Member
· Värmdö kommun [tyvärr]
· 63 posts
My mother lives in a townhouse, and occasionally there is a pungent smell in the house.
The smell is hard to describe, but it’s not sewage and it doesn’t smell like mold either. The smell "wanders" around the house (perhaps helped by the ventilation system) and I don't feel that the smell comes from the wet areas or the drains. When the smell is strong, she airs out by opening her windows, which helps. Despite this, the smell returns regularly, regardless of the weather. Sometimes a week can pass without any smell, sometimes it's several days in a row. She rented a machine from the fire department, which is meant to remove odors. It helps for a day, then it's back.
Facts:
There is a ventilation system in the house (connected to the house's ventilation system and kitchen fan) that she has had inspected with a camera and cleaned (she changes filters regularly).
The row of townhouses was built in the 80s and is located in the Helsingborg area. She lives in the middle of a row of townhouses. The smell is present both on the ground floor and upstairs. No other neighbors experience this.
There is also an air-to-air heat pump installed in the house, which is relatively new.
This is wearing on her, and I would like to try to help her find a solution. I suggested that she contact her insurance company and open a case with them, so they can bring in, for example, Anticimex to investigate it.
She was alarmed yesterday by someone who said it could be the silages under the house that are moisture-damaged, but I find that unlikely since she is the only one in the row experiencing this.
Grateful if anyone can suggest what it might be!
The smell is hard to describe, but it’s not sewage and it doesn’t smell like mold either. The smell "wanders" around the house (perhaps helped by the ventilation system) and I don't feel that the smell comes from the wet areas or the drains. When the smell is strong, she airs out by opening her windows, which helps. Despite this, the smell returns regularly, regardless of the weather. Sometimes a week can pass without any smell, sometimes it's several days in a row. She rented a machine from the fire department, which is meant to remove odors. It helps for a day, then it's back.
Facts:
There is a ventilation system in the house (connected to the house's ventilation system and kitchen fan) that she has had inspected with a camera and cleaned (she changes filters regularly).
The row of townhouses was built in the 80s and is located in the Helsingborg area. She lives in the middle of a row of townhouses. The smell is present both on the ground floor and upstairs. No other neighbors experience this.
There is also an air-to-air heat pump installed in the house, which is relatively new.
This is wearing on her, and I would like to try to help her find a solution. I suggested that she contact her insurance company and open a case with them, so they can bring in, for example, Anticimex to investigate it.
She was alarmed yesterday by someone who said it could be the silages under the house that are moisture-damaged, but I find that unlikely since she is the only one in the row experiencing this.
Grateful if anyone can suggest what it might be!
Moisture (and possibly mold due to moisture) can very well smell just like that. It can't always be traced to a specific place. Sills made of pressure-treated wood that become damp can smell very pungent. They don't rot, but they do smell. The fact that it doesn't smell in neighboring houses could be because the facade is leaking somewhere on your house, causing the sill, for example, to become damp. You should conduct an inspection.
Member
· Värmdö kommun [tyvärr]
· 63 posts
Thank you. I'll ask her to get a surveyor there. Is sill replacement something that can be included in the home insurance or not? Any idea what it might cost to fix (assuming the sills are replaced) on a house with a floor area of about 100 sqm? Do all floors have to be taken up?
Member
· Värmdö kommun [tyvärr]
· 63 posts
If it is the syllar that are moisture damaged, do they need to be replaced or can they be ventilated or treated in another way?
We don't know if it's the syllar! So don't scare mom unnecessarily. It is probably quite an extensive renovation if syllar need to be replaced, unfortunately. However, there can be entirely different causes. It could be leaking under a windowsill, etc. In the 80s, it was still possible that wood was laid directly on or even in the concrete slab (not good), but then more residents should have problems. Inspection gives the answers.
Member
· Värmdö kommun [tyvärr]
· 63 posts
Came up with one more thing, which might be a reason: Not too long after she installed a new air-to-air heat pump in the house, this smell started. Could it possibly be a leak from it? I'm thinking hypothetically that it might be incorrectly installed and leaking gas? She mostly has it turned off now when it's warm outside, but a leak would still continue? The smell is a bit more mechanical/oily she says sometimes. Unfortunately, I live 600 km away...
I have a feature on my LLVP called ION/ionization or something similar. When it's in operation, I think it smells "strange," so I always keep that feature turned off. Maybe that's what's bothering her? Try turning off the ionization.
Member
· Värmdö kommun [tyvärr]
· 63 posts
My mother had an inspection company on site today that found it was a matter of poor/lack of ventilation from her veranda. They suggest installing a fan, which should solve the problem. Very nice since it means a (hopefully) simple solution. Thanks for all the input. Just wanted to report back to those who gave input/tips.
