Hello,
We discovered a minor leak from an old pipe. The pipe was removed about 2 months ago.
Afterwards, a chemical, musty smell emerged causing us to experience allergic reactions.
Today, we opened up as we couldn't stand it anymore. Apparently, the pipe had created moisture on an inner wall sill that is there. We removed a small piece of the sill. It smells bad!
It doesn't look pressure-treated, but it smells like the descriptions I've read about pressure-treated wood and smell.
My question is, if it is treated wood with some kind of rot protection/cuprinol, etc., can we just replace the parts that got damp? (it's difficult to access everything)
Is it true that this smell only comes with moisture?
Does anyone know if treated wood can look ordinary in appearance?
We discovered a minor leak from an old pipe. The pipe was removed about 2 months ago.
Afterwards, a chemical, musty smell emerged causing us to experience allergic reactions.
Today, we opened up as we couldn't stand it anymore. Apparently, the pipe had created moisture on an inner wall sill that is there. We removed a small piece of the sill. It smells bad!
It doesn't look pressure-treated, but it smells like the descriptions I've read about pressure-treated wood and smell.
My question is, if it is treated wood with some kind of rot protection/cuprinol, etc., can we just replace the parts that got damp? (it's difficult to access everything)
Is it true that this smell only comes with moisture?
Does anyone know if treated wood can look ordinary in appearance?
If the house is from around 1970, you likely have PCP (Pentachlorophenol) and other hazardous wood preservatives in the timber of the sill.
For these harmful gases to develop, the hazardous pressure-impregnation agent in the wood also needs to come into contact with water, causing the wood to become damp and initiating microbial activity. This can lead to the formation of so-called pentachloroanisoles (PCA). Pentachloroanisole has a strong odor, a very peculiar scent, and often seeps into the house, settling in clothes and furniture.
Try to dry it as quickly as possible with heat & a fan to stop the reaction.
And ensure the pipe you cut can't drip at all!
Perhaps cover the area with plastic & also use a dehumidifier & ozone if the area is larger.
/Jawen
For these harmful gases to develop, the hazardous pressure-impregnation agent in the wood also needs to come into contact with water, causing the wood to become damp and initiating microbial activity. This can lead to the formation of so-called pentachloroanisoles (PCA). Pentachloroanisole has a strong odor, a very peculiar scent, and often seeps into the house, settling in clothes and furniture.
Try to dry it as quickly as possible with heat & a fan to stop the reaction.
And ensure the pipe you cut can't drip at all!
Perhaps cover the area with plastic & also use a dehumidifier & ozone if the area is larger.
/Jawen
I would say that there is no direct practice, but decisions are made based on the situation.
The size of the problem, just accept costs, is the wood undamaged otherwise but just surface wet.
Water & moisture indeed create problems in all organic constructions, but usually they have to reach a certain level to create "serious" problems.
If it has been a problem-free living in the house before you cut the pipe that then leaked, I would dry the wet surface thoroughly & wait a bit & then evaluate.
I would also open it up enough to have full control over exactly what is wet, and ensure it has dried after handling.
Do you have an uninsulated slab on ground with built-up floor & insulation above the concrete?
The size of the problem, just accept costs, is the wood undamaged otherwise but just surface wet.
Water & moisture indeed create problems in all organic constructions, but usually they have to reach a certain level to create "serious" problems.
If it has been a problem-free living in the house before you cut the pipe that then leaked, I would dry the wet surface thoroughly & wait a bit & then evaluate.
I would also open it up enough to have full control over exactly what is wet, and ensure it has dried after handling.
Do you have an uninsulated slab on ground with built-up floor & insulation above the concrete?