Strange smell... no idea what to do

[AlexisP90]

In the living room. Smells of damp/general mustyness.

It comes intermittently and is quite strong. I've checked everywhere no signs of damp at all. Air fresher lasts about 10 mins before it's back. It comes in a big waft then goes then comes back?!

I've no idea what it could be... going to wash carpets tomorrow and see of that helps but any ideas?! It's driving me mad...

I've checked everywhere no signs of damp at all.

With a damp meter or just by touching the walls?

Just the walls... its rhe fact it comes in a wave then goes that's throwing me

Do you have solid floors or floorboards? Some houses have a void underneath the floorboards and when the weather is wet and the void underneath the house is wet you can sometimes smell the damp, especially if it is windy. Also drafts can blow up through the floor and carpet making it cold.

Pretty sure solid floors. Anything I can do to help rid of it?

Have you got a hygrometer or something to measure relative humidity? Eg a cheap thermpro one. It sounds like the house possibly is just slightly damp. I agree with the smell under floorboards if you haven't got solid floors. Have you got a chimney, is the smell coming down that when the wind blows?

Do you have a fireplace in that room? Something could have fallen down it and died.

Alternatively - look everywhere for a random mouldy citrus fruit. They smell absolutely rank and musty.

No chimney. No humidity measurer.

I'm going to wahs carpets tomorrow/ try to isolate some more. Maybe it is just slightly damp with the bad weather recently. Also with the cold haven't had all doors/windows open as much.

It's not a horrid odour just annoying!

I have an old house, floor boards but a void underneath to soil. I get the same smell as you, drives me mad! Run a dehumidifier in there and it collects hardly anything.

I had never thought about it coming up from the floor, it makes sense. It’s actually carpeted over the floor boards too

No fireplace. Have searched mostly but maybe a few areas I could search again in the morning actually. I have a toddler so he could have thrown something somewhere.

So annoying isn't it!!

You may well have damp hardboard or plywood which has mold on it or as someone says a citrus fruit which has gone moldy dropped behind some furniture or something

hardboard under the carpet I meant

For those of you with floorboards, we covered the whole floor with plywood and sealed the edges. Obviously it means removing carpets but might be worth doing if you are replacing them anyway. Also be careful you don't nail through any central heating/water pipes or you will have a lot more damp!

I thought I had damp in a corner but then realised neighbour’s son smokes cannabis by my window on that side.

Going to enjoy the rest of this evening (with the annoying wafts if smell) and clean/remove/try to isolate tomorrow.

It's just annoying more than anything. I've been on my hands and knees smelling carpets and inspecting walls!

The last thing I'd be doing is washing the carpets.

Yeah that's my plan for tomorrow. Only thing left really...

Fingers crossed.

I would get someone out to check it's not worth risking missing damp could only come and go depending on wind direction!?

I'd go for emptying the toy box inspecting all the toys for hidden food! Any ride ons etc.

Wait sorry re read your message. Well I'm just at a loss what else to do. No signs of damp, nothing I can see hiding causing it...

If after that I might call someone out but ... who?!

Any leaks under the floor? We had a leak under the floor for 6 months, kept getting the smell, didn't want to lift the real wood floor.
In the end it started to swell and bow
So we knew... it had to be done!

Good idea... !

Maybe... carpet all feels fine though. We had a leak under the kitchen about 2 years ago and we definitely knew about it. Potentially though it's a possibility

If you had a leak did the under floor, whatever that is, get moldy?

We heard it and the tiles were soaking. Nothing was moldy though that time or this smell. It was cleared professionally and been fine since.

Tomorrow is a clear the living room, wash, check toybox declutter... try and isolate. If not guess I'm calling... someone...