier, you may have a bigger problem on your hands. If this is the case, it’s best to call CLEAR Restoration for our air duct cleaning service. Our team uses specialized equipment to safely remove mold, dirt, and other particles that are infecting your home.
To properly and professionally remove that musty smell from your home, call CLEAR Restoration today at 225-245-3575.
