A musty smell could indicate all kinds of problems in your home. It could be a sign of a minor problem that can be remedied easily, or it could be a symptom of a significant underlying issue that will require more extensive repairs. It is important to identify which kind of problem you’re dealing with so that you can formulate a plan to resolve it.

What Causes a Musty Smell?

If your home smells musty, there are several different factors that could be at play. Knowing the unique cause of the odor in your house is crucial to properly treating it. Here are some of the top offenders that could be the culprit behind your home’s musty odor.

• Mold and mildew

Mold and mildew will thrive in areas where there is an abundance of moisture, stagnant air, dark corners, and exposed dirt. Any of these conditions may be caused by a damaged roof, high humidity, or dirt buildup in crawlspaces throughout the home. This kind of musty odor is particularly difficult to get rid of because the odor of mold and mildew can permeate carpets, curtains, and upholstery, causing the odor to linger even after the mold has died. A mold remediation and removal specialist can inspect your property for hidden spots of mold and conduct a proper removal procedure.

• Cigarette smoke

While smoking indoors may be convenient and helpful to curb cravings, it can have disastrous effects on the health of your home. Drywall and other porous surfaces like carpeting soak in the scent of smoke and nicotine, making it nearly impossible to get rid of these unwanted smells once they set in. In fact, if the previous owner of your home smoked, the walls can emit that odor for decades without proper mitigation. To remove a tobacco smoke smell from an entire home, you will need a comprehensive plan that includes cleaning, deodorizing, and sealing.

• Inadequate ventilation

If your home has “musty,” or damp smells coming from it, you may have a problem with poor airflow. Air circulation is essential for creating a fresh-smelling home, and homes with poor ventilation often develop musty, stale odors that can affect your health. To prevent this from happening, look for ways to increase ventilation in areas where humidity and moisture build-up, like the bathroom and kitchen. Professional water damage restoration can help you remove excess moisture that could be contributing to musty smells. These measures can make a significant impact on reducing the unwanted odors in your home.

• Old or unclean HVAC system

Dirty air ducts, combined with a dirty or old HVAC system, are two of the most common culprits for musty smells. The grime and dirt buildup inside uncleaned ducts can circulate through your HVAC system and spread a musty odor to nearly every area of your house. Dirty ducts can also result in poor airflow which reduces the efficiency of your heating and cooling system and causes bacteria to grow and thrive. For all of these reasons, cleaning your ducts regularly is essential for both the comfort of your home and the preservation of your air quality.

• Uncleaned messes

Urine and other pet accidents, accidental spills, and food drops are among the most common causes of musty smells. They can seep deep into carpet padding and subflooring, causing lingering odors that can last up to several years without a professional cleaning.

What to Do About Musty Smells in Your Home

• Clean your air ducts

If you can’t remember the last time your air ducts were cleaned, it might be time to revisit. Dirty and clogged air ducts can create several problems in your home, including excessive dust, health problems, and unwanted odors due to bacteria build-up. Look into getting a professional air duct cleaning if you’re struggling with musty odors in your house.

• Promote airflow

Stagnant air is a common reason why odors develop and linger in homes. To correct this, get air moving by opening windows, turning on fans, and leaving doors open. Areas in your home that trap moisture (such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundries, and basements) should be a focus for ventilation.

• Clean or change out your carpet

Carpets have a unique ability to filter air and trap particles, which can spell disaster when it comes to developing musty odors. It is possible that if you’re struggling with odors in your home, it could be due to pet stains, bacteria, or mildew built up in the carpeting. Deep cleaning or replacing the carpet and subfloor will help to neutralize those odors and eliminate unwanted smells from your property.

A musty smell in your home could be a sign of a bigger problem that should be addressed as soon as possible. Over time, many materials used in the construction of a home will absorb moisture and release odors, this is especially true if your home contains natural materials, such as wood or stone. If you notice a musty smell in your home, you’ll need to identify the source and take the right steps to remove it. Reach out to a trained water restoration or mold removal specialist if the odor-causing problems in your home are too advanced to resolve on your own.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.