My house is 50 years old and has an "old" smell. I have replaced everything with no success. Help!

Question

It has new windows, kitchen, bath and carpet. I think the smell comes from the basement, which is dry and finished. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Sometimes I think that smell comes from The aged lumber.

Answer 2

I live in a house that was built in1842. We recently remodeled it, and occasionally get an old smell. I think on some days, air movement through the rock foundation causes the smell to transfer from under the house to the basement and into the house. We placed "Glade" plug in air fresheners throughout the house, we have had several comments how nice the house smells.

Answer 3

If you have a true basement, the damp smell permeates thru the flooring and into the living quarters as do gasses.
Try a dehumidifier to remove the moisture of open a heat vent to the cellar to reduce heat in the Winter.
cardboard, paper and alike tend to draw and harbor dampness within inn the basement, so take a better look in your basement first b4 spending a lot of loot on more meaningless improvements.

One of my remedy's in my wine cellar was to put rigid insulation between the flr-joists to create a cooler atmosphere for the wine at 55 and to reduce the heat loss from the main to the cellar...therefore having warmer floors and lower heating costs in the Winter months.

I hope some part of this help you out

Answer 4

That smell usually means moisture or mold somewhere - I would get someone in there to check before it becomes a problem. If moisture isn't an issue - you can rent an ozone machine which will neutralize the smell - it's what they use to get rid of the smoke smell after a fire.

Answer 5

Try putting a bucket of unused unscented clay kitty litter in the basement. Close the door to the basement.

Answer 6

Maybe if you repaint throughout???
We did this and it's amazing the final finish that comes once it's completed.