I just bought a house built in the 1960s, and I've noticed a musty smell, especially concentrated in the basement and the rooms nearby. The top floor only has a mild odor. The basement has interlocking rubber tiles that seem to have suffered some water damage over the years, and while a mold inspection showed no issues, there is some damage to the limited drywall there. I've already repainted walls and ceilings and replaced old trim in the upstairs bedrooms. I'd like to know what else I can do aside from sealing and refinishing the basement. I'm also considering using an odor-neutralizing primer for the downstairs. Any advice would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Have you checked if there's a bathroom down there? In my case, I found a musty smell was caused by some bacteria growing in the toilet tank. If there’s no bathroom, those rubber tiles might be trapping moisture underneath, which leads to bacteria growth too. Removing those tiles could really help!
Make sure the mold inspection company wasn't just a recommendation from the seller or agents. It's worth it to get a reliable independent mold tester. Don’t paint or finish anything until you find the moisture source — sometimes it might be hidden until it gets rainy. In the meantime, run a good dehumidifier to keep things dry while you investigate.
I had a similar musty smell in my basement too! It ended up being due to a slot-drain around the perimeter. I sprayed it with some copper fungicide and the odor vanished. In the end, I had to remove the old floor and install a moisture barrier under the new slab to really get rid of the smell completely. It was a hassle, but worth it!
The downstairs toilet does smell a bit off! You're right about the tiles; we're planning to get rid of them this weekend.