My husband and I have just moved into a major fixer-upper. I have never lived in a home with a basement before, and while this isn't a full basement, the sub-level is sub-terranean. Whenever I go down there, I smell this weird musty smell, almost as though it hasn't aired out in a while. Mold testing came back negative, the air is clean of that, and we kept the windows open for two weeks to allow fresh air in. The smell remains. Is this a normal basement smell? Can I mask it or eliminate it?
In areas where people have basements, just about everyone has at least one demudifier. I know exactly the smell you are talking about. You will have to probably empty it once per day. I just walked up from emptying mine. This is totally normal and to be expected in a basement. You'll have to empty it far, far less in the winter.
Have you tried a dehumidifier? It makes a big difference in our basement. Get one that can drain into your basement drain so you don't have to empty it. Good luck.
Dehumidifiers make a huge difference. Also, if you have a crawl that has gravel, you may want to consider having concrete laid or resurfacing it. Check any sewer gas pipes to make sure that the standing water isn't the culprit either and you can go to your hardware store to find something to pour down there to remove the smell. Also, if your walls are exposed and unpainted, you may want to consider painting them.
My husband and I fixed up an old, scary basement in a 100 year old home. We did all of the above, minus the "crawl space" area because there wasn't one, and were amazed at the results - smelled much better, walls were sealed. Made a huge difference. But..... was A LOT OF WORK! More work for us because we had to empty it, first, so... now may be the time to do it.
I don't know if this makes you feel any better, but we just bought a house and have the same smell in our basement! We've done a few things... the gas meter was replaced as some of the smell was borderline gassy, and we also just had some cracks in the foundation repaired (they were moist, and I don't think that helped). We also just got a dehumidifier, as both my parents swear that that will work wonders to reduce the moisture and the musty smell. Our house is 90 years old, so I assumed this was just part of the house!
Good luck!
Jen
Try using Fresh Wave Super Gel. It is an all natural product, it does NOT contain any harsh chemicals, is non toxic and biodegradable. I just put it in little dishes in our basement. It has a very fresh, somewhat pine odor. I bought mine at ACE Hardware. It is a little pricey, but well worth it. It will remove the smell. Enjoy your new home!
Is there a crawl space? The smell could be coming from there, especially if it's a gravel crawl. Not sure how to eliminate the odor.
R
I also suggest the dehumidifier. We have an old house and the musty smell just seems to go with it. We tried all sorts of freshening ideas, but the only thing that works consistently and works well is to have the dehumidifier down there. It takes out the mustiness and makes the space feel a lot drier and nicer.
I would also recommend a dehumidifier. also, a table-top air purifier might help you out too! I have done this, in our partially finished basement and we have no basement smells!
