Smell in house

Clauric

Not sure this is the correct forum - please move if incorrect.

Looking for some advice for my mother.

They recently had a fair amount of building work done, which did not go as well as would be expected (but that is another story). They had the master ensuite remodelled, with new shower, toilet, vanity, and velux. Since the time that the vanity was put in, there has been a rather 'chemically' smell coming from the ensuite. This has been going on for more than 6 months, and the smell has not abated. The vanity seems to be made from waterproof MDF, with a plastic like veneer.

I get the smell when I go into the room, and so does my mother, but neither my dad, nor the builder (he wouldn't, would he?) say they can smell it.

I'm wondering if there is anything that can be done to find out what is causing this? Is there a machine/test/person that can test if there are any smells, or chemicals in the air?

the_syco

Have you tried cleaning everything, including the walls, with something like Cif cleaner, in that room? I'm talking deep clean, not a quick once over.

Clauric

Yes. She cleans it twice a week, top to bottom.

Atlantic Dawn

How long ago was it done, a month or so should clear the newish smell if that's what was causing it.

Clauric

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

How long ago was it done, a month or so should clear the newish smell if that's what was causing it.

Units were out in in May/ June. Smell still persists. It's especially noticeable in the morning, or when you've just come back into the house.

Victor

Is it properly vented?

Clauric

Victor wrote: »

Is it properly vented?

Electric extractor, which works while on, but can't be left on all the time. Also a Velux in the roof

the_syco

Clauric wrote: »

Yes. She cleans it twice a week, top to bottom.

In that case, consider it may be the plumbing, or something that you can't reach.

Open the velux, and turn the fan on until there's no smell, and then have a close sniff at everything you can reach with your nose, to see if you can find the cause.

April 73

I think it's more likely to be plumbing than a smell from the vanity unit. We had this problem with a botched en-suite job as the angle of the pipe from the shower was wrong and allowed water to stagnate under the shower. There was also a leak from a pipe behind the bathroom wall. We had to have a lot of remedial work done to rectify the poor work that had been done by the first bathroom guy.
I would run the shower, taps, flush the loo, then put bleach down all of the outlets. If the smell goes but then comes back it's most likely you have an issue with the plumbing.

April 73

Clauric wrote: »

Units were out in in May/ June. Smell still persists. It's especially noticeable in the morning, or when you've just come back into the house.

This also makes me think it's the plumbing. If nobody has been using the sink, loo, shower etc to flush the pipes during the night or when the house is empty, then the smell builds up & is more noticeable in the morning or when you return to the house.

Gumbo

Check the Shower tray trap and ensure it’s sealed properly.