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I rented an old house back in 2013. When I viewed it, I noted the musty smell of the home, but chalked it up to its charm -- and that it had probably been closed up for some time.
Over the years, when the humidity picked up or the street flooded, the smell became more obvious. Every now and then, I would get a sweet or urine smell. I chalked it up to part of the must because I hadn't smelled urine for some time after moving in.
Fast forward to today, and the smell is permeating everything. I could never smell the house outside of it before three to four months ago. My laptop bag smells of it. My car smells of it (I park across the street from my home). And anything that hangs in the house for some time smells of it.
A few things to note:
1. The urine smell is never without the sweet smell.
2. The smell just recently began permeating everything.
3. My neighbor (it's a duplex) has also noted the urine smell.
4. The former tenants had a cat, but again, urine was not a noticeable smell before/during/after moving in. (I've worked in animal welfare for years, so am well aware of that smell.)
5. I live on the corner where the sewer drain sits.
6. The street floods up to our front porch once or twice a year.
7. The house was built in 1924.
8. I have noted cockroaches on the property. They climb out from underneath the front porch.
9. I exterminated last year, but did not this year. (The exterminator noticed a presence of cockroaches, but said I didn't have a problem. Have only seen two inside in three years.)
10. The corner opposite mine (other side of the block, who we share a fence line with) has a musty smell (a sewer drain is also located on that corner).
11. I've also noticed a smell and taste to the water. I can smell it in my sweat and in my pet's excrement.
12. The home was cleared for mold when I rented it.
13. I regularly pull a bucket of water from my bedroom (right next to the bathroom) and my bedding has had a damp, musty smell even shortly after being washed.
I'm at a loss. I'll have to move out if I can't resolve the smell and would prefer not to move. I can handle the home having an old smell, but I can't have it permeating the things I take out in to the world, especially since it can be mistaken for urine.
Any advice? I've researched this for weeks without any answers.
If it smells like urine it probably is urine. And if it's from a previous pet current pets will contribute wether you think so or not, it's just their nature and they can't overcome that. It must be done in private when you don't see.
Other than that check your drains to see if you are getting any sewer gas coming back in , that can be a nasty smell.
1924 house would be sitting on a...
Stone, block, or other basement/cellar?
Water table? Sump pump? Dirt or concrete floor?
Floor penetrations sealed, floor insulated?
Type of heating? Steam, force air, other?
All of these things can and do affect the air quality within a house. And judging by your description that it comes and goes, I'm sure its an air quality/weather related problem.
Built in 1924, probably has cast iron sewer pipe. The cast iron is notorious for leaking. I'd have a plumber inspect the sewer under the house or where it exits the home. Once fixed, now you'll have to learn how to get rid of the smell. It's not going away on its own.
1924 house would be sitting on a...
Stone, block, or other basement/cellar?
Water table? Sump pump? Dirt or concrete floor?
Floor penetrations sealed, floor insulated?
Type of heating? Steam, force air, other?
All of these things can and do affect the air quality within a house. And judging by your description that it comes and goes, I'm sure its an air quality/weather related problem.
Unfortunately, given it's a rental, I don't know most of that information. The house doesn't have a basement, but inaccessible crawl space with vents placed all around the house. I'm unable to see under there.
Could be sewer gas coming back through a dried out P trap from a drain that hasn't had water in it. Pour water in all floor and sink drains that my not have had water in them and see if that helps.
Rodent urine is often described as "sweet" smelling.
And just because you have a pet, doesn't mean they'd let you know there were unwelcomed visitors. I have several cats.......and they all ignored the field mouse who scampered across my kitchen floor.. while all of them sat there staring at it.
It was remarkably clean, dry dirt. The "floor" underneath the kitchen was different though. It looked like a soft cement, but had dark spots on it. Not droppings, but more splotches (mold?).
There was a normal musty smell at each point, except for under the kitchen. At that point, it smelled like urine to me. But that point is also across from the flower bed where the neighbor's cats relax and do their business, so who knows where the smell was coming from.
I did see a dead mouse underneath the back of the house, which wasn't surprising. With a crawl space and an attic there is plenty of room to roam, and shortly after I moved in and when I had the exterminator out there was evidence that they were behind the garage and in the attic. My point is, I know they exist and are around, but outside the house.
Is it possible that the musty smell is just the house, and the sweet urine smell is a mix of the cockroaches living under the front porch and the rat's doing their business in the attic and under the house? Thoughts?
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