Answers
I had this problem in my first house. What worked best for me was a dehumidifier. You've got to get rid of the source of the smell, not try to mask it.
A man describes the family disruption caused by a water leak under his house and how Rainbow International arrived to fix the problem.
i didn't have smell until had water pipes to freeze and bust. please help i have been getting bad headaches,eyes running and stopped up the time now. i had this smell.
This problem may be more complicated than you originally thought. When your water pipes froze and busted under your home; natuaraly everything became wet. Applying moisture to a cool, dark, environment like a basement or crawl space; is an ideal breeding ground for mold. Mold spores can spread into the air and eventually become a biohazard to humans (causing allergies, headaches, and respiratory distress). My suggestion; can your homeowner's insurance company and inform them of the situation. They will have a contractor come out and inspect the damage. He will let you know the best way to get rid of the mold problem and smell (may require extensive renovation). If by chance you rent; inform your landlord. If he does not address the problem quickly and properly; MOVE. Hope this helps.
we just bought a house 7 months ago, it is about 20 yrs old. i have a wet spot in my carpet in the middle of my floor that has been there for about 3 days, wont dry and is gettin bigger. im assuming i have a water leak under the house but im not sure. can i find out before havin someone tear through my floor? any info you can give me on this subject would be very helpful. thanks
my house is on a slab.
20 years old, and on a slab....Call a plumber.... If your not experienced with this type of repair, you are going to end up taking longer and costing more than what a plumber would charge....Your looking at about a $1000 to $2000 repair having a plumber do it depending on exact circumstances and should only take about 3 days, start to finish...AND the longer you wait, the worst it is going to get...Keep in mind, if it is a big leak...it is washing out the dirt under the slab and making a big hole...Not good...
Experience....30 years as a Maintenance Supervisor, and 27 of these repairs in the last 2 years....
In our rent house the bathtub in the guest bathroom is dripping water, outside there is dripping water, and because of some plumbing problem we cant use our master bathroom. This has been going on for a month and our landlord still has not come to fix it.
Depends on the laws of your state and perhaps your municipality or county...
We have a newly built house. And there is damp rising around the walls in the bathrooms. Apparently all dampproof membarnes are in place and there is a (dry) floor void. We suspect a very small leak but don't wish to demolish half the house to discover it is something else
Your house, because it's new, may still be under warranty. Check with the builder. You should also contact your homeowner's insurance group and tell them the problem because of the threat of structural damage. Also, check with your neighbors to see if they've had the same problems. I had a leak in an upstairs bathroom and spoke with a neighbor. Turns out she had the same problem and spent $350.00 to fix it. It was only a gasket! Cost us a lot less to repair!!!
Opening a window is good advice and may help slow the problem down. Here's a website with more info on leaks;
http://www.moldknowledge.com/find-water- leaks.htm
Good luck!
Guide To Water Leak Detection In Our Homes
Rapid world population growth and lifestyle change contribute to the increased demand for water by mankind. Additionally, low level rainfall in some parts of the world, slowed the replenishment of water supply.
Therefore, each one of us should make our best efforts in the conservation of one the most precious commodity here on our planet, which is water. One such effort is to watch out for water leaks in our homes, no matter how small those leaks might be.
Although some water leaks are so slow that they are not detectable, some known leaks are being ignored by some homeowners. This is due to ignorance to the fact that small leaks that keeps on leaking would sum up into thousands of gallons in a year. Imagine if all homeowners had that same attitude? Moreover, water leaks not only contribute to worldwide water shortage, but also cause damage to some parts of the house’s structure. Damages to the house structural elements could cause the house to deteriorate faster, collapse, and injuries to its occupants.
...Cape Coral Flood Damage Removal (239) 963-1028 - Flood Control of ...
Following flood cleanup, you must open doors and windows to facilitate quick drying of your house. Technically, health and safety authorities advise that any structure must be dried out within two days. This is to prevent mold growth, which is detrimental and bad for your home and the people living in it. Call for water damage technicians if you have seen or suspect any mold growth. These technicians have special drying equipments and armed with the technical know-how on how to kill mold and how to inhibit its growth and infestation. Also inspect your drainage system, sump pumps, and gutters after flood cleanup. Arrange for your drainage to be cleaned if it is clogged. Construct back-up drainage if you feel the need to. Gutters should be cleaned, declogged, aligned, and fixed. Make your gutters wider if they are contracted or constricted to support and direct large amounts of water during heavy rains and storms. In salvaging items, take into regard if they are really important to you. Asses...