Damp smell

A wet carpet can be a frustrating problem. Whats more if you don’t resolve the issue in a timely manner, it could result in mould and an unpleasant smell throughout your home.

Drying the carpet can also be a challenge, especially if you don’t identify the cause of the problem.

There are several issues that could be causing water under your carpet. These include:

• Rising damp
• Leaking internal pipes
• Penetrating damp
• Spillages that haven’t been dried
• Pets urinating in the house
• Water dripping from above (this could even involve a roof leak)

Determining exactly what is causing the problem will require a small amount of detective work.

Locating the cause of water in your carpet

There are several ways you can narrow down the cause of damp in your carpet. This is mainly going to involve its location in your home.

The first thing you should do, is rule out pets urinating in the home and any prior spillages that may have occurred. One way to do this, is by smelling the carpet. If you do have pets and there is a smell of urine, this could be the problem. Cat urine can smell particularly bad, but there are techniques to stop your cat urinating indoors

It is also important to consider, if the damp has been present for a long time, it may have developed a smell of its own, due to mould formation. In many cases this is quite unpleasant and has been likened to the smell of cat urine.

Also, ask other people who live in your house if they have spilled anything in that area previously. These are two of the most common causes for moisture in a carpet and it is important to rule them out.

Possible causes on your ground floor

Once you are satisfied that pets and spillages are not the issue, the next thing to consider, is whether the problem is on your ground floor.

If this is the case, then you should determine whether this is a solid floor or floorboards. If it is a solid concrete slab, then you can probably rule out pipe work. Usually this would not be running within a solid concrete slab.

At this point you can narrow down the potential issue to the following:

• Penetrating damp
• Rising damp

If the wet under your carpet is located towards the edge of the room, it could be either of these two issues. However, if the damp is in a more central area of the room, it is more likely to be rising damp.

For situations where this is occurring at the edge of the room, you can go outside and try to identify any obvious signs of penetrating damp. These could include:

• Damage to pointing and defects in brickwork.
• Old, cracked render or pebble dash.
• Raised ground level that is above the damp proof course  
• Anything causing excessive water to run onto the property.

If any of these are present, then there is a good chance that repairing them could solve your problem. If they are not present, then rising damp is becoming more likely.

If your ground floor is floorboards than rising damp can still be an issue. However, it will be more isolated towards the outer walls, as well as any load bearing internal walls that come in to contact with the foundations

Need help from a damp expert?

At this point, it may be a good idea to have a damp expert look at the issue. You can find reputable companies online via specialist comparison sites.

The advantage with this type of comparison site, is the damp experts are rated and reviewed by previous customers.

Also, you will get multiple local quotes, so prices tend to be extremely competitive. Whats more, most firms will carry out a free inspection, so you may be able to get several experts to look at the problem and quote on the job.

Click here to get up to 5 local damp proofing quotes

Wet under carpets in your basement

If your issue is below ground level, then it is far more likely that the moisture is penetrating in from the outside ground. This could be either rising or penetrating damp, depending on the direction it is coming from.

If this is the case, you may need to carry out some form of tanking in your cellar. This could be quite disruptive if the room is in use. As it will require access to the walls and floor, to apply either a membrane or tanking slurry.

You can read more about tanking a cellar by clicking here

wet under your carpet on upper floors

If the issue you are facing is on an upper floor in your home, then you can rule out rising damp. Damp is only able to rise approximately 1.5m. For this reason, you can’t get rising damp upstairs.

However, penetrating damp is still a possibility. This type of damp is not isolated to a specific area, it can happen anywhere defects are present to the outside of your property.

To determine if penetrating damp is the cause of your problem, you should again carry out external checks.

The other potential cause on upper floors is a leaking or burst pipe. If this is the case, it is possible there will be signs of damp on the ceiling below. You will need to lift the carpet and floorboards to try and locate the issue.

Also, look out for any other potential leaks above the carpet. This could include:

• Leaking radiators.
• Issues that could be originating from the bathroom or kitchen.
• Pipes in walls or pipes that are boxed in which could be leaking.

Obviously, if you find a leaking pipe, or suspect this is the cause, you will need to hire a plumber to fix this issue.

If you don’t know a plumber or are unable to get a recommendation from friends or family, comparing quotes online would be a good idea.

As with damp proofing experts, most reputable local plumbers are on comparison sites. This means you can get in touch with local plumbers and read reviews before you commit to hiring anyone.

Click here to get up to 5 local plumbing quotes

Conclusion

There are many potential reasons for damp under your carpet. Some of the most common are spillages and pets going to the bathroom indoors.

However, there are several instances where structural defects and plumbing issues can cause this type of problem.

The best thing you can do, is go through the checklist provided here and see if you can determine the issue yourself. If you can find the problem, you may be able to fix it yourself. Failing that you should hire a professional to locate and repair the issue.

In most cases there will be minor repairs needed. However, you should treat the problem sooner rather than later.

Where damp is present, mould will usually follow. This can result in an unpleasant odour, as well as irreversible damage to your carpets and other decorations.

It’s true to say that we often smell the effects of damp before we actually see them. A musty or dusty smell is often one of the first tell-tale signs that we have a damp problem. This is especially true in rooms that are more prone to moisture and humidity. For example, the kitchen or bathroom.

Mould caused by damp can create a range of health problems, Including severe respiratory conditions. It also exacerbates allergies. Mould can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable groups. These include babies, the elderly, or those with underlying health conditions.

Can damp smell like urine? Certain types of mould caused by damp have a smell likened to urine. More specifically cat urine. This includes black mould which can be particularly dangerous. Bear in mind that a smell of cat urine does not always mean you have damp. Some common plants give off a similar odour. Plus, there is also a chance that the previous owner of your property had cats.

A cat urine smell caused by damp, often emits when moisture meets wooden floors. Fortunately, if the urine odour smell is damp-related, it’s easy to deal with. First, remove the mould. You also need to take remedial action to address the causes of the damp itself. Following this there are some steps you can take to reduce the urine-like smell.

Addressing the cause of the smell

Damp and mould are caused by excess moisture. Moisture in buildings can be caused by rising damp in basements or ground floors. It could also be penetrating damp when rain seeps in because of damage to the roof or around window frames. Establish that the issue is not due to rising damp or penetrating damp. This leaves one other potential culprit – condensation.

Condensation is caused when the air indoors cannot hold any more moisture. Cooking, showering and drying clothes indoors all create humidity. Without adequate ventilation, excess moisture occurs.

Taking some simple steps can help reduce the build-up of condensation. Drying washing outside, whenever possible, is always helpful. Putting lids on saucepans, putting the fan on and opening a window when cooking is another top tip. Close the door to prevent moisture spreading throughout the house.

When you are not cooking, leave doors open. This will improve air circulation. Open windows and ventilate rooms for 15 minutes every day.

The trick is to allow a clean flow of air throughout the house on a daily basis. Even in the coldest winter months, it’s important to let some fresh air in on a daily basis.

Keep up with these measures. If you stop doing them, you reduce the ventilation around the home again. This runs the risk of excess moisture occurring. This, in turn, will lead to the build-up of condensation. This is what causes mould to develop. With it comes the unpleasantness of the associated smells.

It’s best to call in a professional to take a look in some cases. For example, if these simple steps don’t do the trick. Or if you can’t locate the source of the smell.

How to remove mould

Once you have identified and treated the causes of moisture in the home you can get rid of the mould. Remember, it is the mould that is most likely to be the source of the unpleasant smell. In many cases, you will be able to remove the mould yourself. However, there are cases when you need to get a professional to remove it.

You can remove mould caused by condensation covering an area of less than 1 metre squared. If the mould covers a larger area, or if it has been caused by other factors, it’s best to call the professionals in.

Wear goggles, a mask and rubber gloves. This will protect you from harmful mould spores. You should keep doors closed to stop spores spreading. In the affected room, open the windows to improve the ventilation.

Fill a bucket with water and mild detergent. Use a cloth dipped in the bucket to wipe the mould from the wall. Don’t brush the mould as this can release the dangerous spores. Once you have finished wiping the mould away, use a dry cloth to remove the moisture from the wall. Any mouldy soft furnishings, soft toys and clothes should be removed and cleaned. Clean all surfaces in the room by wiping. Vacuum the floor to remove any mould spores. Put all cloths in a plastic bag and discard.

How to get rid of the smell of damp in a room

Removing the mould from a room is the first step. This will address the source of the smell in the room. Remedial action also needs to be taken to address the cause of the condensation. But the smell won’t disappear straightaway. It tends to linger. You should follow these steps to get rid of the smell. You will need a spray container filled with a solution of diluted white vinegar (1 part water to 1 part vinegar). As well as this, you need a cloth, bicarbonate of soda and a good cleaning product.

If there is a wardrobe in the room, you should smell the clothes. The unpleasant damp smell often transfers to clothes. Wash clothes on a warm cycle. Add a cup of diluted vinegar solution to your normal laundry detergent. Repeat the process for any fabrics in the room, from curtains and bed linens to towels and cushions.

If the damp appears to be coming from the walls, look for any patches of damp. Gently scrub with a cloth. Dissolve a little baking soda into warm water to make the cleaning agent more powerful. If the problem is substantial, you will need to use a specialist mould treatment. When doing so, it’s always important to test the product out on a small area first. This prevents potential damage from occurring.

Scrub mould on bathroom grouting. You can even leave a cup of baking soda into the likes of ovens and fridges. This will help dissipate the smell. Similarly, you can clean out your washing machine by running a rinse cycle. Add a little baking soda.

Key takeaways – Dealing with the smell of urine

Remember that a lingering smell akin to cat urine is often an indicator of damp and mould in the home. More often than not, this is caused by condensation. You should follow these steps:

1. Address the issue of condensation. Improve ventilation around the home.

2. Remove the mould from the affected area.

3. Take steps to remove the smell.