Several years ago, I had water flow under a garage slab and down behind a
set of stairs leading to my den. Weeks or months after cleanup, I noticed an
odor coming from down in that stair well so I sealed all cracks and opening
on those wooden steps. Months later, I painted the steps and months after
that I noticed my paint bubble on two of the lower risers. "Moisure", says
I. Two years have past and I still got that musty odor in that stair well
when the humidity got real high.... as it is right now in Ohio (And I can
smell the earth outside. Maybe I simply have an over active proboscis!)

In any event, I tore the top step off and peered inside. To my surprise,
outside of the musty odor there was no visible organic growth (mold etc.).
And the odor didn't increase substancially. Nonethelss, I mixed outside
strength bleach (believe it contains around 6% active ingrediant) in the
ration recommended for heavy use 38% or 3 cups bleach to 5 cups of water.
Outcome: I still smell somethng musty.

I sprayed the entire concoction on the underside of the four steps and the
ground. The lowest step sets on the concrete floor of the landing but
directly underneath - 2 x 3 feet prox - is earth. That patch of dirt was
merely sprayed as the steps were. During "the flood" though, that area
probably was pretty wet for some time. That's why moisture formed on the
step risers I suspect; the wood was still damp after all that time and the
air had no where to go.

That's the history. Now here's the question. Got any ideas for another
chemical I can spray that will clean the air? On the table as "next step" is
to saturate the earth with that concoction rather than just spray the
surface. The step after that is... replace all the steps. "Ouch ", says I!

"jaygreg" wrote in message
. ..
Several years ago, I had water flow under a garage slab and down behind a
set of stairs leading to my den. Weeks or months after cleanup, I noticed
an
odor coming from down in that stair well so I sealed all cracks and
opening
on those wooden steps. Months later, I painted the steps and months after
that I noticed my paint bubble on two of the lower risers. "Moisure", says
I. Two years have past and I still got that musty odor in that stair well
when the humidity got real high.... as it is right now in Ohio (And I can
smell the earth outside. Maybe I simply have an over active proboscis!)

In any event, I tore the top step off and peered inside. To my surprise,
outside of the musty odor there was no visible organic growth (mold etc.).
And the odor didn't increase substancially. Nonethelss, I mixed outside
strength bleach (believe it contains around 6% active ingrediant) in the
ration recommended for heavy use 38% or 3 cups bleach to 5 cups of water.
Outcome: I still smell somethng musty.

I sprayed the entire concoction on the underside of the four steps and the
ground. The lowest step sets on the concrete floor of the landing but
directly underneath - 2 x 3 feet prox - is earth. That patch of dirt was
merely sprayed as the steps were. During "the flood" though, that area
probably was pretty wet for some time. That's why moisture formed on the
step risers I suspect; the wood was still damp after all that time and the
air had no where to go.

That's the history. Now here's the question. Got any ideas for another
chemical I can spray that will clean the air? On the table as "next step"
is
to saturate the earth with that concoction rather than just spray the
surface. The step after that is... replace all the steps. "Ouch ", says I!

Once you give up and tear the steps out, put a vapor barrier and gravel or
concrete in there. You basically have a chimney from the cold wet ground to
your warm dry house. I passed on a house when shopping a couple of years
ago, when I saw dirt under an interior cellar stairway like that. (Sales
people hate it when people bring flashlights and go in the basement
first...) I don't even like exposed dirt in a ventilated crawl space.

aem sends....

Not necessary. There source of moisture has been cut off; the stairs are in
the garage... not outside. The earth was dry when I say it but may have
organic growth an inch or so beneath. I check this morning and the ordor
appears to be gone. Maybe I did a better job than I thought. What I was
looking for here was another chemical to use... as insurance.


wrote in message
...

"jaygreg" wrote in message
. ..
Several years ago, I had water flow under a garage slab and down behind
a
set of stairs leading to my den. Weeks or months after cleanup, I
noticed
an
odor coming from down in that stair well so I sealed all cracks and
opening
on those wooden steps. Months later, I painted the steps and months
after
that I noticed my paint bubble on two of the lower risers. "Moisure",
says
I. Two years have past and I still got that musty odor in that stair
well
when the humidity got real high.... as it is right now in Ohio (And I
can
smell the earth outside. Maybe I simply have an over active proboscis!)

In any event, I tore the top step off and peered inside. To my surprise,
outside of the musty odor there was no visible organic growth (mold
etc.).
And the odor didn't increase substancially. Nonethelss, I mixed outside
strength bleach (believe it contains around 6% active ingrediant) in the
ration recommended for heavy use 38% or 3 cups bleach to 5 cups of
water.
Outcome: I still smell somethng musty.

I sprayed the entire concoction on the underside of the four steps and
the
ground. The lowest step sets on the concrete floor of the landing but
directly underneath - 2 x 3 feet prox - is earth. That patch of dirt was
merely sprayed as the steps were. During "the flood" though, that area
probably was pretty wet for some time. That's why moisture formed on the
step risers I suspect; the wood was still damp after all that time and
the
air had no where to go.

That's the history. Now here's the question. Got any ideas for another
chemical I can spray that will clean the air? On the table as "next
step"
is
to saturate the earth with that concoction rather than just spray the
surface. The step after that is... replace all the steps. "Ouch ", says
I!

Once you give up and tear the steps out, put a vapor barrier and gravel or
concrete in there. You basically have a chimney from the cold wet ground
to
your warm dry house. I passed on a house when shopping a couple of years
ago, when I saw dirt under an interior cellar stairway like that. (Sales
people hate it when people bring flashlights and go in the basement
first...) I don't even like exposed dirt in a ventilated crawl space.

aem sends....