Musty smell in your home? These are the main causes and solutions

Suppose you come home from a long day of work and you are greeted by a musty smell in your home. This is obviously not pleasant. In many cases, excessive humidity is the culprit.

In this article, you'll discover the possible causes of that musty smell and get practical tips to get rid of it for good.

What is this musty smell in the house?

A musty odor in the home is often caused by excessive humidity due to too much moisture in the home. This problem can occur in various rooms, especially in poorly ventilated or humid environments:

  • Consider the bedroom, for example, where a lot of moisture is given off while sleeping.
  • In addition, in the bathroom or kitchen, high humidity is equally created by showering or cooking, which causes condensation.
  • Cellars finally, are notoriously humid rooms, because in many cases moisture easily penetrates them, but is difficult to escape.

However, excessive humidity in the home is not good. Therefore, a musty smell is often a sign that something is not right and may indicate underlying moisture problems that need attention.

Where is the musty smell coming from?

Cause 1: a moisture problem

The musty smell in the home can have several causes, but in most cases indicates a moisture problem. There are several moisture problems that can lead to an unpleasant odor in your homes:

  • Rising damp or rising damp. When groundwater is absorbed by the foundation and walls, you face this moisture problem. This leads to moisture in the basement or wet spots near the floor, as well as spreading further and damaging both interior and exterior walls.
  • Penetrating damp. Unlike rising damp, penetrating damp occurs when precipitation hits the exterior walls of a building and the moisture is absorbed by the exterior walls. As a result, the moisture penetrates to the interior walls.
  • Leaks. In addition, leaks, whether from a leaking pipe or roof, can cause moisture buildup that is difficult to notice.

Cause 2: inadequate ventilation

In everyday life, moisture is inevitably released into your home from activities such as cooking, showering and drying laundry. This increases humidity, which in itself is not a problem. However, it becomes a problem when this moisture cannot escape due to inadequate ventilation or aeration. The moisture then settles on walls, windows and other surfaces, which can lead to musty odors and eventually even moisture problems and mold. Therefore, proper ventilation essential to maintain a healthy and fresh indoor environment.

What can you do about the musty smell?

To combat a musty smell in your home, there are several effective measures you can take.

Solution 1: thorough cleaning

Starting with a thorough cleaning of your home is a wise choice and helps remove or even prevent unpleasant and musty odors. Although you probably clean the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom regularly, it is also important to periodically tackle less frequently used areas such as the basement and attic. When doing so, don't forget to also clean textiles such as curtains, sheets and pillows, as odors can easily settle in them.

Solution 2: ventilate

In addition to cleaning your home, it is also important to ventilate your home adequately. Open your windows and/or doors for at least 15 minutes a day to let fresh air in and let the moist air out. You can choose to use this form of natural ventilation to be supplemented by mechanical ventilation. In fact, this system ensures that the air supply and return is fully automatic, without losing heat in your home. This system offers benefits such as improved air quality, moisture control, and the prevention of mold and condensation problems.

Solution 3: dehumidifier or moisture absorber

A dehumidifier or moisture eliminator can also be a valuable addition, especially in damp rooms such as the bathroom or basement. This is because these help temporarily lower the moisture level in a room. Note, however, that these do not offer a permanent solution. For structural problems such as leaks or basement moisture, dehumidifiers are often not effective enough.

Solution 4: moisture control

Do you notice that after applying the above solution that the musty smell in your home persists? Then you are probably struggling with a moisture problem and it is best to call in a moisture specialist in to identify and address the underlying problem. This expert will then perform a thorough moisture analysis and recommend an appropriate solution.

Suffering from moisture in your home?

Are you also struggling with a wet basement or other moisture problem? Then you are far from being the only one. Let AquaConsult assist you. Contact us now and our experts will be happy to help you.

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