House smells musty when weather is hot (subfloor, roof, laminate)
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It's finally hot again in Southern California and will be for the next 2 days. I had this problem at the end of last year when it was still hot and the problem is starting again now that the weather is rising.
Problem:
My single story home smells musty inside when the weather gets very hot. I have not idea what it is, but I work from home and last summer, the air was so bad that my eyes and throat started getting irritated.
Husband and kids couldn't smell it. The plumber couldn't smell it.
Only thing I can think of is the tankless water heater, since I had it installed about a month or 2 before the smell started. WH guy was no help and couldn't figure out why the unit would make it musty.
City inspector couldn't smell it, but it was not very hot the day he visited. It's hot now and it's musty--not as bad as last summer, but the problem is still here.
My sister just suggested mold. MOLD? That could be the musty smell, but if it is mold, wouldn't I smell it all the time, regardless of weather?
I have no idea who to call, except, well, a mold specialist, but before I do that, any ideas?
Very unlikely to be the water heater unless it's leaking. Does the musty smell happen when it gets hot inside, or does it happen even when it's cool inside if it's hot outside? If it only happens when it's hot inside, there's something wet allowing the mold to grow. If it happens when it's cool inside, the odor is probably coming from outside the house (like a crawlspace).
A/C?
House does not have a/c, but there was asbestos in the ducts when we bought the house 3 years ago, so the ducts were replaced by reputable a/c company.
When we get our SoCal heatwaves, we've always kept the double-pane windows shut to keep the cool air in. House has plaster walls which seems to really keep house cool enough for us. I think we were in the upper 80s today (so hot outside) but I came home at 2 pm from shopping and once I opened the front door the house was just so noticeably cooler than the outside, but ugh, I immediately smelled the musty air. My poor husband was home and didn't notice a thing until I told him. You do get "used" to it until your throat starts getting irritated.
Foundation:
House is slab with copper piping, if that helps any. Several plumbers said it was copper, but I don't know who replaced it and when.
One thing about the flooring, though. It's always bothered me since we moved in and I could kick myself for not asking the selllers--I think I just forgot about the floors during escrow. Sellers replaced the asbestos flooring themselves and placed nice laminate wood down. Weird--there are areas in the living room where the laminate is "soft". Did they not do the subfloor correctly???
Or is it water damage?
But if water damage, I don't see mold and the flooring is not waterlogged or soft. Only the space under the laminate is soft. The softness has not gotten worse since we moved in, so it hasn't grown. I'm sure this is a common problem when you don't know how to lay flooring correctly.
When does it get musty?
We were in the house for 2+ years without any smells of mildew. Roof was replaced a year after moving in. There were roof leaks in the past, but no smells even with the old roof.
Only started smelling after the tankless water heater was installed and only smells when the temperature is very hot outside. We've been through heatwaves in this house w/o the musty smell. It's only after the WH was replaced that the house fills with this dry, thick, mildewy, woodsy smell.
I even stuck my head in the attic last summer to see if the mustyness was stronger up there, but nope.
A/C?
House does not have a/c, but there was asbestos in the ducts when we bought the house 3 years ago, so the ducts were replaced by reputable a/c company.
That description right there sounds like water damage.
I knew someone that had that exact smell. Not sure when it occurred weatherwise, but we narrowed it down to her bath room.
The smell was coming from not the tub drain, but the drain controller or knob. There is a little vent underneath. You could smell that strong woody smell coming from there. The water pipe behind the wall was leaking every time they showered.
Search all bathrooms and sinks, under cabinets. You may have a slow leak somewhere, Pipes, windows, or roof.
Go find it!!
Since you don't have A/C, and keep your windows shut, you house most likely lack proper ventilation. Your sister might be right about the mold...
I would also investigate the soft spots in your floors. //www.city-data.com/forum/house...-smelling.html
Ductwork--the house has central heat. Ah, that's why it has ductwork, right? No a/c though. Does that make sense now? Thanks for the question.
So, if there is a leak someplace....wait, let me go look at all the places you mentioned.
Mr. flashlight and I are back. No leaks anywhere under sink, shower, laundry area, nothing. No visible water damage anywhere. No discolored wall or ceiling or floor. I've seen mold, but I can't find it here.
I'm going to call around for a mold inspection. Yikes, I think it'll be $200! Hopefully, they can come Monday, because it's suppose to be the last day of this hot weather (for now). This smell only happens when it's really hot outside. The smell inside the house just gets worse as the temperature outside increases.
If it is water damage, the inspector should still be able to detect mold or water damage even if the musty smell is not around, right? I just want the inspector here when the smell is bad, so he knows I'm not just some crazy woman who hears voices and smells things.
Since you don't have A/C, and keep your windows shut, you house most likely lack proper ventilation. Your sister might be right about the mold...
I would also investigate the soft spots in your floors. //www.city-data.com/forum/house...-smelling.html
Thanks for that thread. I did look at it.
We've always kept the windows shut during the day to keep hot air from coming in. Lack of ventilation was never a problem until a month or 2 after the tankless water heater was installed.
I'd like to figure out the soft spots on the floor too, but that would mean pulling apart the nice floor. The soft spots haven't grown, so I don't think it's water related, just poor priming before the laminate was laid.
Thanks for the ideas.
I'll see what a mold specialist says and let you guys know.
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