Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Musty Household Smells
Musty odor is at the top of the list of undesireable qualities a house should not feature,it gives the impression of a place that is dirty and not looked after well. It may not be immediately noticeable for the residents there, but guests will certainly notice it. Furthermore musty odors can also indicate the growth of mould which can trigger allergic reactions in some people and can be most discomforting.
The season of the year may well determine whether the odors are present or not. For example in the summer time, often the air conditioner is left on continuously which may well get rid of the musty smell yet the cause remains and the smell may comeback in the winter season. Home dehumidifiers can definetely help here.
One of the main causes of musty odors is that of poorly maintained basements that have high humidity possibly due to wall cracks or condensation both of which give water an easy way to enter the property. To prevent the musty odor smell you will need to deal directly with the root cause of which there maybe more than one. The following will enable you to track down the cause of the problem most quickly:
To prevent condensation on water pipes which can be a source of moisture particularly in winter months is to cover the water pipes with an insulated pipe wrap, these are relatively cheap and are an easy w3ay to prevent moisture dripping of the pipes and onto the floor.
Often house basements due to their lack of air flow build up high humidity levels and cause dampness, This causes the musty smell which can then rise throughout the house. Installation of a basement dehumidifier can prevent this problem from occurring and remove excess moisture, just make sure you have a drain available in order to take away the excess water gathered by the air dehumidifier otherwise you may have to purchase an air dehumidifier with a hose pipe and pump.
Double check to make sure that water thought to be from condensation is not really from tiny holes in water pipes. Problems like this can be solved by fixing on a pipe leak clamp, or if the hole is very small, purchasing an epoxy compound from your local building supplier.
A more serious problem is that of weeping walls where moisture simply seeps through from the outside. The following process should help eliminate moisture coming from weeping walls:
Make sure the weather is going to be clear.
Run home dehumidifiers and fans to dry the walls.
Go to a home improvement store and purchase trisodium phosphate then scrub the weeping walls down with it to cleam it, allow them to dry afterwards.
Following the manufacturers instructins use latex concrete sealer to fully seal the walls.
This technique by itself will usually do the trick, if not then get the professionals in.
Wall cracks can also be the cause of moisture entering a house, this is possible in new houses too. The cracks may be classed as active and likely to widen further or hopefully inactive and not likely to widen. Most cracks are not major and can be done with ready mixed concrete easily enough and a knife.
If you take the advice provided and direct it towards your particular difficulties then there is a high chance you will solve your musty household smell problem permanently. Remember that home dehumidifiers and an air portable dehumidifier can help considerably
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Tags: air conditioning, air dehumidifier, air dehumidifiers, home dehumidifier, home dehumidifiers