Our family room has had a rough year.
First, we had the Comcast leak – where the tech drilled through the clean-out line for our master bath, causing a leak and major amounts of damage – as explained HERE and HERE.
We got it all cleaned up, but there was still a mildewy, moldy smell in the family room that lingered.
I tried everything…I cleaned all the furniture and fabrics in the room. I disinfected everything. We put new weatherstripping on the doors, in case the stinky smell was coming from outside. Nothing helped.
Then, I had the ducts cleaned. And, as explained in THIS POST, I thought the smell went away.
As it turns out, it was only gone temporarily. Or I imagined that it was gone. Because the smell is back.
And it seems worse.
I’m going to keep it real with y’all, because we’re friends: I am dejected. I feel so frustrated.
I have talked to the remediation expert who has removed all of the mold from our home so far and he thinks it might be coming up from under the floor. But the smell is concentrated in the spot where he remediated the mold the first time. So I don’t know if it’s the same problem or something different. He’s coming tomorrow to figure it out.
In the meantime, I’m staying out of the family room and trying not to think about all of this.
Have any of you ever dealt with something like this? If so, how did you find the source of the problem?
Click HERE for what to do if you have or suspect you have mold in your home.
A "recovering lawyer," I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.
Should you keep damp rid or a plug in dehumidifier from now on … I keep dap rid in closets in weekend place in ocean city, ,md … its beachfront and humid situations build … salt air corrodes metal, did kitchen last year , last wkend while up there noticed metal switch plates showing beginnings of rust! Did mold remediation in NY, after pipe burst from the cold, keeping my fingers crossed.
Its a never ending cycle, isn’t it?!!! Good Luck !
I’ve tried an air purifier and a dehumidifier, and neither has worked. It is a never-ending cycle. I mean, I love my home and wouldn’t trade it, and am grateful to have a roof over us, but this smell has been here too long!
Wondering…is the problem area on a concrete slab? If it is, the slab itself may be the problem…needing to be exposed and dried out. Good luck! Take a chocolate day. You’ll feel better. No, it won’t make the problem go away, but you’ll feel better…
Yes, it is on a slab! I’m afraid that’s what will have to happen. Not looking forward to that. But I LOVE the concept of a Chocolate Day! I totally need that!! Great idea, Sandy!!
I’m so bummed out for you, but I have no experience w/mold so no tips to share. I would have to rely on the remediation guy.
Mickey
Thanks, Mickey!
I just got off the phone with my dear, precious 27 yr old niece. She called to tell me she just bought her first house, a small older home (1957) She is a so over the moon and eats, sleeps and eats Pinterest. She is a single,working girl. The Property Boys were here last week-end and she is jealous that I went to see them. We live 250 miles apart. Anyway, as I listened to her talk, I thought “Oh, honey, if only you knew!” But, most of us have lived through it and the joy is unparalleled of owning your own home and making it yours.. I am sorry for what you are going through….and I hope between you and Mr Mold Fix it Guy….it is resolved. I am going to share your blog with her….after your mold thing is figured out~
Thank you, Kathleen! You are right – there is such a joy to home ownership. Yes, there are the ups and downs and it can sometimes feel like you are in a money pit, but I’m so grateful for our home. I’m grateful every day for the roof over our heads and our beautiful 1929 home, even if it is a little stinky right now. 🙂
Are the vents hooked up to something? Maybe the smell is originating at the source? Could there be a dead mouse or rodent in the duct work?
This is totally a long shot, but one time I saw a movie where the x-wife put shrimp shells in the window curtain rod. I told you it was a long shot, but it got me thinking…maybe it’s something obvious that isn’t. Not knowing the room layout or exactly what’s in there…fireplace? curtains, blinds…could the leak not really be fixed? Could the sewer air vent be backdrafting somehow? (carpenter’s daughter here and farm wife to boot, my mind goes everywhere out of necessity)
LOL – the shrimp in the curtain rod made me laugh! I’ve wondered if the leak really isn’t fixed, although I saw the fixed pipe, whole, with my own eyes before it went behind the drywall. But yes, that did occur to me, for sure. The curtains are gone – I washed them and moved them to the office window and they don’t smell at all. I’ve had the fireplace swept and the smell isn’t coming from there. It’s clearly coming from the floor. I did notice that the wood is starting to cup in one area…I’m keeping an eye on that, but I bet it’s a clue. Thank you, Rena!!
Peel that piece of flooring up immediately! If it’s already starting to cup there’s a problem below….I think this is a job for HGTV! hahahaha Best of luck-but I’m almost certain that if you’re seeing it in the flooring, it’s something under it then. Tackle it now, heat only makes things stink worse.
Another idea just came to mind, let in a dog to sniff it out! I know, it’s totally silly but heh, what do you have to loose at this point!?! Rena
I’m with you, Rena. I think it’s either in or under the floor, too. My dogs have been useless re this problem. They just come in, sniff, and lie down and go to sleep! 🙂 Thank you!