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Odors, Smells, Gases in Buildings-Diagnosis & Cure Environmental Hazards & Tests
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This website provides articles on to diagnose, test, identify, and cure moldy musty odors in buildings. Mold & Musty Smells Explained: this web article summarizes the common sources and causes of moldy and musty odors in buildings. Also see How to Find & Remove Odors, Gases, & Smells in Buildings - our article covering all building odors and smells. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. How to Recognize, Identify, & Remove Moldy Musty Odors in BuildingsMold Smell Basics - What You Need to Know
Single individual mold genera/species may produce different moldy musty odorsThere are some mold genera/species that produce a variety of odors (MVOC’s) depending on varying conditions of moisture and also what the molds are growing on, as well as producing odors only under certain conditions (particularly with variations in temperature and humidity, and perhaps light). Different mold genera species may produce different moldy musty odorsThere are building conditions that produce a variety of growing mold species - in a moldy building it is very likely that there are multiple species growing on various mold-friendly materials. Some mold colonies can be hard to spot. Certainly different species of mold respond differently to temperature, moisture, and nutrients they find. For example, one mold species is referred to as the "moldy gym socks" mold since it produces that odor. Buildings with a moldy smell may have other odors or hazards not related to moldMost people have a pretty good idea of moldy or musty smell as associated with mold. If you smell mold or find it at important levels in screening samples of air, dust, or vacuumed surfaces, (by quantity or by particle type in samples) it is probably there. But it would be no surprise to find a variety of odors in a building coming from mold problems or from other problems there. There can be lots of other odor sources in a building, including potentially dangerous ones such as heating appliance flue gases (which might include very dangerous but odorless carbon monoxide along with smelly combustion products) in a building. Other possible concerns that might produce strange smells include chemicals such as pesticides that may have been improperly applied. To identify other building mold odors see Odors, Smells, Gases in Buildings-Diagnosis & Cure. Since lots of building conditions can cause odors (ranging from dead animals to sewer backups) and since some of them can be tough to track down (sun-heated plastic windows, window screens, or vinyl siding), also take a look at the links along the left of this page. Variations in Conditions at a Building Cause Wide Variation in Mold Odors
One cannot tell from smell alone whether the mold is a large or small area, nor can one tell by smell alone if the mold we smell is allergenic or toxic. What to do about moldy odors in buildingsKnowing something about the history of the building and its prior occupants and uses can help point to directions of investigation. This is especially useful since there are no simple economical “catch-all” tests for chemicals or gases that cover every possible hazard. Find the problem mold sourceFollow your nose, use your eyes, but also think: where has there been a building moisture problem, roof leak, plumbing leak, sewer backup, or other moisture source. Investigate these areas by visual inspection. Mold tests can be useful but are no substitute for a careful visual inspection and history-taking if you want to find odor problems in a building. Our website provides in-depth guidance on what to do about mold. See in particular Individual odor sensitivity varies widelyIt is certainly true that individuals’ sensitivities to odors varies quite widely. Often one person in a building or family notices odors more than everyone else, just as sometimes only one family member is bothered or made ill by mold or allergens or other building contaminants. For example some pregnant women experience an acute increase in odor sensitivity. I’ve conducted field experiments that demonstrated a remarkably accurate ability of a pregnant woman (who complained of odors in the home) to correctly identify materials emitting a particular odor even when others in the home didn't’t notice a thing. Illness or even medicines can cause variations in odor perceptionIt’s also true that some illnesses can cause perception or misperception of odors (imagining smells) while other illnesses can interfere with one’s ability to sense an odor. So a thorough approach to odor complaints would include consulting with a physician. This is particularly appropriate if there were not an obvious in-building source, when only one person in a building perceives a problematic odor, or when someone already knows that they have an illness or complaint that may be odor-sensitive, such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or when someone is under particular medical treatments that may cause odor sensitivity problems to manifest themselves. Building Odor Diagnosis & Cure ReferencesHere are more references for diagnosing moldy, musty, or other building odors
Return to Mold/IAQ Action Guide: What to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens an environmental testing guidance website explaining what to do about mold, mildew, and other indoor allergens or go to More Information on Building Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, and Repair Alternatives Use links just below at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. Diagnosing Building OdorsOdors, Smells, Gases in Buildings-Diagnosis & Cure More expert information on this topic |
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05/13/2008 - 01/01/86 www.inspect-ny.com/sickhouse/Mold_Odor.htm - Web page design & content ©Copyright 2008-1986 Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved