Musty smell in my house – Do I have mold?

Unfortunately for the DIY’er, mold loves to hide. Under carpets, linoleum, hardwood and behind drywall to name a few places. If you have a musty smell in your house then you have a pretty good indication that mold is present. To find out for sure though means damaging walls and floors.

When mold is present, it produces a byproduct called MVOC’s. This stands for Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds. These compounds produce a smell that is musty or earthy in nature, often compared to decaying wood or wet, dirty socks.

If you think your nose has detected mold but you are not 100% sure, the best way to double check is to step outside and get a good amount of fresh air. This will cleanse your pallet. When you step back into the room/area in question, if you smell that earthy, musty smell again, then you may have mold. This can always be confirmed though with a simple mold inspection.