Source
r/AirQuality•
_a_verb

Odors after house is closed up for a couple hours.

Our house is 6 years old, 850 SF footprint with a loft in S Florida. It's wood frame with closed cell foam insulation on walls, floors and roof. Mini-splits (4x) for cooling, heating and dehumidifier. One is on dehumidifier almost full time. Outside air is introduced with a Broan mixing box an hour or so a day and we go in and out all the time. Temp stays around 77° F with RH averaging around 55%, maybe a bit lower.

SO complains that when we come back after leaving the house for a few hours "it smells like drywall". Personally I don't smell it but my olfactory never has been too sharp.

What is she smelling? What are the possible causes for this odor?

Side note: I chose mini_splits to eliminate ducts and conserve space.

Posted Dec 10, 2023, 10:03 PM UTC

18
Fit-Owl-7188•

all homes have a smell to them. i have worked with drywall during a reno but never smelled it. What does drywall smell like - wet concrete? Dust?

1
backonthisbs•

yeah I think like wet concrete, I've noticed it in new apartments. I think this is still just a new home smell

1
_a_verbOP•

Freshly cut gypsum board I'm told

1
Fit-Owl-7188•

6 yrs is a long time for new home smell. You may want to get a moisture meter or even a flir camera or one of those temperature devices that shoots a laser beam and check for leaks. Is it stronger in any one room? Maybe check the attic or crawl space for leaks? Or get a friend with a good sniffer who is brutally honest and see if that person smells anything?

1
_a_verbOP•

I'll go around with the laser thermometer and probe moisture meter again. So far there's no anomaly.

I'm sure I can find a brutally honest person to sample the place.

Thanks for the feedback.

1
Fit-Owl-7188•

Good luck. Let is know what you find. I once came back to my place - reeky. Turned out the flapper thingy in the sink with garbage disposal was absolutely disgusting on the underside. Who knew regularly cleaning the disposal was not cleaning the flappy thing. It took forever to find it. It might also be the foam cell insulation but after 6 years…seems unlikely.

1
prettygoodhouse•

When was the last time the minisplit heads were cleaned?

1
_a_verbOP•

I just rinse them. Do you recommend something else?

I used sporacidin for a time but haven't done that in a while.

1