Mildew/Mold Smell

I know there are others on this board who can be of help, tyrylie, but, we have a moldy mildew smell in our basement, also.  A dehumidifier has helped a great deal to cut down the smell and, the overall damp feeling in the basement.

Hi, I have a couple of questions about mold. 1st isnt this dangerous to our health, especially those with asthma? 2nd how do I find out or how do I detect if mold has been covered up in a house? And if so how do I get rid of or clean it?The reason I ask is because I have just moved into an apartment that was under water around 13-14 yrs ago. And I have just noticed in the bathroom and hallwall that leads to the bathroom the walls look black underneath the white paint. Am I making any sense whatsoever? LOL. Any replys will be greatly appreciated.

Hi spiritualeyes-Welcome to MySears!  Yes, to my knowledge, mold is very dangerous to have in your house-it is not good for overall health, especially those with respiratory problems.

I know there are some environmental companies which will test for mold.  We looked into this for our house a few years ago, and it was pretty expensive, which is why we didn't do it.  There were also kits available, I think, online, too, that claimed to test for mold, too.

Tyrylie, do you have a central air conditioning system? If so, that is where you should start. Have your ducts cleaned, and have your A/C inspected and maintained.

You may also want to contact a mold abatement company to have the home purged of mold. Often, it is not only where you see it, but where you can't see it.

I worked with my uncle on houses that also had the same problem's that your having trouble with and most of the time is ended up being inproper ventalation. I hope this may help you solve the problem.

Ive heard a lot about ozone generators being very good at killing mold and ridding funky smells. I was interested in renting one before i bought it then i saw this thread.  so now i have three things to consider.  ozone generator- dehumidifier- or air purifier.  thoughts?

Make sure your basement does not include a sump hole that collects water.

THAT would be a fantastic source of mold (always damp area) and could do very well with an electric sump pump to keep the area less full of moisture.

We moved into a house and mold was growing on one corner of the acoustic ceiling and also down the painted wall. I saw a tv segment that mixed a little water with chlorox and you spray it onto the wall, so I did it and the mold was gone almost instantly from the wall and the acoustic ceiling. Then when we painted over the wall color months later, we added a mildewcide? to the paint that you can get added to the paint at Home Depot and that will take care of paint and mold.

 

Hi JulieK, the dehumidifier may help get rid of the smell but not the problem. The mold smell is the enzymes that the mold secretes to digest it's food (you can think of them as mold farts). So if you smell that musty smell it normally means mold is growing nearby. You need to find the mold damage and get rid of it. It may also be a good idea to find out why it's growing (it needs a water source). So find the water damage, stop it from occurring and get rid of the mold. Then throw the dehumidifier out because it won't be needed anymore.

Ozone is not a good thing to breathe, and does not kill mildew or mold. I don't recommend ozone generators / ionic air purifiers. A good air purifier with a hepa filter is your best bet for basic household air purification.

I own a mold remediation company.  Air purifiers only work for mold if they are filtering at least 3 micrometers, with a rapid turn-over rate of air.  Many, many times per hour.  If this is not happening, do not waste your money on an air purifier if mold is your concern.  If you are concerned about mold in your home, call a reputable mold technician who can conduct air qualitly tests.

Mold and mildew should not be covered up with paint or air machines.

The remedy is to find the source and remove it.

Water or moisture combined with humidity is the environment mold and mildew need to thrive.

Find the location and the source of the water and stop it.

Remove the mold with a mixture of bleach and water.  In severe cases you may have to remove the wall thd mold is clinging to.

After fixing the source and the mold you may use the dehumidifier to reduce the humidity on an ongoing basis.

I use a system of inspection and treatment to keep the condition at bay.  I monitor the suspected areas (bathroom, ceiling etc.) and periodically spray those area with the bleach mixture.

I

Thank you for saying something  specific.  I appreciate knowing what to avoid and what to look for!!  Hepa filter --- I can ask for at a Sears store -.  Any one unit better than another??

It's going to depend on the size of the room. But, generally it's the filter, and not the machine, that makes the difference. If you go to your local Sears, they should be able to guide you to a model that makes sense for you. However, as the line-up has recently changed, and I haven't been in appliances exclusively for a couple months, I am not totally familiar with each particular model.

Kenmore electrostatic air cleaner (model no. 437.85264) works great for about a year possibly two. Had one that kept the air really fresh and clean smelling...you could tell it was working just by breathing in. Problem was, spent over $400 with extended warranty and it quit working two months after warranty ended and it does not look like we can get it repaired. Would probably be a good bet for you short term. Just be prepared to throw it away even with meticulous care.

I have an old house, live in Vermont, in the winter time it is very damp and humid in the house, dirt cellar floor, wood stove but no kettle on top.  The second floor has most of the humidity especially on the north side with water on the inside of the windows, in the summer we can open the windows and that is the end but now it smells like mold and mildew will the dehumidifier help or is it a waste of money?

If the humidity is causing the odor, then a dehumidifier will probably help (though it will not eliminate the spores). For a constant-use dehumidifier, consider the 99701 Kenmore Elite model, with a built-in pump so you never have to empty the bucket, and it can pump up into a sink or drain pipe instead of relying solely on gravity and floor drains. Good luck!

If you have alot of moisture build up on your windows  you might need more ventilation in your attic. I had this problem had this problem on a ranch style house and added 6 eve vents on each side and roof and gable vents. You also have to make sure your bathrooms are vented properly vented without the moisture adding to a problem that already exist. Make sure your sump hole is covered if you have one. Everything little thing helps when you have a moisture problem.

 

Which would be better for a mold/ mold smell problem Dehumidifier or Air Purifier?