We just recently moved into a 1985 traditional home in Cincinnati, OH.
The basement has a poured foundation with a working sump pump. There is not any visible water or mold issues. We do have a wierd smell that is very obvious as you go down into the basement. Half of the basement was finished 5 years ago, so I don’t think the carpet is to blame. I have tried air freshners but they aren’t working. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your suggestions!
Erin
Replies
Ventilation.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
look for a floor drain...
pour water into it to fill the trap...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Dead animal in the walls?
was it tented before you moved in???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
What does "tented" mean?
the structure covered with a tent and gas is then introduced to the structure to kill termites and or pests...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I'm pretty sure it has not been tented. The basement is open and exposed all around. Some of the other posts make sense that we should enclose the basement by insulating walls and bringing into the thermal envelop. There are HVAC supply vents, but no returns.
look for a floor drain and if you find one add water to it...
you may have a dried out trap elsewhere also and it's allowing sewer gas to infiltrate into the basement..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Tape some plastic to the floor and walls to see how much moisture is passing into the space. Run a dehumidifier in the space or ventilate it.
Rich
it proberly the dead relative that they buried in the basement
Baking Soda. Lots of it.
You can buy it cheap in 50# bags at a farmer's co-op or agricultural supply store. We spread 100 pounds of it in a really smelly (mould, rotted wood, etc.) dirt-floor basement last fall, then broke 30 minutes for lunch.
When we came back down into the basement after lunch, the smell was gone. I mean completely. I knew the stuff worked well, but even I was impressed.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
After fixing my sump pump in my first house, the smell started. I found out the reason my basement never flooded was, there was a sewer drain in the sump pit.
In fixing the sump pump, the drain went dry. So check the sump pit for a drain.