Jammin’ along to Lynyrd Skynyrd tunes is far more satisfying than singing “Ooooh that smell, Can’t you smell that smell” because a musty odor lingers throughout your home. Musty odors in the crawl space have several potential causes, which you’ll need to identify to rectify the smell -and possibly eliminate damage and the need for expensive repairs.  

What’s That Smell?

The most common causes of musty odors in the crawl space include:

• Mold: The most common -and serious- cause of musty odors in the home is mold. It’s not the actual mold that smells but instead, chemical compounds released during different stages of mold growth. Mold grows in dark, damp spaces like the crawl space. It disperses mold spores in the air that your family inhales every time they breathe. Mold causes an array of structural damages to your home but also puts your health and that of loved ones at risk. Mold can cause respiratory issues as well as allergies.
• Organic Matter: Organic matter from the soil underneath the crawl space potentially causes bad odors into the living space if it is not sealed off.
• Pests/Rodents: Pests and rodents can make their way into the crawl space and leave behind feces that cause bad smells.  A rodent infestation will also cause odors, although the likely culprit is decaying animals.
• High Humidity Levels: Humidity levels around 60% help minimize moisture and dampness build-up in the crawlspace. Purchase a humidity level monitor specifically to use in the crawl space to better control humidity and prevent moisture and water damage.
• Standing Water: Standing water turns stagnant over time. Stagnant water has a pretty bad smell that can certainly make its way into the living areas of the home after A crawl space inspection performed by Southern Crawl Space can help detect and eliminate water problems in your crawl space.

 

How to Remove Crawl Space Odors

Now that we’ve discussed the most common causes of crawl space odors it’s time to learn how to eliminate them. The best way to remove crawl space odors varies depending on the cause of the smell. For example, if dead and decaying animals cause the funk, removing them should resolve the problem pretty quickly. Issues such as high humidity levels and standing water are more serious and need help from the experts here at Southern Crawl Space. We offer a variety of waterproofing solutions suited to your needs, including Vapor Barriers, sump pump installation, and more. We also recommend a dehumidifier to reduce high humidity levels in the crawl space. Although dehumidifiers do not prevent mold, they certainly keep moisture out, protecting the crawl space against water damage. Southern Crawl Space offers moisture control services, including basement and crawlspace waterproofing, drainage system installation, and vapor barrier installation. SCS guarantees to fix your moisture issues permanently. Our trained team of technicians utilizes only the best solutions for your basement or crawlspace. We are proud to offer LumberKote™ and MaxxBarrier™ waterproofing sealers by WatsonSeal. We are Alabama’s ONLY Watson Seal Authorized Dealer. If you have a service request, give us a call. We will happily provide a free inspection and service estimate.