| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
|
| fish odor coming from home | 7/2/2008 | David Deal |
Q: we recently read a response to a question someone had on a fish smell in their home. we have lived ...
A: Do you have a crawlspace? if so, check for a moisture barrier and see if its damp underneath. If ...
|
| Can't find the Air filter? | 6/26/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We have just moved into a older home (1980's) The main ac unit is in the attic. Throughout the house ...
A: Check inside the unit where the fan blower is located. Usually the filter is located wither in a ...
|
| Musty smell from Basement Registers | 6/23/2008 | David Deal |
Q: we have a media room in our walk-out basement that we use every day. In the past there have been ...
A: So your air ducts literally run undergroud???? Rare but I have seen that. More than likely the ...
|
| Sewer smell in one bathroom | 6/16/2008 | David Deal |
Q: There is a sewer smell that comes through the AC vents only in my bathroom. It's not all the time ...
A: It is possible if you have flex ducts that there is water in the insulation. The ducts will feel ...
|
| Filters | 6/14/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I have a forced air furnace in my basement. We have a suite where the furnace is and we find that ...
A: I have not heard anything about any effective filters for such odor removal. Purfume is especially ...
|
| Wetness / Odor in newly finished attic | 6/14/2008 | David Deal |
Q: My wife and I live in North Carolina and recently finished our attic into an office / media room. ...
A: First, check the HVAC system and ductwork for proper seal. Each duct attachement should be caulked ...
|
| Musty Smell in Family room | 6/13/2008 | David Deal |
Q: we bought our house 4 years back. It is in a very wooded area and little sunlight comes into our ...
A: First, check for water intrusions by looking at interior qwalls for any damage. May be very slight. ...
|
| Musty Odor | 6/13/2008 | David Deal |
Q: A bedroom in my home has a musty odor in the closet that permeates throughout the room and hallway. ...
A: Closets are whats called 'dead air' spaces. This means no air circulation. It is possible that ...
|
| Cleaning moldy stuff ; keeping a new mattress mold-free | 6/10/2008 | David Deal |
Q: A few weeks ago, I had to move out of my apartment because of a major mold problem from a leak under ...
A: Sporiciden should be compatable with most materials, I honeslty dont know of any its not. Oxiclean ...
|
| Chemical Smell Through AC | 6/6/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We live in a 1950s era house with centralized heating and cooling. Since purchasing the house 14 ...
A: First, have AC professional check it out to make certain you dont have a freon leak. Als, they can ...
|
| Cleaning moldy stuff ; keeping a new mattress mold-free | 6/2/2008 | David Deal |
Q: A few weeks ago, I had to move out of my apartment because of a major mold problem from a leak under ...
A: Well, sounds like you at least have some good basic understanding or rather ideas about mold and its ...
|
| basement odor | 5/30/2008 | David Deal |
Q: Worse with basement windows open. Had new liner and exhaust fan placed in crawlspace 1 mo ago and ...
A: Well, I still would suspect the crawlspace, just my experiance. Other than that, just check for any ...
|
| Condo smoke from unit below | 5/29/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I bought a vacation condo one month ago. It is a second story unit with heavy smokers below. I ...
A: Sorry to hear, smokers never quiet realize the extent of their habit. First, if you sell, I wouldnt ...
|
| Basement Humidity/moisture | 5/27/2008 | David Deal |
Q: What's your opinion on the Humidex or EZ Breathe dehumidification systems to help reduce standard ...
A: Well, here are some issues with those type sysems. Main issue is they can create negative pressure ...
|
| mold | 5/7/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We have mold in our basement -- probably black mold. We're waiting for the test results -- may take ...
A: OK, here is my take on your situation: 1) Who cares if its 'black mold' or not. Its mold and all ...
|
| Dusty Smell | 5/3/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I've a wierd situation. I bought the house, very new construction a year back. Since past few weeks, ...
A: Check your exahusts/vents for all youir systems to make certain water isnt flowing into them. Also, ...
|
| 1. mold 2. blocking cigarette fumes | 4/27/2008 | David Deal |
Q: 1. I am considering moving to the only affordable non-smoking apartment I can find, but it had water ...
A: First, I personally would be skeptical of ANY place that I dont have access to prior to signing a ...
|
| Strange smell in 1 bedroom | 4/11/2008 | David Deal |
Q: This occurs in only 1 room of our house. In my daughters bedroom there is a strange almost chemical ...
A: Gas has no odor except that of rotten eggs from a doping agent so you can detect it by odor. ...
|
| Strange odor in home | 4/10/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We built a new home and moved in Dec 2006. Shortly after we moved in I began to smell a strange ...
A: Well, the possibilities are rather endless as to the source. From the odor description, have you ...
|
| Mold in AC Coils | 4/1/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I have been experiencing terrrible daily headaches for exactly nine months. Also, have had chronic ...
A: Most symptoms should subside in week or so. How is the filtration for the unit? I would use a MERV ...
|
| particles coming out of vents | 3/26/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I hope you might can help me or lead me in the right direction. About a year and 1/2 ago we had a ...
A: Is your filter placed so that air HAS to pass throught it? If not, then check of leaks in your ...
|
| air filters | 3/23/2008 | David Deal |
Q: Can you recommend a good air filter? Particularly theres this sharper image unit that does some ...
A: Honestly, I dont recommend any air cleaning systems outside of good HVAC (Heating and air type ...
|
| Dirt on Sheetrock | 3/22/2008 | Val Riedman |
Q: We have lived in this new condo for 3 yrs. Shortly after getting settled we started seeing what ...
A: It sounds a bit strange that dirt is visible advancing down your walls?? But perhaps if there is a ...
|
| 2nd floor apartment air feels damp, becomes worse when windows are opened | 3/18/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I live in a building that was probably built in the 50s in northern Illinois. The building has ...
A: It is odd you have such symptoms in a mid floor apt. Do any others above or below also have such ...
|
| moister/mold problems | 3/13/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We purchased an older home that has turned out to be a water/mold nightmare! The basement floods ...
A: As for the stones, they cost about $1 each new OR you can use regular bricks. Check around new ...
|
| chalky smell | 3/12/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I have noticed a chalky, musty type smell in our bedroom for several months, but cannot identify the ...
A: Sounds like you may have water damaged sheetrock. The musty odor is always active mold growth and ...
|
| moister/mold problems | 3/4/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We purchased an older home that has turned out to be a water/mold nightmare! The basement floods ...
A: OUCH! OK, first, check with the owner of the storm ditch to see if they can improve it. You may ...
|
| drain tile odor | 3/3/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We are located in Michigan. We had our drain tile done a few years ago. There is a gap between the ...
A: I assume the drain tile is a drain system inside the basement for water intrusion control. There ...
|
| Reutrn Air opening issue... | 2/22/2008 | David Deal |
Q: This is a 2-story brand new home; master bed room is in the first floor and other bed rooms in the ...
A: OK, this is what I'd call a bad contractor. I have seen these issues in the past and always ...
|
| Reutrn Air opening issue... | 2/21/2008 | Val Riedman |
Q: I saw a central R/A installed in a new home (built from an Energy Star registered home builder) ...
A: It is quite common to pan off a joist/stud space to use as a return air duct. If this was a supply ...
|
| Studio air quality | 2/14/2008 | David Deal |
Q: Deal, I am a sculptor and I will build a small studio in my house. I work with welding (MIG and ...
A: First, local controls/source ventilation is about the best. The more you can isolate the ...
|
| unidentified smell in basement | 2/3/2008 | David Deal |
Q: For the last 2 weeks we have noticed a strong, bitter smell emenating from one cornere of our ...
A: Bitter smell would suggest insect or other type of pest/rodent infestation. Open the wall CAREFULLY ...
|
| "Organic Decomposition Odor" | 1/26/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I have a house in northern New Jersey. In the garage, there is an alcove that we had a 2nd ...
A: Hate to ask this way but did you pay these 'mold' people and that is all they came up with? Not ...
|
| condensation on windows | 1/19/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I have what in Illinois is called an English Basement. In the lower level condensation forms on ...
A: OK, first the condensation forms due to temperature differential between inside and outside with ...
|
| Radon remediation | 1/15/2008 | Val Riedman |
Q: I recently tested my home for radon and it was 6.7. I used a kidde 48 hour charcoal test kit. I ...
A: Yes you do have to seal the sump basket especially if you have a drain tile system. Otherwise you ...
|
| Musty smell after rain | 1/12/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I have a musty smell in the house. I lived in this 60 year old house in San Diego for 15 years. We ...
A: Standard crawlspace protocol: 1) Pull any existing moisture barrier in area (plasic sheets) 2) ...
|
| Unidentifiable smoke entering first floor apartment | 1/10/2008 | David Deal |
Q: I've lived in an old apartment building in NYC for 5 years. I am on the first floor, directly above ...
A: Unfortunatly there is no real good air purifier for cig smoke. I'd suggest looking in Consumer ...
|
| Really Bad Musty Odor from Basement | 1/10/2008 | David Deal |
Q: We purchased a house in November of 2007. When we looked at the house, we noticed nothing unusual ...
A: First, musty odor does mean active mold growth, somewhere, somehow. BUT, this doesnt mean major ...
|
| Chemical smell | 1/9/2008 | David Deal |
Q: Recently we purchased a 1960 cape. There is is no airbased HVAC system simply forced water ...
A: My thoughts not know much about the home: 1) Potential fuel oil leak from old system or one from a ...
|
| Dead Fish Smell in 2 newer home air vents only | 1/8/2008 | David Deal |
Q: One year old home,S. Carolina. Once every couple of months in the 1st year in our new home a pungent ...
A: I would suspect primarily moisture issues withen the duct work in the area. That would account for ...
|
