Musty smell in enclosed patio

5 years ago

We recently moved into a 1950s ranch style home with an enclosed patio on the side. The enclosure is not conditioned and there is not crawl space below it like there is for the rest of the house. The space smells very musty, although there no visible signs of mold and mildew anywhere. We've tried DampRid containers and the smell has not gone away at all. Any thoughts on what could be causing the smell and if there is anything we can do about it? Or who we should contact to look into the smell issue? Our laundry room is out there and we've noticed our clothes also start to smell musty so we need to solve this fast! Thanks for the thoughts!

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A
Original Author

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

Hi all, thanks for the input. We decided to have a mold inspection done this past weekend just to rule that out as a potential cause. Well, the inspector found some mold in our crawl space and also noted that the laundry room, although not built on the crawl space, has an opening/vent to the crawl space and causing the enclosed patio space to smell. We will now have to remove the mold from the crawl space, but we are planning on purchasing a dehumidifier for the enclosure.

Just wanted to provide an update in case this can help anyone else!

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Comments (8)

HU-178658043
5 years ago
Could it be the washer?
A
Original Author
5 years ago
We purchased a brand new washer and dryer when we moved in! They've been used for less than two months so don't think that could be it!
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cat_ky
5 years ago
Does it sit directly on the ground, with no air space around it? Could it be coming from under the floor? Does it have a good roof, and if there is an attic above it, you may want to investigate up there a bit too. Since this was once a patio, it may not have been built to enclose, and that could be the reason for the musty smell. Is there any other location for the washer and dryer? If so, I would consider moving the washer and dryer. Obviously, there is mold or mildew somewhere, so may not be an easy thing to find. Its also not healthy to breathe in.
lindac92
5 years ago
Get some air circulation in there.....a vent fan and a couple of open windows.....and perhaps a dehumidifuer.
rrah
5 years ago
Is there some flooring besides concrete? I know a lot of home owners in the 50's and 60's put down some kind of carpet or artificial turf in rooms like you've described. Wondering if it could be flooring.
ci_lantro
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Pictures would help. Exterior & interior. Because those would give us some hints as to what to suspect. Like perhaps framing that is sitting on grade and possibly wet & rotting and a bit about how runoff is being managed. Gutters, downspouts, etc.
cat_ky
5 years ago
I am happy to hear, you did get someone in and are getting the problem taken care of. Get lots of ventilation in there, and a good scrubbing, once it has been remediated and hopefully, you will have a space to enjoy.