Musty Smell in Basement Apartment

#1
white65

white65

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#1
I'm looking at getting a basement apartment in an older house, I like everything about it except that it has a musty smell. The owner says its b/c noone has lived there in a month, so the dehumidifier hasn't been emptied so it wasn't running.

If I moved in and kept the dehumidifier going and put out baking soda. Would it get rid of the smell?

What are some tips to getting rid of the smell?
 
#2
#2
white65 said:
I'm looking at getting a basement apartment in an older house, I like everything about it except that it has a musty smell. The owner says its b/c noone has lived there in a month, so the dehumidifier hasn't been emptied so it wasn't running.

If I moved in and kept the dehumidifier going and put out baking soda. Would it get rid of the smell?

What are some tips to getting rid of the smell?
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i don't know of anything that will long term get rid of the smell, you can only really treat the symptoms at this point. but what you mentioned should work. the smell probably comes from moisture as I am betting with the older house the basement didn't come finished and being older would have lacked the vapor barriers we have today (although that smell can still be an issue).

just keep airflow and you should be fine.
 
#3
#3
white65 said:
I'm looking at getting a basement apartment in an older house, I like everything about it except that it has a musty smell. The owner says its b/c noone has lived there in a month, so the dehumidifier hasn't been emptied so it wasn't running.

If I moved in and kept the dehumidifier going and put out baking soda. Would it get rid of the smell?

What are some tips to getting rid of the smell?
Click to expand...
Just keep in mind if there is moisture there is probably mold also.
 
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#4
#4
Musty like a room in grandma's house that has been closed off for years? Or musty like dirt? Or musty like mildew or mold?
 
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#8
#8
vollygirl said:
Musty like a room in grandma's house that has been closed off for years? Or musty like dirt? Or musty like mildew or mold?
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I couldn't really tell. There isn't any visible mold or mildew expect for on the dehumidifier.

I opened the door and a window and airflow helped a ton.

The guy that live in that apartment before gave me a tour and he said its always had a "basement type smell".
 
#10
#10
white65 said:
I couldn't really tell. There isn't any visible mold or mildew expect for on the dehumidifier.

I opened the door and a window and airflow helped a ton.

The guy that live in that apartment before gave me a tour and he said its always had a "basement type smell".
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Seriously...dehumidifier. Buy one.
 
#13
#13
white65 said:
I'm looking at getting a basement apartment in an older house, I like everything about it except that it has a musty smell. The owner says its b/c noone has lived there in a month, so the dehumidifier hasn't been emptied so it wasn't running.

If I moved in and kept the dehumidifier going and put out baking soda. Would it get rid of the smell?

What are some tips to getting rid of the smell?
Click to expand...

Eat lot of boiled eggs and broccoli for several weeks and wash it down with some flat draft beer.. You will wish for the that musty smell..
 
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#17
#17
white65 said:
I couldn't really tell. There isn't any visible mold or mildew expect for on the dehumidifier.

I opened the door and a window and airflow helped a ton.

The guy that live in that apartment before gave me a tour and he said its always had a "basement type smell".
Click to expand...

My guess would be moisture is causing the smell. To be safe you could pick up a kit to test for mold on the walls. We rented a house for a couple of years and the basement was finished, but it always smelled like dirt to me. I assume because it wasn't insulated very well, and it just always smelled like a dirt basement.
 
#18
#18
vollygirl said:
My guess would be moisture is causing the smell. To be safe you could pick up a kit to test for mold on the walls. We rented a house for a couple of years and the basement was finished, but it always smelled like dirt to me. I assume because it wasn't insulated very well, and it just always smelled like a dirt basement.
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It doesn't smell like dirt to me.

If its just moisture should the smell go away after using a dehumidifier and trying to cover it up?
 
#19
#19
white65 said:
It doesn't smell like dirt to me.

If its just moisture should the smell go away after using a dehumidifier and trying to cover it up?
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You shouldn't need to cover smell, but moisture will cause an odor. The moisture vapor will hold the smell of whatever is there whether it's dirt, mildew, whatever.
 
#20
#20
white65 said:
It doesn't smell like dirt to me.

If its just moisture should the smell go away after using a dehumidifier and trying to cover it up?
Click to expand...

No, it will likely not go away. Where there is moisture there is mold/mildew in a house. If the moisture problem was fixed the smell would likely go away however I'm guessing it's long term problem. If it were me, even with a dehumidifier I wouldn't rent it. There is no telling what you might be exposing yourself to.
 
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#21
#21
If there is a persistent moldy smell, you would probably be horrified if you could see behind the walls.

Dehumidifier will remove high moisture content from the air in the living space. It will not affect the source of the moisture or what it's doing behind those walls.

What's growing behind the walls is getting aerosolized and passing through to the living space. You know this, because you can smell it.

You won't be able to keep the door and windows open through the winter.

I'd look for a healthier alternative.
 
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#22
#22
VFL-82-JP said:
If there is a persistent moldy smell, you would probably be horrified if you could see behind the walls.

Dehumidifier will remove high moisture content from the air in the living space. It will not affect the source of the moisture or what it's doing behind those walls.

What's growing behind the walls is getting aerosolized and passing through to the living space. You know this, because you can smell it.

You won't be able to keep the door and windows open through the winter.

I'd look for a healthier alternative.
Click to expand...

:sick: Excellent advice.
 
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#23
#23
Coug said:
No, it will likely not go away. Where there is moisture there is mold/mildew in a house. If the moisture problem was fixed the smell would likely go away however I'm guessing it's long term problem. If it were me, even with a dehumidifier I wouldn't rent it. There is no telling what you might be exposing yourself to.
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This is probly right. I told the guy I like the apartment, but I would need some kind of trial period(a month) to see if I could remove or live with the smell. He said no then got angry with me. So I feel like theres a red flag there.
 
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