Strong Damp smell in one room

Kumsheen

I have a problem in one of the bedrooms (Spare), that is getting worse over time but i can't seem to find the source of the problem.
There is a strong damp or musty smell when you enter the room, but no evidence of any damp on any walls ceiling or floor.
None of the other rooms have this problem so i'm baffled by whats causing it.
So far i have tried/checked:

• Checked all walls, inside wardrobes, behind headboard for dampness.
• Checked air vent is clear.
• Bed is only a few years old.
• left windows wide open for most of the summer.
• Kept bedroom door open to see if that helps.
• Heated the room all last winter, but it didn't clear the problem.
• Carpet is dry and no evidence of any damp marks.
• Window PVC double glazed in good condition.

All the rooms in the house were dry lined by the previous owner.
I have lived in the house for the last 5 years and noticed the damp about 2 years ago, it progressively got worse to the point where you can't sleep in it anymore since the last few months.
No smell in any other room in the house.

Anybody got any suggestions of anything else to check or what may be the culprit?

Billy Bunting

Kumsheen wrote: »

inside wardrobes,

Did you check clothing in the wardrobe ??

Not that i think it's the case here but i was away last weekend and returned home to a very damp musky smell resembling damp mouldy clothing in the kitchen, we searched high and low but could not locate it, this morning we found the source, a rotten carrot in the vegetable rack.

MicktheMan

What side of the house is this spare room on (i.e. north, south etc)?
Also, do you know how the external walls were drylined?

Kumsheen

Billy Bunting wrote: »

Did you check clothing in the wardrobe ??

Checked all the clothes,duvets etc. No smell off anything. It seems to be lingering in the air.

MicktheMan wrote: »

What side of the house is this spare room on (i.e. north, south etc)?
Also, do you know how the external walls were drylined?

The room is on a corner, window facing east and solid wall south.

In relation to dry lining, i remember a comment from the surveyor that the thickness grade of insulation in the drylining was not very thick but better than nothing. The house was built in 1980.

I put attic floor boards down since i moved in, they don't cover the whole attic area, but there are some over this room, could this be something to consider?

Rancid

Kumsheen wrote: »

Checked all the clothes,duvets etc. No smell off anything. It seems to be lingering in the air.....

You've checked all the obvious places, I think.
Have a look at the back of the wardrobe, the part that faces the wall, and also underneath the wardrobe.

If you have a chest of drawers in the room, pull out each of the drawers and check the under surface of each one. These are often made of hardboard and can absorb any moisture in the air and provide the ideal breeding ground for mould.

Only other possibilities would be the curtain lining facing the wall, or forgotten leather shoes, bags or boots!

stoeger

You said you left widows open .a cat might have peed in there happened to my friend last year he didn't no what was going on till he seen it coming out

stoeger

You said you left widows open .a cat might have peed in there happened to my friend last year he didn't no what was going on till he seen it coming out

Hootanany

Is the outside path higher than your FFL

Kumsheen

Hootanany wrote: »

Is the outside path higher than your FFL

Not sure what FFL means but there is a slight downslope between the footpath and the house if that's what you mean.

Hootanany

Sorry inside Finished floor level

MicktheMan

Kumsheen wrote: »

I have lived in the house for the last 5 years and noticed the damp about 2 years ago, it progressively got worse to the point where you can't sleep in it anymore since the last few months.

Were any home improvements carried out prior to start of the damp smell?

I doubt attic flooring has anything to do with the problem

slimjimmc

Kumsheen wrote: »

Checked all the clothes,duvets etc. No smell off anything. It seems to be lingering in the air.



The room is on a corner, window facing east and solid wall south.

In relation to dry lining, i remember a comment from the surveyor that the thickness grade of insulation in the drylining was not very thick but better than nothing. The house was built in 1980.

I put attic floor boards down since i moved in, they don't cover the whole attic area, but there are some over this room, could this be something to consider?

So some walls are dry lined. I think MicktheMan was driving at the possibility that the musty smell could be from mould growing behind the plasterboard. Mould can be a significant health risk and would need to be eradicated pronto.

Don't go cutting chunks out of the wall yet, until you've eliminated other possibilities.

MicktheMan

slimjimmc wrote: »

I think MicktheMan was driving at the possibility that the musty smell could be from mould growing behind the plasterboard.

Yes that is what I was driving at:)

but

it is somewhat discounted due to room orientation and fact that no other rooms suffer eventhough they are also drylined, plus drylining doesn't appear to be very thick, plus problem first noticed two years ago.

OP, I suggest you have it looked at as mould in the home is not healthy.

Kumsheen

slimjimmc wrote: »

So some walls are dry lined. I think MicktheMan was driving at the possibility that the musty smell could be from mould growing behind the plasterboard. Mould can be a significant health risk and would need to be eradicated pronto.

Don't go cutting chunks out of the wall yet, until you've eliminated other possibilities.

That had crossed my mind at one stage. Is there any way to test for that? Testing kits etc??

I tried pressing in on the plasterboard in various places to see if there was any areas that seemed damp but it all looks fine.

In the interim i borrowed a De-humidifier and that seems to be improving things somewhat. I can't believe the amount of water it's sucked in already.

Hootanany

Seems like an active leak to me.

the46gang

I have a similar problem too.

did you identify the smell?

was it mould hidden behind the dry lined plasterboard insulation in the wall ?

thanks.

hesker

Is there a bathroom with shower beside this room. If yes maybe remove skirting board on shared wall and check for damp/rot.

Fortwilliam21

What type of heating is in the house? Are there any radiators in the room, what type of pipes or connecting. If it is gun-barrel pipe I would replace them, they are notorious for leaking, esp if they are laid into concrete. Can you post some pictures of the room?

I would suggest to completely empty the room of everything, even pull up the carpet for a few weeks and see if that changes anything.

Presidentmr

@Kumsheen How did you get on? There's a really bad damp smell in built in wardrobes, I'm worried it's between the wardrobe and wall.

I think it's worse since I insulated the attic three months ago (and it's been a very wet winter).

Any suggestions?

Thanks