Basement = pungent smell

[Mumricken]

Hello

I attended a viewing of a larger house from 1938 with a red brick frame and plastered facade on one level, as well as a large, convertible open attic and a full-sized basement. We definitely noticed the basement smell once we encountered the basement stairs. Didn't think much about the smell while in the basement. But when we got home, we noticed a pungent odor on our clothes and hair. I noticed it a little, while my partner noticed it a lot.

The smell is very similar to when you walk into a house where the beams are affected but not as strong. So my question is, can an inspection be done and can this be detected, I wonder? Otherwise, there isn't any organic material in contact with the floor. Most of the floor has newly laid tiles, and the house is on a bit of a hill compared to the rest of the property.

Is it possible to detect this? And what could be affected here? General drainage or affected beams/flooring on the entrance level?

Best regards

 

[Jonatan79]

It could be a combination of poor ventilation over the years along with moisture in the foundation, moisture in the insulation (floor/walls). The odor gets into the surfaces, and there are probably particle boards in the walls that need to be removed. It's a big project but much can be done yourself, at least indoors.

 

[Mumricken]

It could be a combination of poor ventilation over the years combined with moisture in the foundation, moisture in the insulation (floor/walls). The smell seeps into the surfaces, there are probably chipboards in the walls that need to be removed. Big project but much can be done by yourself, at least internally.

Hi, thanks for the response.
Yes, what you're saying sounds reasonable.

Dumb question: Can this moisture be detected in some way by smell with any instrument?
So draining the basement and dehumidifying the entire basement sounds like a good measure, but the risk is that the smell has already set into the surfaces like chipboards and wallpaper. Hmm

 

[Jonatan79]

It is very difficult to find the source if you are not allowed to take test drills or remove parts of the wall. When was the house drained?

 

[Mumricken]

It's very difficult to find the source if you're not allowed to drill or take apart sections of the wall. When was the house drained?

Okay, I think it's actually the original unfortunately. But unclear.

 

[myrstack]

Any idea about the floor structure under the tiles?

A frame of brick normally excludes all forms of sills and this issue.

 

[Mumricken]

Any idea about how the floor construction is under the tiles?

a frame of brick normally excludes all forms of sills and this issue.

Hi, yes, I thought so too, actually it might be possible and it's definitely an advantage. On the surfaces where the floor doesn't have tiles (10%), it's bare concrete floor, so I suspect the same under the tiled floor. Saw no living material anywhere on the floor or walls. No general moisture penetration visible to the naked eye.

 

[Jonatan79]

Is there any inspection report? Pictures?

 

[Carl Johansson]

Old lime plaster/mortar can smell a bit musty, almost like cat urine, especially now when the basement starts to heat up. If the smell is sharp and quite strong, it may indicate that pressure-treated wood has been incorporated and used in the basement.

 

[Mumricken]

Is there any inspection protocol? Pictures?

That's a bit of the "problem". You have to bid before you can inspect, which is a bit unusual for us. The winner gets to inspect, and if they are not satisfied, they can cancel the purchase and get their money back.

Here are some pictures: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AkxiLC6ydXT4tcgRFl7deyIv4TeqEg

A toilet in the basement is not fixed. 90% of the basement has tiles, the rest is bare concrete floor as seen in the pictures. There are carpets in two rooms on the upper floor which might also collect odors.

Large crack in the garage ceiling which is under the kitchen. Cast iron drainpipes from '59, it seems. Maybe on its last legs.

 

[Mumricken]

Old lime plaster/mortar can smell slightly musty, almost like cat pee, especially now when the basement starts to warm up. If the smell is acrid and quite strong, it may indicate that treated wood is built-in and used in the basement.

Yes, exactly, the question is just where. It feels a bit sad to tear down half the house to find where the moisture is coming from and then fix it and dry it out, etc. Seems like a lot of work.

 

[Carl Johansson]

Yes, exactly, the question is just where. It feels a bit sad to tear down half the house to find out where the moisture is coming from and then to fix and dry it out, etc. Seems like a lot of work.

My basement smells too, but mostly from old mortar. The rooms that have been replastered have a nice petrichor. But I wouldn't say the smell of old plaster sticks to the body; treated wood does, though. Another distinct smell can come from rancid linoleum when exposed to moisture, it smells like sour vomit, not nice at all.

 

[byron v2]

Make it simple.

Drill or bore a couple of holes in different places in the basement, around 200x200 mm.
Then dig with your hand and get a sense of the moisture in the sand/gravel or whatever is under the floor.

Dig down 3-4 decimeters and leave it open to see if water flows in.

 

[Mumricken]

Keep it simple.

Chisel or drill up a couple of openings in different places in the basement. About 200x200 mm.
Then just dig with your hand and get a sense of moisture in the sand/gravel or whatever is under the floor.

Dig down 3-4 decimeters and leave it open to see if water flows in.

hehe I don't own the house, I'm just interested it would be if the beams/timber in the picture are affected by something, but I recall they looked fine.

 

[Sona2012]

Yes, exactly, the question is just where. It feels a bit sad to tear down half the house to find out where the moisture is coming from and then fix it and dry it out, etc. Seems like a lot of work.

The harsh reality is probably that you have to account (budget) for a complete renovation and drainage, don't forget the time aspect of getting the basement usable and how it affects the comfort in the rest of the house...