How to Find and Get Rid of Musty Smells in Your Home or Commercial Space

Musty smells are generally caused by moisture buildup and bacteria. They should be investigated right away

What Causes that Stale Scent?

Mold and mildew are often to blame for dank, unpleasant air in your home or industrial space.

Here on the West Coast, we experience high levels of humidity year-round. This humid environment creates an ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew growth. At Lockhart Industries, we often see this problem within the Vancouver Island homes and commercial spaces that we service.

New or old, all buildings have a way of letting in moisture over time. Newer homes tend to be built so tightly that moisture gets trapped. In comparison, older homes can develop leaks throughout their lifetime.

Sometimes that “old house” smell can be caused by pet odours. Take a look at our post for tips on HVAC maintenance with pets. Musty scents can also be caused by VOC’s, cleaners or even a washing machine that’s not emptying used water efficiently.

What are Mold and Mildew?

Mold and mildew are types of fungi that develop in damp areas.

• Mold – With a more powerful aroma than mildew, mold can grow into materials. It can also cause structural damage if left unchecked. Mold is also usually thicker than mildew. If left too long, black mold can develop within walls, following a flood or a major leak. This is the type of mold that requires a professional cleanup team. Black mold can be very harmful.Black mold is particularly dangerous for infants, elderly people and anyone with a pre-existing health condition. If you suspect black mold, don’t try to remedy it yourself. Instead, call a professional in to locate and remove all the mold.

• Mildew –  A thin, powdery fungi, mildew spreads over surfaces. It doesn’t penetrate materials, but the presence of mildew can affect the air quality.

Where Do Mold and Mildew Develop?

Any areas where condensation develops are hotbeds for mold and mildew. If you’ve had a leak or a major flood, you’ve got about 48 hours to prevent the start of mold. Like with black mold, this is something best left to a good remediation company. They will know where to look and how to stop damage before it even starts.

The good news is the musty smell in your home doesn’t always mean you’re facing a moldy disaster.

Sometimes the smallest things can be to blame. Anything from standing water in appliances to decaying houseplants that have been overwatered can be the root of the issue.

• Washing Machines and Dishwashers
  As mentioned above, the source of a damp scent can be as simple as an appliance that needs to be cleaned. Drain traps and hoses in washing machines and dishwashers can hold standing water. This then causes smell-causing bacteria to build up.

  To tackle this, clean around the gaskets and inside the nooks and crannies of the unit every few weeks. This will help keep your home and laundry fresh.

• Refrigerators
  Fridges with water / ice dispensers that aren’t draining can also hold standing water. For best results, clean out the drip trays and gaskets every few weeks. Make sure to wipe up any areas where condensation gathers. It’s a good idea to do this every time you clean up inside your fridge to prevent bacteria growth.

• HVAC Units
  The filter on your HVAC system is the lungs of your home. It ensures that everyone breathes in fresh, clean air.

  Sometimes mustiness can be caused by a dirty filter on your HVAC system. This dusty air is blown throughout your home or office building, making it smell stale. It’s important to replace or clean the filter often.

  A clean filter also helps keep your HVAC system from working overtime. A system with clogged filters will work harder than it should. This can result in higher energy costs and a shorter life expectancy for your heat pump. Here’s some more information on how and when to clean your HVAC filters.

  Also inspect your HVAC unit and its drain lines as often as you can. As with appliances, trapped water can cause bacteria to build up. For best results, contact a professional for a thorough checkup on your HVAC system.

• Plumbing Fixtures
  Look for any signs of leaks in your plumbing fixtures. Check under sinks for discolouration or puddling. Use a flashlight to look for any pinhole leaks in pipes. Older piping can develop pinhole leaks that are hard to detect unless you’re looking closely. These leaks slowly and steadily cause damage to flooring, walls and furniture over time. Also check fixtures for any leaks or drips. If a particular area of your home smells off, chances are you’ll find the issue close by.

• Windows
  During rainy months the warm air inside collides with cooler, moist air outside. This creates condensation or “sweating” around window frames. This turns into an ugly looking black mold/mildew mixture. If your window frames are lined with an ugly black substance, just wipe them down with a diluted bleach mixture.

• Bath Toys, Garbage Cans and More
  All those small, daily use items could also be contributing to your home feeling less than fresh. Bath toys are notorious for harbouring stale water. Chuck them or boil them (if possible). Seal any new bath toys with a dot of hot glue to prevent water from entering.

  Clean out the bottoms of garbage and recycling bins at least weekly to get rid of any spills or wet waste left behind. Also check under the couches for liquid spills or decaying food particles.

  Once you’ve found the source and cleaned it up, you’ll probably find that the air is feeling fresher already! 

For best results, you’ll want to get as much fresh air in as possible. Open the windows, turn on all your ceiling and bathroom fans, turn on the range hood in the kitchen. If you can, set your HVAC system to “circulate.” The more air flow you can create, the better.

Regular baking soda and activated charcoal will pull those last bits of unpleasant scents from the air. Set open packets or boxes, or even bowls filled with the soda or charcoal in the offending areas throughout your home or office. Replace them every 2 weeks for best results.

If you’re still noticing a dampness in the air of your home, we recommend trying an appliance like the iWave Air Purifier. The iWave products install right onto your HVAC system. They remove pathogens and combat odours caused by smoke, pets, dust and more, for the purest air possible.

Depend on our professional team at Lockhart Industries for complete heating, ventilation and air conditioning installation and maintenance. Serving Victoria to Duncan, BC, we’ve been providing our loyal residential and commercial clients with expert advice and equipment since 1976. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can improve your indoor air quality.