BLOGS

Foul Home Smells and Their Potential Causes

Homes can host all sorts of smells. From teenager’s dirty shoes to roasted vegetables, some foul smells are just a product of them being lived in. Other smells could spell trouble, though. How can you know if the stinky scent accosting your olfactory senses is a cause for concern or not? Here are some of the most common foul smells you are bound to encounter in your home along with their potential causes.

Musty Smells

Is there a musty smell emanating from your bathroom or laundry room after you use it? This is a tell-tale sign of mold or mildew. As you are probably aware, mold and mildew love humid, damp spaces, two things that bathrooms, laundry rooms, and even basements tend to have in abundance. If these spaces are not properly ventilated, this is really when mold and mildew become a problem. Mold and mildew can affect the respiratory health of those in the house as well as cause structural damage to your house itself. So if you smell a persistent must smell, it is best to take action sooner rather than later.

Locker Room Smells

As we touched on, sometimes things can smell bad simply due to your proximity to a pair of teenager’s shoes. But if you don’t see a pair of stinky shoes or socks nearby, this smell could point to a different problem. Specifically, it could mean that there is bacteria buildup on your HVAC system’s coils. This is more prone to becoming a problem during transitional seasons like Spring and Fall when your system is cycling between hot and cold. This can, in turn, cause condensation to develop and then for bacteria to take hold. A quick call to your HVAC technician can get your coils clean and scent free in a jiff.

Sewer Smells

Bathrooms can be stinky from time to time just due to the nature of what goes on in them, but if your home is harboring a persistent sewer smell, you may want to call a plumber out ASAP. Foul smells like this could mean that you have a clog or a broken pipe somewhere in your plumbing lines that should be addressed quickly. If you have a sink or a bathtub that you do not use on a regular basis, this can cause the P-trap to dry up and allow gross smells to pass through too. If this is the case for you, make it a habit to flush hot water down all your drains on a monthly basis.

Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of the smells that you can encounter in your home but knowing the culprits behind these three common foul odors can help you identify and address problems quickly.

If you found this article helpful, you might enjoy the other articles we have on our blog page. From decor to home maintenance to first time home buyer information, we talk about it all!

By Montano Homes | 1-26-2023