Your nose can actually tell you a lot about your home that your eyes can’t see.  This is particularly true of property issues that may be hidden or that worsen over time gradually.

Here are some tips for paying attention to your nose in order to identify potential issues as quickly as possible so that you can do something about them!

Dusty / Dirty Smells

As dust accumulates in the air, it can dramatically worsen the indoor air quality, spread pathogens, and aggravating allergies.  Dirty indoor air can cause a number of health and respiratory issues from coughing and wheezing to difficulty breathing, watery eyes, and more.  In fact, it’s estimated that 50% of all illnesses are caused or aggravated by poor indoor air quality!  It’s important to address Issues with indoor air quality to ensure that property issues are rectified properly and the air you breathe is clean and healthy.

What to do about it: High dust accumulation in the air is often caused by one of two things, 1) Dust on surfaces such as furniture, floors, etc. that is able to get into the air, or 2) Dirty ductwork that is spreading this dirty air throughout your home.

Once you determine the likely causes, addressing a dusty environment is fairly straightforward and will involve thorough cleaning of the affected area and having a qualified service clean your ductwork.  Most homeowners do not clean their ductwork frequently enough, leading to air quality that will slowly worsen over time.  It’s important to also note that a symptom of dirty ductwork does include dust accumulation on surfaces, so if you do feel like you’re dusting more often than you used to, the likely cause of both issues is dirty ductwork.

Musty Smells

Have you noticed a “musty” smell in your home?  This is most commonly caused by mold issues and since mold issues aren’t always visible, this can be difficult to diagnose.  You may notice some visible mold growth on surfaces such as the rafters in the basement or attic, or the ceiling in your bathroom, but mold growth can also be hidden inside of wall or ceiling cavities, behind appliances or cabinets, or under floors.

Mold growth will release mold spores into the air where it can result in health or respiratory issues, aggravate allergies, and reduce the indoor air quality.  Additionally, ongoing research has shown that ongoing or prolonged exposure to mold growth and / or mold spores can cause long-term health effects, particularly in children.

What to do about it: If not cleaned properly, mold issues can become much, much, worse, so it’s always recommended that mold issues be addressed by qualified Mold Remediation professionals.  The team at your local Disaster Blaster will be able to evaluate the full scope of the mold issue and develop a remediation plan to contain the area and address the issue following industry-recognized and proven processes.  In addition, your local Disaster Blaster should also be able to diagnose the underlying moisture issue that caused the mold contamination in the first place and make recommendations for steps to address that issue as well so that the mold problem doesn’t come back.

It’s important to keep in mind that mold issues that are not addressed properly can dramatically increase the amount of mold spores in the area, contaminate other areas of your home, and significantly increase the scope of remediation services ultimately necessary to address the mold issue correctly (as well as increase the cost of this work).

Ammonia Smells

The most common cause of ammonia smells inside homes is urine (dog, cat, etc.).  Unfortunately, depending on the type of urine, the materials affected, and how long the urine was allowed to absorb into building materials, cleaning can be simple or complex.  Cat urine in particular can be difficult to address effectively as it is extremely persistent.  To make matters worse, if you have multiple pets in your home, they may repeatedly re-mark the same area, creating a habit that can be difficult to break.

What to do about it: There are essentially two options with urine smells, 1) Deodorization, and 2) Removal of the affected building materials.  While we are happy to review your particular needs and assist in developing a plan to address the unique situation at your property, here are some tips for homeowners attempting to address urine odors themselves:

1) Remove / launder porous materials (clothes, blankets, area rugs, etc.). For repeated or long-term urine issues, you may need to remove affected carpeting and carpet pad.

2) Treat affected surfaces with an enzymatic cleaner or one of these homemade pet urine deodorizers (Be sure to always test cleaning products in an inconspicuous area first to ensure they don’t stain or damage the material):

Household Deodorizer #1: Mix in a spray bottle equal parts White or Apple Cider Vinegar and Water (1:1 ratio) and spray on affected surfaces and allow to dry.

Household Deodorizer #2: In a spray bottle, mix 8 ounces of peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and a few drops of dish soap and spray on affected surfaces and allow to sit for 20 minutes.

3) Thoroughly clean surfaces as you normally would.

4) Attempt another treatment of the deodorizer if necessary.

5) If deodorization is unsuccessful, removal of affected building materials may be necessary.

Your nose can be your first indicator that something isn’t quite right and can help you narrow down where these issues may be coming from.

We hope this information is helpful, but if you ever need assistance in addressing an odor in your home, please don’t hesitate to Contact Your Local Disaster Blaster. We’re always here to help!

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