What to Do When Your New Home Has That Old Smell

You’ve just purchased a new home in Galveston, Texas, and everything is almost perfect. The only issue? Your new home has a musty or “old” smell. Whether this is because of the previous occupants, mildew and mold, or because the home sat vacant for a few months before you discovered and bought it, you want to get rid of that smell as soon as you move in. There are lots of solutions for eliminating your home’s strange musty smell exist, including HVAC options.

Look for Moisture Sources

If there’s lingering moisture in the home, like behind the dishwasher or under the sink, that’s likely the culprit for a mildewy smell. Mildew and mold love to grow in moist spots, so you need to eradicate the moisture, dry out the area, and clean it thoroughly to remove the moisture. A dehumidifier is the best way to remove moisture from the air in a room with a moisture problem. Set your dehumidifier on high for a few days to really dry out the spots. Some southern homes need permanent dehumidification because of the ambient humidity. Call us so we can install a whole-house dehumidifier for you.

Use Carbon Filters

An air purifier with carbon filters will help to remove bad scents from your home while it cleans your air. The carbon in the filter is good for trapping and neutralizing odors. The air purifier itself rids your air of particulates that might be harmful to breathe in. You can buy air purifiers for a single room or larger options that will solve problems in your whole home. We can help you pick the one that works best for you.

Scrub, Scrub, Scrub

Use bleach, white vinegar, or baking soda to scrub the baseboards, the walls, the bath tub, and everything else in the house. Even after you’ve tackled the main source of the scent, particles might still linger around the house until you eradicate them. Don’t scrub so hard you damage any wood trim or strip any paint, but do a thorough job with warm water. Move from room to room and from top to bottom so you don’t miss any essential spots.

Use Natural Deodorizers

Cat litter and baking soda are wonderful deodorizers. If you’re not pleased with the smell in rooms of the house, even after cleaning, you need a little deodorizing. Fill a container with cat litter, or open a box of baking soda. Leave it inside the offending room for between two weeks and a month. It will absorb the odors lingering in the room. If, after that time is up, the smell hasn’t resolved, repeat the deodorizing. You may not have found all the sources of the scent, so this is a good in-between measure to keep the air smelling fresh while you’re still looking.

Don’t Forget to Ventilate

Whether your home has mildew, mold, or just a random musty smell, don’t forget to open the windows and air the house out. Houses that haven’t had occupants easily develop musty smells because they’re shut up for months without any ventilation. Let some fresh air inside. Airing out the house will help with unwanted scents, and it’ll freshen up dusty, musty air, too. Plus, while you’re cleaning with bleach, it’s a good idea to have a window open so you don’t inhale too many fumes. Don’t leave the windows open for too long, and make sure they all have screens to keep any vermin out.

Your HVAC system is a potential solution for mold, mildew, humidity issues, and strange smells. HVAC technology comes equipped with lots of ways to deal with these problems. An upgraded HVAC system with the right kind of filters can help heal bad IAQ, lower your ambient humidity, and reduce the presence of particles like mold spores in your home.

Trying to figure out which HVAC solution will be most helpful? The pros at Davis AC are experts in our field, so give us a call at 888-710-5530 to pick our brains. We’ll examine the home’s current HVAC system, perform maintenance tasks, and help you settle on any new technology you need.

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