Musty Smell in Your Basement?
A house can be as tidy as possible. No speck of dirt or a thing out of place, but a little odor and it takes away the charm of the house, no matter how elegant the decor! A closed room with no ventilation is the most common place where you will come across a musty smell. This, more often than not, is the basement. So before you begin with the house cleaning check out your basement. There are innumerable reasons for this smell. Getting rid of musty smell in basements is your main concern but it is equally important to know the reason behind this. Here's why.
What's that Smell?
You open the door to your basement and the irritable smells just makes you want to get out of there! The primary reason behind this is lack of ventilation. The situation is analogous to the way you would feel in the absence of air. Just like you, your basement's suffocating. Another reason for the musty smell in basements is humidity. Check for leakage and cracks in the walls and condensation on water pipes.
The moisture in the room may be the cause for the funky odor. A humid atmosphere is conducive to the growth of fungus such as mold. Exposure to moisture for a couple of days is enough for these microbes to grow especially on wood and carpets. This adds on to the smell in your basement. Check your carpets, pipes and wooden articles for mold growth. Apart from the smell, mold also poses various health hazards. These are fungi which can trigger various allergies even in healthy individuals and cause respiratory illness. A Mayo clinic study established the fact that these fungi are responsible for the onset of chronic sinusitis.
How to Get Rid of Musty Smell in Basements?
Once you have identified the problem and cause of the smell, the next question is how to eliminate musty smell in basements.
Ventilation
If the basement has been closed for a very long time, the first thing to do is open the windows for a day and allow air circulation. Fresh air will definitely reduce the musty odor. The more effective way is cross ventilation, which is opening the windows at opposite ends. Basement ventilation is something you must always consider to maintain a clean and odor free basement. If you do not have these, then installing air vent fans can solve your problem and help you in getting rid of musty smell in basements.
Humidity Check
Try basement waterproofing to get rid of the musty smell in basement and also prevent future possibilities of another odorous encounter! Sealing cracks in the wall with hydraulic cement can prove to be very effective. This cement expands while drying up to fill up cracks in walls. If you see water condensation on pipes be sure you insulate the pipes to avoid excessive humidity. Install a dehumidifier to get rid of the smell. Also remember to keep the relative humidity in the basement well below 60%.
Getting Rid of Mold
Be sure that you have located all the places which are moldy. Mold grows in dark and moist corners and therefore mold removal can get difficult.
•If you have mold growing on your carpets, replacing them is the best option available according to mold removal standards. Cleaning and washing does not ensure guaranteed elimination.
•If the mold is in the cracks and crevices of the wall, wash the walls with detergent. Make sure you wear gloves while doing this. Mopping the floor with detergent also gets rid of mold. After washing and mopping with detergent, remember to remove the excess detergent using clean rags or water.
•In the case of wood such as flooring and wooden articles, use wood conditioner such as linseed oil to keep it free of moisture.
•Expose the articles stored in the basement to sunlight. Binning things that have not been used for years is probably the best option.
•Disinfect the basement with fragrant disinfectant.
All these are simple home remedies that will help you in getting rid of the musty smell in basements. If the situation is totally out of hand , you might want to consider calling a professional.
For more information on mold, please refer to www.servprolincoln.com or www.epa.gov/mold/ .
