I rent a bachelors apartment in a 70's era highrise (cement walls
separate units). Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. "Mold", I thought. However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. I wouldn't expect mold to do that. Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).

AndyHancock wrote:
I rent a bachelors apartment in a 70's era highrise (cement walls
separate units). Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. "Mold", I thought. However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. I wouldn't expect mold to do that. Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).

Sometimes there are "algae blooms" that make the water supply here smell
funky for a few days -- is it just the shower, or does your water smell
"off" in general? How long has this been going on?

On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:36:09 -0700 (PDT), AndyHancock
wrote:

I rent a bachelors apartment in a 70's era highrise (cement walls
separate units). Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. "Mold", I thought. However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. I wouldn't expect mold to do that. Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).


If you smell mold/mildew I bet there is an issue. Possible leak in
side the walls, keeping it constantly moist. It will only get worse.

On Sep 15, 10:46*pm, cjt wrote:
AndyHancock wrote:
I rent a bachelors apartment in a 70's era highrise (cement walls
separate units). *Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. *"Mold", I thought. *However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. *I wouldn't expect mold to do that. *Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).

Sometimes there are "algae blooms" that make the water supply here smell
funky for a few days -- is it just the shower, or does your water smell
"off" in general? *How long has this been going on?

The water doesn't smell, but the air in the apartment smells when I
step out of the shower. Only for a short while, if I ventilate. Not
all the time, either. I'm not sure if it depends on whether the
shower is a hot one, or how long the shower is...something I'll keep
an eye on for now. Hot showers usually after a workout day.

If it was mold, I wouldn't expect it to release a smell only when
wetted. And if it was wetted, it wouldn't dry within 20 minutes
simply cuz I ventilate the apartment. I find that puzzling.

On Sep 17, 8:09*am, AndyHancock wrote:
On Sep 15, 10:46*pm, cjt wrote:

AndyHancock wrote:
I rent a bachelors apartment in a 70's era highrise (cement walls
separate units). *Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. *"Mold", I thought. *However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. *I wouldn't expect mold to do that. *Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).

Sometimes there are "algae blooms" that make the water supply here smell
funky for a few days -- is it just the shower, or does your water smell
"off" in general? *How long has this been going on?

The water doesn't smell, but the air in the apartment smells when I
step out of the shower. *Only for a short while, if I ventilate. *Not
all the time, either. *I'm not sure if it depends on whether the
shower is a hot one, or how long the shower is...something I'll keep
an eye on for now. *Hot showers usually after a workout day.

If it was mold, I wouldn't expect it to release a smell only when
wetted. *And if it was wetted, it wouldn't dry within 20 minutes
simply cuz I ventilate the apartment. *I find that puzzling.

Is it possible that it's your sense of smell that's changing? I have
allergies and a hot shower frees up my sinuses. I have a better sense
of smell afterwards...for a while.

R

In article ,
"cshenk" wrote:

we have a
side 1/2 bathroom where the toliet gets used but the sink almost never

I'm surprised your mother didn't raise you better.

On Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:35:01 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
"cshenk" wrote:

we have a
side 1/2 bathroom where the toliet gets used but the sink almost never

I'm surprised your mother didn't raise you better.

I always thought men were the only ones who do not wash their hands,
but one time a dear secretary let me know otherwise.

It's certainly possible, but it's strange that it would only happen
sometimes.

On Sep 17, 7:33*pm, Tony wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Sep 17, 8:09 am, AndyHancock wrote:
On Sep 15, 10:46 pm, cjt wrote:
AndyHancock wrote:
I rent a bachelors apartment in a 70's era highrise (cement walls
separate units). *Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. *"Mold", I thought. *However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. *I wouldn't expect mold to do that. *Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).
Sometimes there are "algae blooms" that make the water supply here smell
funky for a few days -- is it just the shower, or does your water smell
"off" in general? *How long has this been going on?
The water doesn't smell, but the air in the apartment smells when I
step out of the shower. *Only for a short while, if I ventilate. *Not
all the time, either. *I'm not sure if it depends on whether the
shower is a hot one, or how long the shower is...something I'll keep
an eye on for now. *Hot showers usually after a workout day.

If it was mold, I wouldn't expect it to release a smell only when
wetted. *And if it was wetted, it wouldn't dry within 20 minutes
simply cuz I ventilate the apartment. *I find that puzzling.

Is it possible that it's your sense of smell that's changing? *I have
allergies and a hot shower frees up my sinuses. *I have a better sense
of smell afterwards...for a while.

My thoughts exactly.

On Sep 17, 7:03*pm, "cshenk" wrote:
"AndyHancock" wrote

The water doesn't smell, but the air in the apartment smells when I
step out of the shower. *Only for a short while, if I ventilate. *Not
all the time, either. *I'm not sure if it depends on whether the
shower is a hot one, or how long the shower is...something I'll keep
an eye on for now. *Hot showers usually after a workout day.
*And if it was wetted, it wouldn't dry within 20 minutes
simply cuz I ventilate the apartment. *I find that puzzling.

Andy, it sounds like a trap that has an issue. *Like how the sink below has
a bend and water is in there (supposed to be there) but not getting used
enough and some sort of mold may be along it's line. *Use of the shower and
the lines interconnected at the lead out from the house causing it to shift.

It's unlikely to be the tub/shower drain. *More apt to be the sink.
Especially if you dont use that articular sink much. *Dont laugh, we have a
side 1/2 bathroom where the toliet gets used but the sink almost never so we
developed odd smells until we figured that out. *ow we pour a little bleach
down that 'other sink' every week, let it set 10 mins then run the water.
Problem solved.

At one stage we'd used the 'other sink' so little the trap (bend in pipe
below) dried out and we got a septic smell in the other sink which is on
same line. *It was coming up from the main sewer. Fortunately we figured it
out before we spent a grunch on a plummer. *I just needed to turn the water
on at that sink for a bit. *Fill the trap then use bleach now and again..

Hope your's is as simple!

The thing is, I use both regularly, and the smell only happens
sometimes, and is only temporary.

On Sep 17, 7:18*pm, JIMMIE wrote:
On Sep 17, 7:03*pm, "cshenk" wrote:





"AndyHancock" wrote

The water doesn't smell, but the air in the apartment smells when I
step out of the shower. *Only for a short while, if I ventilate. *Not
all the time, either. *I'm not sure if it depends on whether the
shower is a hot one, or how long the shower is...something I'll keep
an eye on for now. *Hot showers usually after a workout day.
*And if it was wetted, it wouldn't dry within 20 minutes
simply cuz I ventilate the apartment. *I find that puzzling.

Andy, it sounds like a trap that has an issue. *Like how the sink below has
a bend and water is in there (supposed to be there) but not getting used
enough and some sort of mold may be along it's line. *Use of the shower and
the lines interconnected at the lead out from the house causing it to shift.

It's unlikely to be the tub/shower drain. *More apt to be the sink.
Especially if you dont use that articular sink much. *Dont laugh, we have a
side 1/2 bathroom where the toliet gets used but the sink almost never so we
developed odd smells until we figured that out. *ow we pour a little bleach
down that 'other sink' every week, let it set 10 mins then run the water.

On Sep 17, 8:06*am, Phisherman wrote:
On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:36:09 -0700 (PDT), AndyHancock

wrote:
I rent a bachelors apartment in a 70's era highrise (cement walls
separate units). *Whenever I shower, I come out of the washroom and
smell something that I can only describe as wet plaster, or some such
chemical smell. *"Mold", I thought. *However, if I ventilate the
apartment for a short while (15 min), the smell goes away and stays
away. *I wouldn't expect mold to do that. *Could it be not mold?
Getting the management in to test and repair will be a major nightmare
(moving might be more palatable).

If you smell mold/mildew I bet there is an issue. *Possible leak in
side the walls, keeping it constantly moist. * It will only get worse.

That's the puzzling thing, it's not constant, it is only shortly after
a shower, and only sometimes.