Where to Drill for Investigating Mold Smell? Sending up a Camera...

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GardenRox

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After putting holes in the bathroom wall and seeking to find a bad shower connection, I've concluded that it's not the bathroom.

The smell pooling in the hallway is coming from inside or just outside the furnace closet.

One day after years of logging in my calendar "Wet Mop Smell; no rain"..... "Wet Mop Smell; nobody doing laundry upstairs".....

Water started drizzling out of the vent near the furnace closet. Hallenlujah! The source at last!

I was out of town, but it was reported to me that one or two units upstairs (there are four units in all; I'm on the ground) had a water heater failure (simultaneously?). They blamed it on the developer, saying his crew never put a pan under the unit, or installed the pans wrong.

But additionally, they also just discovered that the unit immediately above me had the hose to their built-in furnace humidifier disconnected. So if the humidifier dial was turned up, there was a water source with a hose to nowhere. They reconnected it.

So with new water heaters upstairs and a reconnected humidifier hose, why suddenly the wet mop smell all over again?

We had some hard rains, but we've had the smell during and after a lengthy drought.

A new tenant just moved into the unit immediately above. There was a period of vacancy through August, during which time the mustiness was at a minimum. Maybe just residual.

Now it's fresh and toxic and something to worry about.

So I ordered a camera on a long snake to attach to my cellphone.

Where should I drill holes to start looking upward from the furnace closet and hallway in my house?

Thank you. Rox
 

GardenRox

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call in a pro! now its something to worry about? Propertys need maintenance
Thank you, @Jeff H Young. I DID call in a pro. Cost me $500. They put sensors everywhere. They drilled a hole in the bathroom by the shower. They said it wasn't the shower. They said I definitely have mold.

I asked them to tell me where it was coming from. They said their job was to tell me whether or not I had mold, not to find the source. They said I have mold. DUH.

They did their job. They got their $500.

What kind of pro are you talking about? Should I look in the Yellow Pages or Google "Pro Who Finds the Source of the Mold"?
 

GardenRox

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ps @Jeff H Young , I failed to respond to your admonishment "now its [sic] something to worry about? Propertys [sic] need maintenance"

Please read my full post before responding. As you can see, I've been on task with this since it started, and I've been logging the circumstances surrounding the presence of smell so as to rule out things that it cannot be. I also mentioned that I had drilled to look behind the shower.

I don't mind re-writing my post for you to prove that I haven't been negligent in the maintenance of my own property, but in any case, save the scoldings for your children!!
 

Sylvan

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Has anyone suggested an oil of peppermint test, non destructive and may help locate the bad vent, no trap seal etc,
 

GardenRox

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Has anyone suggested an oil of peppermint test, non destructive and may help locate the bad vent, no trap seal etc,
Sylvan, I can't find anything that says peppermint oil can be used to trace back to the source of the mold problem. I see that it's good for killing mold, but your suggestion tells me peppermint oil can actually be used in the investigation. Can you elaborate, please? I'm not finding it on my own. Thanks. Rox @Sylvan
 

Jeff H Young

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ok .well not trying to scold you but youve had this smell for years just suggesting its time to stop screwing around 500 bucks is a disapointment ment but . Mold is a big issue and its been going on for years. I suppose it complicates things being a condo or some kind of shared building of which I dont know who picks up bill. Hopefully sylvan fills you in on pepermint test . I think he talking about putting it down the drains to trace if smell occurs inside to find open pipe somewhere in wall but he could confirm .
Dont mean to scold but it takes work and Id really get busy on it get help if needed to come in.
 

Reach4

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I can't find anything that says peppermint oil can be used to trace back to the source of the mold problem. I see that it's good for killing mold, but your suggestion tells me peppermint oil can actually be used in the investigation. Can you elaborate, please? I'm not finding it on my own.
The major potential sources of water could come from a supply pipe, a drain line, rain water, or condensation. A peppermint test involves somebody going to the roof, and pouring a mix with a lot of peppermint oil. Then people indoors sniff around for a peppermint smell. If they pick up on that, they may be able to sniff out where it is coming from, or at least they will know there is a drain leak that can pass gases, and could maybe pass water. It would be good to enlist some young noses to help sniff.

The person who drops the solution must not come into the apartments, because that person will carry the smell.

There is another test with a similar purpose: a smoke test. Those only test for leaks in the vent/drain system.
 
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GardenRox

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Who ever owns the building should adress it not the renters problem
@Jeff H Young

What makes you think I'm renting? This is my house. I own it. My neighbors own the units upstairs. They're not going to go hunting for reasons the water is their fault. As far as they're concerned, plugging in the humidifier hose and replacing the water heaters did the trick.

Are you reading my notes before you respond? I AM getting help. I bought a camera. I'm planning to drill around and use the camera to look. I asked you in the first exchange WHO I'D HIRE IF THERE WAS SUCH A PERSON. Enough with telling me to call someone. I'm calling YOU, Jack. Rox
 

GardenRox

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@Reach4 that's BRILLIANT!! I will definitely try that.

I have a furnace tune-up happening tomorrow morning. Maybe I can give the guy some extra $$ and ask him to help me do this test. What a concept. I'm delighted to rule out water coming down the chase from the roof (which one person suggested who was doing the mold testing). Once we rule out water from the roof (and we've had stormy days when the smell never showed up), I can concentrate on things happening within the building and between the units. Really a great idea. I couldn't find it anywhere online. Thanks to you and also to @Sylvan . Roxane
 

Sylvan

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The major potential sources of water could come from a supply pipe, a drain line, rain water, or condensation. A peppermint test involves somebody going to the roof, and pouring a mix with a lot of peppermint oil. Then people indoors sniff around for a peppermint smell. If they pick up on that, they may be able to sniff out where it is coming from, or at least they will know there is a drain leak that can pass gases, and could maybe pass water. It would be good to enlist some young noses to help sniff.

The person who drops the solution must not come into the apartments, because that person will carry the smell.

There is another test with a similar purpose: a smoke test. Those only test for leaks in the vent/drain system.


EXACTLY

Then after they locate the area the order is coming from they can then try a smoke test also non invasive
 

Jeff H Young

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@Jeff H Young

What makes you think I'm renting? This is my house. I own it. My neighbors own the units upstairs. They're not going to go hunting for reasons the water is their fault. As far as they're concerned, plugging in the humidifier hose and replacing the water heaters did the trick.

Are you reading my notes before you respond? I AM getting help. I bought a camera. I'm planning to drill around and use the camera to look. I asked you in the first exchange WHO I'D HIRE IF THERE WAS SUCH A PERSON. Enough with telling me to call someone. I'm calling YOU, Jack. Rox[

If you did want to hire someone a disaster water , fire, mold specilaist would be the company to call of which many are in Chicago area.
Yes I probebly missed some details you mentioned in first or other posts.
The legality and who is responce to "Hunt around" the building are not clear to me but I understand now you own a bottom floor unit of a 4 plex.
If a waste pipe was say leaking above , I cant say with certainty who pays or must arrange for repairs . piping inside wall could be the liability of all owners to pay the co op or whatever. If you spend 3000 to 5000 on repairs to your unit who pays ? if leak is from his plumbing? I could guess but wont. Youve got some kind of rules or bylaws to go by and suggest you check into them (and no Im not implying that you arent fully aware of all this)
Assuming the possibility that other owners might be responceable or the entire association ?co op whatever it is called. And perhaps on your own hire this and that company to come out and purchasing cameras , does that mean your reimbursed? Someone could be responceable for many thousands of dollars work mold remediation alone but who?
Just putting a few things out there to concider Not saying you dont know all about this .
 

GardenRox

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Yes. Chicago does have such outfits. Chicago Water and Fire Restoration is the company I hired. They were emphatic: No investigation of source. Just detection of mold.

Thanks for the reminders about the extenuating circumstances and condo-related legal stuff. Rx
 

Jeff H Young

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Im sure its frustrating those types of companys dont thrill me either. Not bringing up all that to rub salt in the wounds.
Ive got no real solutions other than try to guess at putting holes in . and testing or camera , Im sure a lot of guys on here have used moisture meters . I havent. Good Luck Ill chime in If I get any Ideas or see more info that gives me more Ideas
 

Jeff H Young

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btw. those outfits arent really looking for 500 or even 5000 dollar jobs companys like them pay 500 dollars just for fire damage referal. and they sock it to the insurance companys
 
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