rehabbers, does every house have its own smell?

Question

Weird question I know.  But every house I've worked on so far had a smell.  But this current one is the worst.  I don't get it.  We have a layer of oil based kilz on the walls, covered with a layer of knockdown, with two coats of paint, new trim and doors and carpet, bathroom and basement gutted to the studs and rebuilt, and some new drywall, windows open all summer, and....just being there for five minutes and I can smell it on my jacket.  It's like that subway dirty dishrag smell that jumps on you every time you go there.  I don't notice anything there when I'm at the house, but when I leave, it's like a Seinfeld episode.  This thing is alive.  Would an air scrubber do anything?

Jered Sturm · Answer

A good Ozone machine can take care of most smells in a home.

http://www.ozonesolutions.com/journal/2009/how-doe...

Good luck!

Doug N. · Answer

Hi John,

Yes you are correct - this would make a great Seinfeld episode. Do you have a lot of friends you can complain to? Funny and/or strange ones? How is your delivery, and timing?

Actually, from what little I know, smells are just molecules that are 'outgassing', or giving off a gas version of the substance. So I  would imagine that there is a substance that's smelly, and at least slightly damp. If it's a deal breaker, I would isolate sections of the house with an impermeable membrane, aka plastic sheeting and duct tape, and then see where the general location is...

We once had a generalized urine smell in a house, and we had ripped out everything but the ceiling, hoping it was not that. We eventually discovered that hope is a great thing, but a complete demo was better.

Let us know what happens!

Doug N. · Answer

Yes, an ozone machine will, but to be clear, it is only neutralizing the odors - it is not eliminating the source.

Imagine - if you will - a young child in diapers, and an ozone machine... well, ok, please disregard.

rehabbers, does every house have its own smell?

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