You’ve done your spring cleaning, summer cleaning, endless weekend cleaning and STILL can’t figure out where that awful smell is coming from? Before you start demolition or call an exorcist, check these little known areas first.

Foul odor?

Sink and showers drain traps can hold a secret treasure chest of odoriferous hair and muck, that if left sitting around, can send you running from your home. Some drain cleaners can cause damage to your pipes, porcelain, and fixtures. Before you try clearing it yourself, check the label. Replacing a P-trap is a simple task for a professional and is the best way to ensure those smells are gone for good.  

Sewage odor?

Time to get down and give the base of the loo a sniff. Toilets that haven’t been properly caulked are hiding the bacteria. Give it a nudge. Loose toilets often have broken wax seals, which mean those toxic sewer odors are making their way into your living space. If your commode is the culprit, it’s plumber time. Simply giving the base a spritz of cleaner and caulking isn’t going to rid the area of bacteria. A qualified plumber can remove the toilet, evaluate the subfloor, clean those hard to reach areas, replace the wax seal, and caulk the base.

Musty odor?

Mold and mildew are attracted to areas with moisture and little ventilation. Water can penetrate loose tiles or uncaulked backsplashes and wreak havoc in your walls. Damp flooring is a prime spot for mold growth. A leak under the toilet can rot the subfloor, joist, and extend up onto the wall frame and also grow mold or mildew standard drywall. Moist basements and poorly ventilated attic space are a wonderland for mold and mildew. If you suspect your house is under attack, call a mold remediation specialist. Never attempt clean up yourself. Some molds are highly toxic.   

Remember, if you ever smell a distinctive rotten egg odor near gas appliances ~ run! Seriously, leave the house and call your local gas company to investigate (normally, free of charge). Natural gas leaks are dangerous and deadly.  

Four Corners Home Inspection, Middleton, WI

Misty Russell