All Forum Posts by: Salman V.
Salman V. has started 3 posts and replied 35 times.
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Unfortunately the nightmare continues:
I called: https://www.yelp.com/biz/general-moisture-solution...
Who is a moisture expert - I told him everything I've done. He said I need to be patient and that he can't do anything until I see visible signs of what's there and it would be hard for him to pin point anything since the apartment was recently renovated and the only problem right now is a strong musty/ mildewy smell.
I am going to get a highly recommended HEPA air purifier so the tenant isn't breathting this stuff in.
https://www.alencorp.com/products/alen-breathesmar...
I'll also call more moisture companies. The good news is that it is raining all week this week in Chicago so if it's a problem with rain it should show fast.
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Originally posted by @Troy Sheets:
Originally posted by @Maurice D.:
ac condensate leaking (not draining properly) would tend to show more during the summer, it wouldn't generate condensation during Winter months. if you have seen water recently, it's another source. It would still be good to make sure condensate drains are on the up and up in the Spring.
what is in those utility closets? if all else checks out, could this be a leaky drain under the slab? I'd try to confirm where the main drain runs through and see if that is under the area where you have seen water pool. Look at the slab with the IR camera as well.
keep us posted!
Keep in mind if he has direct vent gas furnaces, they still produce condensation from combustion. Not nearly as much as when running a/c but it's still worth keeping in mind.
Thanks! To your other post I am going to use a water mitigation specialist to poke around and start tearing stuff out. I used two different handymen that are amazing at renovations, plumbing, etc but couldn't figure this one out.
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Originally posted by @Maurice D.:
ac condensate leaking (not draining properly) would tend to show more during the summer, it wouldn't generate condensation during Winter months. if you have seen water recently, it's another source. It would still be good to make sure condensate drains are on the up and up in the Spring.
what is in those utility closets? if all else checks out, could this be a leaky drain under the slab? I'd try to confirm where the main drain runs through and see if that is under the area where you have seen water pool. Look at the slab with the IR camera as well.
keep us posted!
I'll post photos- there is a water tank and furnace in there. It is around the middle of the apartment. I'll post pictures of the whole apartment soon. That is where the water is near so that's why I don't think it's a foundation issue though from the mold pattern on the studs and carpet tack strips it looks like the water was coming up from under the floor - of course it could have come from the ceiling and just gotten too the floor.
Thanks to everyone on this board.
Like lots of guys here I buy "value add" buildings that are 50+ years old so I run into those rare but really troublesome issues.
Thanks to the great advice on this board I'll call out a water mitigation specialist (I'm guessing they have an IR camera). The problem is worse in the summer (that's when both bottom floor tenants couldn't stand the smell and moved out) but right now it's winter in Chicago (20 degrees outside) and the smell came back after the smell went away from mold fogging, so I'm guessing it's not just a summer problem.
I'll have the water mitigation guy come out:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/general-moisture-solution...
Afterwards I'll post an update like I did for another rare scenario (evicting a bedridden tenant and making sure he ends up ok).
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Originally posted by @Kyle McKnett:
I had a foundation company check out the foundation too. The problem is the place where the carpet tack strips were all wet and rotten was near the supply closet in the middle of the apartment. I went and checked all 3 levels and it was bone dry on the second and third floor. There were some signs of water coming in from the top when I opened the walls - my handyman said it was provably AC condensation and we re insualated he pipes.
Originally posted by @Troy S.:
I've dealt with this often enough I bought THIS IR camera. It goes on a smart phone, works extremely well, but there's a learning curve. It doesn't detect water, just temperature changes from evaporation, overnight cooling, cold water in a warm room, etc. It's not difficult to learn but it's not 100% going to work in every instance as there's not always a temperature differential. They're not magic, but they work damn well.
Have you paid attention to when the moisture shows? Is it showing during or immediately after rain which would be a roof or gutter leak or water infiltration through foundation? Is it showing up a few hours or a day after rain (ground water rising)? Have you ran all water using appliances? Start in the basement in one unit and run everything as much as you can stand. If nothing shows, go to the next unit. Always start at the bottom and work your way up with any sort of leak as it may help narrow down where it's coming from.
If you've got water coming up through the floor or through a foundation wall, no amount of interior sealing will stop that. You'll have to either stop the water from getting to the wall or floor first by waterproofing the exterior or putting in a french drain around the interior perimeter of your basement floor which drains to a sump pump and pit and gets pumped out.
You need to try and narrow down if this is a plumbing leak, a roof/siding/window penetration leak or if it's ground water coming in through the foundation or floor. If you can narrow those down we can probably help you further.
Another idea is get a really good handyman that will dig into the problem if you're not sure how to narrow it down. I'd rather pay for a days worth of their time than flounder around with this for weeks and make more fixes that don't work.
Thanks, I'll definitely try the IR camera when it rains here in Chicago on Thursday and Friday. As you said I need a temperature differential. The big problem I have is that it looks like a very small drip that is not always there. Like right now the musty/ moldy smell came back but there is no signs of water.
I'll probably have to smash open the walls again. I will go upstairs and run the water constantly and see if anything shows after I open up the walls. I am guessing it's a roof leak since we did have snow and it did melt recently and it's the only thing I haven't looked at.
I have never heard of a french drain on the interior of the apartment. I did have handymen inspect the drains that the water heater uses and there is water in the traps and it doesn't look like any smells are coming from there. Because the smells ebb and flow I'm guessing it's rain.
Originally posted by @Toby Thompson:
I do mold inspections/remediation at my company and I can safely tell you that the only way to remove the smell is to remove the source. You have to pinpoint where the moisture is getting in and then create your response from that. Start by eliminating the sources that you can yourself and also paying closer attention to the weather to see if it has any bearing.
Fogging will not do much of anything for you in the long term. IR camera may be useful if there has been a recent intrusion event.
You might call around to local water mitigation or remediation companies and see who will come out and give a free inspection. Ask them what they think the cause is and compare the various answers to your opinion and common sense. Many companies will do free inspections to try and sell the remediation job.
I had a mold guy out too! He was reviewed really well but couldn't' really find anything and said the problem was people walking in and out with wet boots (which I am 100% sure is not the problem since the tenant is a single yuppy and there isn't much humidity in the apartment.
I loved your advice of a water mitigation company. I'll call these guys and see if they can come out to check what's going on.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/general-moisture-solutions-chicago?hrid=iYB3MG2QHmXv_KPXKRU_IQ&rh_type=phrase&rh_ident=drain_tile
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Originally posted by @Kyle McKnett:
I'll try it - Just regular chalk from a big box store is good right? The carpets will cover it so no one will see it.
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Originally posted by @Jeff Brower:
do you have washing machines draining anywhere?
Yes - the building is here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37493467@N02/1439731...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37493467@N02/1419058...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37493467@N02/1435405...
On one side there are 2 beds that have washer dryer hook ups and on the other side are 1 beds that have no washer dryer hookups.
The problem is on both sides of the building and both bottom floor tenants had to move out because of the smell. I renovated - unfortunately, the smell came back and I'm freaking out because I don't want to have to go back and renovate again.
I found out pockets of water coming from a closet near the utility closet in the 2 bedroom and a similar pile of water around the utility closet in the 1 bedroom too. Unfortunately, I can see where the wood is rotten (from the carpet tacks) and where it was moist but even after tearing apart the walls I was unable to locate where the water is coming from. I thought it was coming from the floor so I put 4 coats of concrete sealer and the smell still came back. There is no visible moisture that I can see anywhere. There are no watermarks anywhere on the ceiling either even though it's just a drywall ceiling.
I redirected the downspouts to go away from the building as a precaution too.
Below is the camera I'll rent
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Good call on the roof - I’ll rent an IR camera from Home Depot too and see if that tells me anything. If it’s a slow drip the IR camera won’t tell me anything right? It might be a small leak on the roof - the problem is it doesn’t show anywhere in the drywall and it’s hard to pinpoint.
Post: There's a smell killing me and I've tried everything ... help!
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
I have a 6 unit apartment building. There was a moldy mildewy smell coming into both of the two bottom units that are below grade.
I fogged it for mold .
I used a concrete sealer on the floor.
I inspected the main sewer lines from the toilet all the way to the street.
I painted the apartment.
I tore up some walls.
I found some wet spots on the floor. It looked like it was coming from under the floor so I thought the concrete sealer would fix it. Unfortunately, the smell came back. I can't pin point where it's coming from but it smells like must/ mold/ mildew. It's getting more and more intense. I am worried since I recently renovated it, put in new carpets and everything.
Post: Sheriff Refused To Do Eviction - Social Services Called
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
Originally posted by @Mal K.:
Do you have an update?
Yes - Cook County in greater Chicago is great. They have a person called an "Ombudsman" come out and take the tenant in an ambulance and they are placed in a nursing home that has a deal with the city. The whole process is effortless for everyone. I was really glad to see that safety net. It did turn it into a 6 month eviction though. Took 4 weeks to get the order of possession, 8 weeks for the sheriff to come out the first time, and then another 8 weeks for them to come out with the Ombudsman the second time.
Post: Flipped 24 units so far and wrote a case study ...
- Developer
- Chicago, IL
- Posts 36
- Votes 20
@Account Closed - I had some high paying jobs until I left about 3 months ago. I am working with a local bank (Hinsdale Bank) that is part of a bigger network of banks Wintrust. They know my business and my track record, the loan officer also owns properties, so financing is relatively easy and I get 80% LTV. I worked with them for 4 years ever since I jumped from residential to commercial. For the joint venture deals I'm working on setting up a partner would come in and provide the other 20%. As I've got 7 buildings right now I'm selling and two more that I am buying (under contract) I've been able to grow organically fast but with outside money I can take it to the next level much faster.