Musty Smell In Closet

Q: My home is 54 years old and there a musty smell coming form one closet located in the center of the house. I have checked to see if there is any leaking from the ceiling and there isn’t. I have also checked the floors. My vents for my AC and heating are in the ceiling because the house was too low for anyone to go under it in the front. The floors are hardwood there is no carpeting at all. Could this still be from the ducts?

A: If the musty smell were only in one closet, I would venture a guess that it is a closet not used often and the door seals quite well, possibly carpet on the floor. Musty smells in closets are usually caused by poor ventilation and stagnant air. If it is not too inconvenient, leave the closet open for a while - a few days at least, and see if the musty smell disappears. If it does then you will need to put a small vent grill on the closet door, or just leave it open more often.

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Musty Smell

Q: My daughter has just moved into a beautiful huge house. It has a very bad musty smell i believe comes from the basement. They have a large dehumidifier that is on all the time. The house was empty for 2 months before they moved in. What can be done to remove the smell it is on all three levels?

A: New homes can smell musty due to the drying of the materials used in construction - there isn't a lot that can be done for that other than leave the windows open - it will go away. If it is an older home that has been closed up, the musty smell can becoming from drain traps that are all but dry - tell them to turn on all taps for a few minutes - one at a time is fine. If drapes or other furnishings, such as carpet were in the home, they need to be washed or dry-cleaned - carpeting needs to be steam cleaned. If the furnace is on, now, the odor could be from mildew in the ducts after not being used and humidity in the air - the ducts may need to be cleaned by a professional.

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