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Message
Mildew smell coming from floor outlet
Posted on 11/14/23 at 6:21 pm
Posted on 11/14/23 at 6:21 pm
Long one here, but I live in a new construction home (built 2022) and we’ve had issues with a mildew smell coming from the floor outlet in the living room. It was an issue right when we moved in, and I pulled off the outlet. cover and saw it was full of water. Immediately called the builder. He came and vacuumed out the water and cleaned. Had an Electrician look at it and said no water in the lines. Said if any more water gets in to let him know. We kept an eye on it but never had any more issues with water.
Fast forward to this week. Wife has been smelling mildew again so I pulled up the outlet. Zero water but it smells awful in there. Where could the mildew smell be coming from if there’s no water and hasn’t been for nearly a year? This is the only place we smell mildew. I went over to the wall outlet where the floor is fed from and nothing there. Any ideas for wtf is going on? I’ve called the builder to come out and take a look at it, I’m just dumbfounded as to what to do in the meantime.
Fast forward to this week. Wife has been smelling mildew again so I pulled up the outlet. Zero water but it smells awful in there. Where could the mildew smell be coming from if there’s no water and hasn’t been for nearly a year? This is the only place we smell mildew. I went over to the wall outlet where the floor is fed from and nothing there. Any ideas for wtf is going on? I’ve called the builder to come out and take a look at it, I’m just dumbfounded as to what to do in the meantime.
4
Posted on 11/14/23 at 6:48 pm to Not Cooper
what kind of floors do you have? do you have a moisture meter that you can check your floors with?
Posted on 11/14/23 at 6:53 pm to jamiegla1
Jamie is correct. You likely have a moisture problem.
Posted on 11/14/23 at 7:49 pm to ItzMe1972
I’ve got hardwood floors, no moisture meter. I’ll look into it and get a meter
If I had moisture issues, would I not see damage to the floors?
If I had moisture issues, would I not see damage to the floors?
This post was edited on 11/14/23 at 7:50 pm
Posted on 11/14/23 at 8:06 pm to Not Cooper
I don’t know your builder from Adam but he’s going to punt this as much as possible most likely.
It’s ran in conduit? I’m not quite sure how those floor outlets are ran. You could turn the breaker on and pour some stuff down there to kill it. I doubt bleach is a good idea but maybe vinegar or something? Idk. Just spit balling here.
If you smell mildew it’s probably pretty bad, but I’m not one to freak about that but I’d definitely figure it out.
It’s ran in conduit? I’m not quite sure how those floor outlets are ran. You could turn the breaker on and pour some stuff down there to kill it. I doubt bleach is a good idea but maybe vinegar or something? Idk. Just spit balling here.
If you smell mildew it’s probably pretty bad, but I’m not one to freak about that but I’d definitely figure it out.
Posted on 11/14/23 at 8:17 pm to baldona
quote:
I don’t know your builder from Adam but he’s going to punt this as much as possible most likely.
He already tried to punt the first time it happened. The first time I told him about it he tried to blame it on my rug saying it must’ve picked up moisture from storage. It wasn’t until I called the electrician out and showed him the outlet full of water that he actually took anything seriously. Even then he didn’t do a great job cleaning and I had to go back behind him.
The first time it happened I tried a few different cleaning products and desiccants but maybe I’ll give it another go with vinegar till he gets back out here tomorrow.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 6:48 am to Not Cooper
Do you place the rug on top of the floor outlet? If so, that could be trapping moisture within the outlet.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 9:07 am to nolabuilder
I do, but there really isn’t any other way to layout the living room unless we just don’t have a rug. Take that one up with the wife 
Why would there be moisture in the outlet though?
Why would there be moisture in the outlet though?
Posted on 11/15/23 at 12:27 pm to Not Cooper
I’m assuming there’s conduit in your floors. Conduit is not generally expected to be waterproof, it’s there to prevent what’s in it from being cut or damaged for the most part. You’d think they’d glue that but maybe they didn’t? Idk.
This brings up a question, is this on slab I’m assuming not a raised home? If it’s on slab the conduit is likely in the ground and the ground moisture go into it.
This brings up a question, is this on slab I’m assuming not a raised home? If it’s on slab the conduit is likely in the ground and the ground moisture go into it.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 12:39 pm to Not Cooper
Floor registers? So like a trailer house but in a built home. So your AC blows down. Sounds like the condensation collection mechanism isn't working and the water is collecting in the vent system instead and staying moist. Check your condensate line going out of the house and see if you have condensate coming out. If not, that's probably your problem. I bet you have mold/mildew on your inside coils as well.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 3:25 pm to baldona
It is on a slab. The conduit was in place before the pour, I just don’t know how moisture could get into that conduit through the slab. Unless a moisture barrier wasn’t installed under the box and it’s seeping up through the slab. Idk. I’m throwing shite at the wall at this point.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 3:26 pm to NASA_ISS_Tiger
quote:
Floor registers?
I'm pretty sure he's talking about a floor electrical plug outlet
Posted on 11/15/23 at 3:28 pm to weadjust
Ah. Thanks. I read "outlet" and thought register. Bad day at work...
Posted on 11/15/23 at 3:53 pm to weadjust
quote:
I'm pretty sure he's talking about a floor electrical plug outlet
That’s correct. This does not seem to be an issue many on earth have faced
I continue to google and my TD post is on the first page of results
Posted on 11/15/23 at 4:11 pm to Not Cooper
Was the conduit in the slab or below it? Something that small should be in the slab.
If its below, the conduit might be broken and letting water in.
Could get some sealant and seal both sides of the conduit, but you'd have to open up the wall.
Floorboxes are a pain in the arse.
If its below, the conduit might be broken and letting water in.
Could get some sealant and seal both sides of the conduit, but you'd have to open up the wall.
Floorboxes are a pain in the arse.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 4:44 pm to kengel2
quote:
Was the conduit in the slab or below it? Something that small should be in the slab.
It’s in the slab
quote:
Floorboxes are a pain in the arse.
Learning this the hard way lol
Posted on 11/15/23 at 5:08 pm to Not Cooper
Pictures might help this thread. Can you smell mildew at your electrical panel? If it was a one time deal and you haven't had water present since it was vacuumed, I'd wager there is a small amount left in the conduit left from construction. Not an electrician so maybe don't listen to me but if it was bad enough at my house I would probably pour simple green into the conduit and either run the vacuum in reverse to push it into the line, or disconnect your breaker and try to use the vacuum to suck water/simple green/mold out from the panel. You'd have to get creative with attachments and duct tape to get a good fit inside.
Spunds like this is not the case but if water reappears then you have a cracked conduit/joints in the ground that aren't glued. Mineral oil will float and with enough of it you would probably be able to form a seal. Last option has already been suggested which would be to remove the box out the floor and try to make a silicone seal but you'd have to be generous.
(Or 86 the outlet entirely since like mine, it never gets used being under a rug)
Spunds like this is not the case but if water reappears then you have a cracked conduit/joints in the ground that aren't glued. Mineral oil will float and with enough of it you would probably be able to form a seal. Last option has already been suggested which would be to remove the box out the floor and try to make a silicone seal but you'd have to be generous.
(Or 86 the outlet entirely since like mine, it never gets used being under a rug)
Posted on 11/15/23 at 5:22 pm to Not Cooper
The conduits that are used aren’t necessarily moisture proof. I bet most floor outlets likely have moisture issues but the AC usually will remove that moisture regularly. Your rug is likely preventing the AC from removing the moisture. You can try to seal it with some expandable foam to see if that would work.
Just speaking from experience on these floor outlets. It’s not uncommon for there to be moisture within the outlet during construction because it’s below grade. Once the AC is turned on that moisture dissipates.
Just speaking from experience on these floor outlets. It’s not uncommon for there to be moisture within the outlet during construction because it’s below grade. Once the AC is turned on that moisture dissipates.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 5:38 pm to nolabuilder
Builder is coming back tomorrow. They want to cut out the whole box and check underneath for mold. Oh boy.
Posted on 11/15/23 at 10:08 pm to Not Cooper
Any other outlet receptacles tied into the same circuit?
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