Interior musty smells

Cause

There is a high level of moisture in the rooms due to a combination of poor ventilation, not enough heating, and/or poor insulation

Repair

  • check that there is insulation in the ceiling space and under the floor. If not, add insulation. See the website www.level.org.nz for more details. There may be funding available to help with the cost

  • increase the amount of ventilation provided. In particular, add a rangehood over the kitchen stove and an exhaust vent near the shower in the bathroom, both vented to remove steam to outside the house

  • opening windows for at least 10 minutes every day can make a difference

  • avoid using unflued gas heaters and avoid drying laundry inside – these add a lot of moisture to the air

Cause

Dampness from the subfloor is getting into the rooms through gaps in the flooring and through service holes cut in framing

Repair

  • locate and seal all holes in the floor

  • fix the damp subfloor with the advice here

Cause

Mould is present on surfaces and fabrics

Repair

  • for mould on materials such as glass, plastic, metal etc., clean the affected area using hot water and chlorine bleach, then rinse and allow to dry completely.

  • check that there is insulation in the ceiling space and under the floor. If not, add insulation. See the website www.level.org.nz for more details. There may be funding available to help with the cost

  • increase the amount of ventilation provided. In particular, add a rangehood over the kitchen stove and an exhaust vent near the shower in the bathroom, both vented to remove steam to outside the house

  • opening windows for at least 10 minutes every day can make a difference

  • avoid using unflued gas heaters and avoid drying laundry inside – these add a lot of moisture to the air

Cause

High levels of roof space moisture are lifting moisture levels in the rooms 

Repair

  • work out the source of the high moisture levels in the roofspace and deal with that. If there is damage to a particular type of roofing or flashing, check the repairs for that material

  • opening the windows in the house for at least 10 minutes every day may help while the repairs are done

Cause

There are wall or roof leaks 

Repair

  • work out the source of the leaks and deal with those. If there is damage to a particular type of roofing or wall cladding, check the repairs for that material

  • if you cannot find the source of the leak, or there may be multiple leaks, contact a registered building surveyor to investigate and suggest options for repair

  • opening the windows in the house for al least 10 minutes every day may help while the repairs are done