Mold smell only short duration after shower
AndyHancock
separate units). Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. "Mold", I thought. However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. I wouldn't expect mold to do that. Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).
buffalobill
snake the tub drain and the sink drain to remove any gunk. make sure
the drains are now draining fast. following clorox directions, trigger
spray the shower, tub, and hard floor surfaces with half bleach and
half water, rinse them later. spray the vanity sink overflow hole(s)
and the bathtub's overflow. replace the shower curtain. if there are
shower doors, one crack or bad seal can allow water to get out on the
floor and sneak under the floor tile. check the window for rain leaks
and mold/mildew. if there is a service panel, check the shower/tub
overflow in the tub wall to see if it stays dry. replace the wax seal
under the toilet at the floor. repair the bathroom exhaust fan and its
blocked pathway to the outdoors. carefully bleach according to
directions all your laundry, towels, and bathmats. sometimes sense of
smell can be affected by medications, your diet, and other scents
found in soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shaving cream. it is very
possible to have shower water sneak past your curtain or doors and
drizzle into the floor, so have a helper watch for this while you're
in the shower. your towels and clothes need a clean washing machine,
check the front door gasket on a modern water efficient front loader
for gunk. -b
cjt
Sometimes there are "algae blooms" that make the water supply here smell
funky for a few days -- is it just the shower, or does your water smell
"off" in general? How long has this been going on?
Phisherman
If you smell mold/mildew I bet there is an issue. Possible leak in
side the walls, keeping it constantly moist. It will only get worse.
AndyHancock
The water doesn't smell, but the air in the apartment smells when I
step out of the shower. Only for a short while, if I ventilate. Not
all the time, either. I'm not sure if it depends on whether the
shower is a hot one, or how long the shower is...something I'll keep
an eye on for now. Hot showers usually after a workout day.
If it was mold, I wouldn't expect it to release a smell only when
wetted. And if it was wetted, it wouldn't dry within 20 minutes
simply cuz I ventilate the apartment. I find that puzzling.
RicodJour
Is it possible that it's your sense of smell that's changing? I have
allergies and a hot shower frees up my sinuses. I have a better sense
of smell afterwards...for a while.
R
cshenk
> The water doesn't smell, but the air in the apartment smells when I
> step out of the shower. Only for a short while, if I ventilate. Not
> all the time, either. I'm not sure if it depends on whether the
> shower is a hot one, or how long the shower is...something I'll keep
> an eye on for now. Hot showers usually after a workout day.
> And if it was wetted, it wouldn't dry within 20 minutes
> simply cuz I ventilate the apartment. I find that puzzling.
Andy, it sounds like a trap that has an issue. Like how the sink below has
a bend and water is in there (supposed to be there) but not getting used
enough and some sort of mold may be along it's line. Use of the shower and
the lines interconnected at the lead out from the house causing it to shift.
It's unlikely to be the tub/shower drain. More apt to be the sink.
Especially if you dont use that articular sink much. Dont laugh, we have a
side 1/2 bathroom where the toliet gets used but the sink almost never so we
developed odd smells until we figured that out. ow we pour a little bleach
down that 'other sink' every week, let it set 10 mins then run the water.
Problem solved.
At one stage we'd used the 'other sink' so little the trap (bend in pipe
below) dried out and we got a septic smell in the other sink which is on
same line. It was coming up from the main sewer. Fortunately we figured it
out before we spent a grunch on a plummer. I just needed to turn the water
on at that sink for a bit. Fill the trap then use bleach now and again.
Hope your's is as simple!
JIMMIE
When I lived in an apartment we had a half bath downstairs that would
smell because of lack of use. We used the bathroom for storage. We
learned that as long as we ran some water the trap would stay full and
no problem. The trouble was we would forget. I would blame my wife and
she would blame me. I fixed the problem by mixing some mineral oil and
water. I think it was about two cups of water to about 4 ounces of
mineral oil. I put it in a quart jar with a lid , shook it up and
poured it down the drain. The water sealed the trap and the oil kept
it from evaporating. We lived there another year and never worried
about it again.
Jimmie.
Tony
My thoughts exactly.
Smitty Two
"cshenk" <csh...@cox.net> wrote:
> we have a
> side 1/2 bathroom where the toliet gets used but the sink almost never
I'm surprised your mother didn't raise you better.
Phisherman
I always thought men were the only ones who do not wash their hands,
but one time a dear secretary let me know otherwise.
AndyHancock
sometimes.
AndyHancock
The thing is, I use both regularly, and the smell only happens
sometimes, and is only temporary.
AndyHancock
Interesting circumstance, but I use the facilities regularly...it
never dries out, and the smell only occurs sometimes, and only
temporarily.
AndyHancock
> On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:36:09 -0700 (PDT), AndyHancock
>
That's the puzzling thing, it's not constant, it is only shortly after
a shower, and only sometimes.