musty smelling floor

hi,
in my bedroom the floor has a musty smell that i cant get rid of. the floor is clean and dry so not sure why its there. has anyone got a cure for getting rid of it please?

thanks mark

Hello Mark and welcome to the forum,

Could you tell me when your home was built, as I might have an idea.

Ed.

hi ed,
  the home was built in the 70's sometime. its a donington castle 40 by 10

thanks mark

Hi Mark

Thanks for coming back. That's about my era. I started selling homes in 1969!! 

At that time, the ventilation was situated in the floor and over a period of time, many residents simply carpeted over them. I remember even having one, where they had positioned one of them (there should be two) just where the leg of the bed should have gone. Made of plastic, about the size 8 inches long and 2.5 inches wide, the bed just went straight through it.

It is very important that a room is adequately ventilated, so I would check that your ventilation hasn't been covered first. Otherwise I think you need to go underneath and see if there is anything that might be smelling and sending that smell through your ventilation.

Let us know how you get on.

Ed.

Hi Mark

....
It is very important that a room is adequately ventilated, so I would check that your ventilation hasn't been covered first. Otherwise I think you need to go underneath and see if there is anything that might be smelling and sending that smell through your ventilation.
Let us know how you get on.
Ed.

-editor

That's a great tip Ed!

We're always careful when insulating to make sure the vents are clear.

There's plenty of vents in new homes too, but they're better placed than in the old days!

Chris O'Brien
Chassis Doctor Ltd.

hi guys,

 there are no vents in the floor at all. i only have 2 in the wall. the smell is coming from the whole floor and it smells like an old cupboard if you know what i mean. there is no smell from underneath either. could there be mould on the underside of the floor in between the insulation/wax paper and the floor? ive lived here 16 and a half years and its always been here but it seems to be getting worse. i was thinking about painting it with some kind of sealing paint to keep the smell out. do you think that would work?

thanks mark

Mark, as we're fitting new insulation anyway, we'll be able to investigate fully. It won't matter then when we cut away old insulation and wax paper covering.

If the floor turns out clean and dry underneath and just as good on top, we'll spray it with wood preserver for protection and install vents on each side of the room.

If most of the floor is damaged, your options are:

1. Having it replaced with better and more sturdy flooring like marine ply - the best option - and perhaps investing in a Heat Recovery System of some sort, especially if you are considering a full refurb. A system like that would guarantee fresh, climate controlled air throughout your home, by removing hot damp air from the kitchen and bathroom and using a heat exchanger to warm fresh air in the winter and cool warm air in the Summer.

It's something we're looking into anyway - I think it will solve a lot of problems and benefit Residential Park Home owners. One of the manufacturers claim this:

'This constant supply of clean, tempered air into the property creates a healthy and ideal environment, maintaining stable humidity levels, free from condensation and mould. Sufferers of asthma, house dust mite populations and other respiratory problems should find this method of ventilation significantly beneficial.'

I've not heard of anyone having a system like that installed on a Park Home - but I'm sure it's feasible. If it works on bricks and mortar, there's no reason why it shouldn't on timber framed structures.

2. Having it replaced with treated flooring grade chipboard - the cheaper option - maybe a new carpet with decent underlay. You'll still need to upgrade the ventilation though.

3. If it's only a small area, just replacing the damaged area and hoping

Hope this helps.

Chris O'Brien
Chassis Doctor Ltd

I'm going to have to pass on this one.

Actually, I think Redsnappa is better qualified than me.

Ed.

I'm going to have to pass on this one.
Actually, I think Redsnappa is better qualified than me.
Ed.

-editor

It was the good advice from your experience that inspired the posting in the first place Ed!

hi chris,

there is some dry black stains down one side of the outer edge but there only stains as i looked last year when i redecorated. they have been there since the day i moved in and havent got any worse. i sprayed them with mold killer at the time and it does not look any differant today. like i say its the whole floor that smells not just parts of it. the last owner must of had a leaky roof and repaired it at some point but i cured that with a tiled roof about 13 years ago just in case it happened again. thanks for all your help and advice.

hi guys,

ive got 50 sheets of insulation 1200 - 450 millimetre
but in worried thats not enough to do my 40 - 10 foot floor. is there any clever people who can work this out please?

thanks mark

hi guys,
ive got 50 sheets of insulation 1200 - 450 millimetre
but in worried thats not enough to do my 40 - 10 foot floor. is there any clever people who can work this out please?
thanks mark

-marklaboube

Hi, it depends on how you are securing it under the floor, are you pushing it up between the joists?
 
you have 288 square feet of insulation but your floor area is 400 square feet.

Yes SK, it's going between the floor bearers, which are longitudinal on a Donnington of this age.

Mark's ordered more sheets - we sourced a supplier in Newmarket, not that far from his Park.

Thanks for the figures by the way! We had fun converting them this morning....

Chris O'Brien
Chassis Doctor Ltd

thanks sk240, i had a funny feeling i was abit short lol.

mark