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Started By
Message
Construction/ Home question. Help with fireplace/mold smell situation
Posted on 5/15/24 at 3:16 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 3:16 pm
If anyone could help me with some advice, or point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.
We built this house through a contractor in 2015, and reaching him for help with this is not possible or an option at this point.
Anyways, I have this natural gas fireplace in the living room. We haven’t used the fireplace in years and it’s maybe been used 5 times during winter months since construction. I found these photos from construction and uploaded in case it would be helpful to someone with knowledge of this type of situation. Last year during the summer, we noticed a sort of mold smell near the natural gas fireplace. On the other side of that wall is a guest bathroom that has no external windows. The bathroom cabinet which is back to back with that fireplace, stinks the mold smell. I tried asking a plumber, AC guy, Mitagation worker, if this is something they could look into and they all gave the run around saying that isn’t something they’d deal with. This summer it has returned and is an even stronger smell.
Inside the attic, above this fireplace rectangle column, there is OSB board nailed down blocking the opening. Not sure if that’s an issue.
My thoughts are that maybe the cold air conditioner air inside the house is inside the natural gas fireplace, and on the inside of that rectangle column is sealed off hot air. So maybe the fireplace metal is sweating inside of that brick column and making condensation inside that rectangle? I have no clue but something definitely isn’t right.
Would anyone in construction have any advice? Should I remove the osb board above it in the attic and open it up?
Who would I contact for help with this situation?
We built this house through a contractor in 2015, and reaching him for help with this is not possible or an option at this point.
Anyways, I have this natural gas fireplace in the living room. We haven’t used the fireplace in years and it’s maybe been used 5 times during winter months since construction. I found these photos from construction and uploaded in case it would be helpful to someone with knowledge of this type of situation. Last year during the summer, we noticed a sort of mold smell near the natural gas fireplace. On the other side of that wall is a guest bathroom that has no external windows. The bathroom cabinet which is back to back with that fireplace, stinks the mold smell. I tried asking a plumber, AC guy, Mitagation worker, if this is something they could look into and they all gave the run around saying that isn’t something they’d deal with. This summer it has returned and is an even stronger smell.
Inside the attic, above this fireplace rectangle column, there is OSB board nailed down blocking the opening. Not sure if that’s an issue.
My thoughts are that maybe the cold air conditioner air inside the house is inside the natural gas fireplace, and on the inside of that rectangle column is sealed off hot air. So maybe the fireplace metal is sweating inside of that brick column and making condensation inside that rectangle? I have no clue but something definitely isn’t right.
Would anyone in construction have any advice? Should I remove the osb board above it in the attic and open it up?
Who would I contact for help with this situation?
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 3:29 pm
4
Posted on 5/15/24 at 3:39 pm to Cow Drogo
Is there access from above? Can it be opened and aired out? Is there insulation above? The conditioned air in the “chimney” area may be causing something to swear. I assume no water lines in that area. Was going to suggest water vapor from the fire but you don’t run it in the summer. No apparent roof leaks?
I feel like you’ve trouble shot it pretty good already.
I feel like you’ve trouble shot it pretty good already.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 3:43 pm to Randall Savauge
The access from above is sealed
But I could go open it up. I would just have to pry up the OSB wood that’s nailed down above it.
Are these typically opened up to the attic?
But I could go open it up. I would just have to pry up the OSB wood that’s nailed down above it.
Are these typically opened up to the attic?
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 3:44 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 4:10 pm to Cow Drogo
Not necessarily open but if that’s where it’s coming from you could do some exploratory work.
Posted on 5/15/24 at 4:59 pm to Cow Drogo
Remove OSB, that should help with a start. Is water getting in somehow?
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:18 pm to Cow Drogo
You bricked over sheetrock ?
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:57 pm to Drop4Loss
No they bricked over osbwood
Look at 3rd photo above
Look at 3rd photo above
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 7:58 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 7:57 pm to LSUDad
No water getting in
Posted on 5/15/24 at 8:21 pm to Cow Drogo
When you opened the top, still smelled the mold?
You say a bathroom backs up to this?
The smell is inside the cabinets? Or when you walk in the bathroom, you smell it right off?
You say a bathroom backs up to this?
The smell is inside the cabinets? Or when you walk in the bathroom, you smell it right off?
This post was edited on 5/15/24 at 8:24 pm
Posted on 5/15/24 at 9:21 pm to Drop4Loss
You can brick over sheetrock fwiw
Posted on 5/16/24 at 12:00 am to Cow Drogo
If yall run range hood vent or fart fans often then you may be getting some humid warm air getting drawn in to replace the air being exhausted by the vent fans. I don't quite understand your situ but I'd leave some vent fans on and go explore around the chimney to see if you feel or smell exterior air.
Fyi, its not uncommon for chimney's and the space around the flue to be a leaky air pita.
Fyi, its not uncommon for chimney's and the space around the flue to be a leaky air pita.
Posted on 5/16/24 at 6:41 am to Turnblad85
On the left of the fireplace in one of the pictures it looks like there is a tub/shower that backs up to the fireplace wall. If that’s the case, there is likely an open tub box on the drain side of that tub. That opening needs to be sealed by either pouring concrete in the opening or using foam. If it’s not sealed, the ground moisture could be causing condensation on that tub and causing the moisture/mildew smell.
Posted on 5/16/24 at 7:53 am to LSUDad
Went I went up there to open it, I found this.
Is sealed under plywood and under the cross beams that go over the elevated living room. There is a hole cut out and a vent apparently coming out of there and going down tying into the ceiling somewhere in the hall of my house. I’m so confused.
Is sealed under plywood and under the cross beams that go over the elevated living room. There is a hole cut out and a vent apparently coming out of there and going down tying into the ceiling somewhere in the hall of my house. I’m so confused.
Posted on 5/16/24 at 8:26 am to Cow Drogo
For Heatilator fireplace, that's looks to be an air inlet. They use it to draft attic air, to keep from taking heated air from the house. That inlet is usually in the attic. A cap or grill keeps pests from getting into the hose, causing problems.
Posted on 5/16/24 at 9:05 am to nolabuilder
This is the bathroom that’s back to back with fireplace. Fireplace is to left back to back with sink
Posted on 5/16/24 at 9:08 am to LSUDad
Kinda smell it right away walking in, but the smell inside the cabinet under the sink smells the mold very strongly.
Posted on 5/16/24 at 9:16 am to Cow Drogo
This is a shot in the dark, but the wax ring on the toilet will give off an odor. That's a start. But if the cabinets inside, the next thing, look at the cabinets, you could have a pin hole leak, drip behind the wall. You could remove the back of the cabinet, remove the Sheetrock. At least get a look.
Posted on 5/16/24 at 10:44 am to Cow Drogo
you will need to cut a hole underneath the sink, you got some water dripping.
Posted on 5/16/24 at 12:23 pm to trident
Like a plumbing drip?
So y’all don’t think it’s from the fireplace metal sweating inside that rectangle?
So y’all don’t think it’s from the fireplace metal sweating inside that rectangle?
Posted on 5/16/24 at 12:39 pm to Cow Drogo
Sounds like it could be either. Won’t know until you explore. I’m dealing with this from a shower that was leaking into my master closet. Looks like the wife is getting a new bathroom out of it.
A previous house I had was open above the fireplace box and I was able to climb down there with a ladder and run wires for the tv. You should be able to pull or cut that osb and get down there to see what might be wet. Otherwise you need to get behind that cabinet in the bathroom.
A previous house I had was open above the fireplace box and I was able to climb down there with a ladder and run wires for the tv. You should be able to pull or cut that osb and get down there to see what might be wet. Otherwise you need to get behind that cabinet in the bathroom.
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