Rising musty smells in bedroom affecting my health - what to do?

[macaodh]

Hello,

I am not quite sure where to post this, so I hope I'm in the right place! I have a problem which has been impacting my health. Over the past few years, there has been a strange musty smell in my bedroom which has been triggering my allergies and making me feel rather unwell. I have been able to live with this, perhaps unwisely so - however, recently, it has worsened, and my health with it. Now, I am determined to get to the source of this. The smell "seems" to have reemerged with the recent changes in the season, although please note the smell comes and goes as it chooses. However, for example I have noticed that if I open the window to air the bedroom, the smell arises once again. I have always supected mold and/dust. Yesterday, I started to lift the floorboards. I will continue to do so, however, for now I would very much appreciate any advice you have regarding what the problem could be and how I go about tackling it?

Our house is a two-storey terraced, perhaps 1930s. The problem area is the first floor bedroom.

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I have started in one section of the bedroom, to the left hand side of the chimney stack (as one faces it). FYI, the chimney is not currently in use, and it has not been used for at least 5 years. However, I do find it strange that the joists are so dark in colour - I wonder how could this be and does it matter?

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You can see that this section's general colour is quite dark - the dirt or dust is really dark, and the smell is musty. The joists here are noticeably darker in hue than the other joists farther away from the chimney - these joists farther into the room are more brown in colour. In the immediate corner right at the chimney stack (i.e., where the bedroom wall meets the chimney stack) there is a deep hole which extends down into the lower sections of the chimney - this is filled with dark dirt and dust, and I cannot quite see where this hole ends.

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Here is a closeup of a section of the darkened joists and the ceiling covered in old bits and pieces. There is a firm but brittle material stuck onto the ceiling wood latts, some of which is loose - this too has become quite discoloured.

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Moving forward:

• I intend to remove all the flooring and try to clean up the loose dirt, dust, and rubble. Perhaps getting some powerful vacuum would help with this? I am wondering should I remove the aforementioned "brittle material stuck onto the ceiling wood latts"?

• I am keeping in mind that there may be a mold issue - however, I suspect the problem is more to do with rising and circulating dust...?

• When I have cleaned out the loose dirt etc. should I use some form of sealant to keep any remaining dust and/or smells in place? Because of my allergies, I need to stay clear of potent chemicals, for example.

• Perhaps, I could seal the gaps between the floorboards after I have relayed them? Would this keep any smells at bay?

[moderator2]

Moved to General.

[dewaltdisney]

As this is a bedroom I would check out the ceiling above and see what is happening in the loft. I feel it is unlikely that debris in the inter-floor area is causing a guff, unless you find a dead body under the floorboards or vermin. Do not break the plaster pushed into the lathes as it is holding the ceiling below up. By all means vacuum out the loose stuff but I doubt it would make a difference. Eliminate damp as the cause first. Mould needs damp to grow. Is your home heated properly because the underfloor would be quite dry. Check out the loft is my advice.

DWD

[macaodh]

Hello dewaltdisney,

Thanks for your advice. What do you mean when you say the following, as I'm not sure what is meant by 'underfloor'?:

Is your home heated properly because the underfloor would be quite dry.

Yes, I had suspected the loft. The lime mortar from the slated roof has all but crumbled onto the insulation, and so the loft is very dusty and dirty. There are a few gaps where light is getting into the loft, although it is not clear if any water is actually penetrating through. My plan is:

• The insulation is relatively new, perhaps installed over 5 years ago before we moved in; however, it is covered in dust and dirt from the fallen lime mortar.

• I think by removing the insulation and dust I can then start to check for mould.

So, if there is a mould issue, then this points to a problem with damp in the loft, and perhaps also a problem with the roof (I need to research this, and obviously make future decisions based on my prior discoveries, as mentioned above):

• Would it be best to have the back of the slated roof torched to returned the lime mortar lining?

• Or, have some sort of felt installed on the back of the slate tiles?

• Or, get the roof replaced or retiled?

[dewaltdisney]

It is hard to advise you directly as being remote we have to imagine the situation and put forward ideas for you to check. By the way, I meant the void between the floorboards and the ceiling below. Damp will cause mold and this sounds suspiciously like your issue. I would not pull up the insulation, just lift in areas and sniff under. Quite frankly a reroof is something to consider as it will be done to modern standards and materials. The new roof with have a damp barrier under the tiles that allows the roof to breathe but keeps out moisture. But it is whether you can stand the cost, it will be worth getting a couple of quotes. It might be worth a call to the Council's Environmental Health Officer who might be able to call in, check, and advise.

DWD