Home Odors, Do You Need A Home Inspection? During home inspections certain smells will clue the home inspector to possible problems in your home. When your home has a peculiar odor, you will want to find the culprit. Sometimes the solution is as easy as pouring water down the drain and other times its more dangerous or costly.
Smelling Gas If you smell gas in your home, it is a good idea to check your appliances to make sure they’re working properly. Check you ventilation too. If you’re unable to find a problem, call your gas company and have a professional check it out. Smelling gas could be a sign of a gas leak that could be potentially hazardous.
Mold Mold is a naturally present in the environment. In the house, mold spores are in the air and when they land in moisture, mold grows. If you have a leak or prior leak in your house you may have a mold problem. Look around windows and anywhere condensation may develop and you can see signs of mold.
Mold is an allergen, an irritant and in some cases can be toxic. You will notice individuals with mold allergies showing symptoms similar to hay fever. This can also trigger asthma in sensitive individuals. Besides allergies, mold can irritate your eyes, lungs, skin and nose of just about everyone. The best way to prevent mold is to limit moisture and water in the house. If you suspect mold problems, a house inspection can help you locate the mold or places where water is leaking or where water or water damage shouldn’t be.
Sometimes mold is easily detected and can be treated with DIY methods. Other times, mold is lingering behind walls, ceiling tiles and in vents or ductwork. If you smell mold, it is important to investigate the cause. One homeowner I know of moved into their new house and smelled an odor in the front room. Upon further investigation, they were alerted to mold growing in the walls. Luckily the house was still under warranty and the front wall was replaced. The culprit, water seeping into the walls from a poorly installed roof.
Musty Odor Musty odors can occur if your house is prone to being dusty. This could be caused by a leaky or poorly maintained HVAC system. You can have a dust blaster test performed to determine the extent of the problem. Using a HEPA bag on your vacuum and dusting regularly will help too.
Radon a Musty Odor Your Home Inspector Can Detect Radon can cause odors in your house but for the most part it is odorless. Radon is a cancer causing radioactive gas that has been determined to be the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It is estimated that 1 in 5 homes have radon gas. Homes in every state have been found to have radon. It is recommended that you have your house tested. You can have this test done by itself or as part of your home inspection.
Odors in the bathroom or around the sink If you seldom use your bathroom you can be experiencing a smell from sewer gas that is coming up your drain. When drains dry out this can occur so pouring water or peppermint water down the sink or drain will keep the odor away. If this is a sink you use often, check the p-trap and make sure it’s not clogged. Items can get trapped in the pipes and begin to smell.
There are many different odors in our homes from time to time. Some are from obvious sources like your pet or cigarette smoke. Other smells are not so obvious and can create a problem if the cause is not discovered. It is better to catch a problem at the first sign and while it is a small problem than ignore it and wind up with a bigger more costly problem. Having a home inspection can keep your family safe and protect your home investment
Smelling Gas If you smell gas in your home, it is a good idea to check your appliances to make sure they’re working properly. Check you ventilation too. If you’re unable to find a problem, call your gas company and have a professional check it out. Smelling gas could be a sign of a gas leak that could be potentially hazardous.
Mold Mold is a naturally present in the environment. In the house, mold spores are in the air and when they land in moisture, mold grows. If you have a leak or prior leak in your house you may have a mold problem. Look around windows and anywhere condensation may develop and you can see signs of mold.
Mold is an allergen, an irritant and in some cases can be toxic. You will notice individuals with mold allergies showing symptoms similar to hay fever. This can also trigger asthma in sensitive individuals. Besides allergies, mold can irritate your eyes, lungs, skin and nose of just about everyone. The best way to prevent mold is to limit moisture and water in the house. If you suspect mold problems, a house inspection can help you locate the mold or places where water is leaking or where water or water damage shouldn’t be.
Sometimes mold is easily detected and can be treated with DIY methods. Other times, mold is lingering behind walls, ceiling tiles and in vents or ductwork. If you smell mold, it is important to investigate the cause. One homeowner I know of moved into their new house and smelled an odor in the front room. Upon further investigation, they were alerted to mold growing in the walls. Luckily the house was still under warranty and the front wall was replaced. The culprit, water seeping into the walls from a poorly installed roof.
Musty Odor Musty odors can occur if your house is prone to being dusty. This could be caused by a leaky or poorly maintained HVAC system. You can have a dust blaster test performed to determine the extent of the problem. Using a HEPA bag on your vacuum and dusting regularly will help too.
Radon a Musty Odor Your Home Inspector Can Detect Radon can cause odors in your house but for the most part it is odorless. Radon is a cancer causing radioactive gas that has been determined to be the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. It is estimated that 1 in 5 homes have radon gas. Homes in every state have been found to have radon. It is recommended that you have your house tested. You can have this test done by itself or as part of your home inspection.
Odors in the bathroom or around the sink If you seldom use your bathroom you can be experiencing a smell from sewer gas that is coming up your drain. When drains dry out this can occur so pouring water or peppermint water down the sink or drain will keep the odor away. If this is a sink you use often, check the p-trap and make sure it’s not clogged. Items can get trapped in the pipes and begin to smell.
There are many different odors in our homes from time to time. Some are from obvious sources like your pet or cigarette smoke. Other smells are not so obvious and can create a problem if the cause is not discovered. It is better to catch a problem at the first sign and while it is a small problem than ignore it and wind up with a bigger more costly problem. Having a home inspection can keep your family safe and protect your home investment