My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? (I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.


-------------------------------------

On 6/13/2012 11:05 AM, VikkiC wrote:
My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? (I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.


-------------------------------------





was it built on a graveyard?

in general no, once something dries, it can't get reconstituted without
an additional water source.

what kind of smell does it have?

On Jun 13, 7:05*pm, VikkiC wrote:
My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. *We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. *Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. *The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. *Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? *(I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. *The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.

-------------------------------------

Hard to say unless you can tell more about the way the floor is
constructed.
What is under the "hardwood"?
It is a suspended timber floor, Is it a solidfloor (concrete or
flagstones?)


Could be faulty drains or leaking central heating pipes if it is a
solid floor.

Are you sure it's not dripping from above?

Is the house built into a hillside?
Have you had heavy rain recently?

On Jun 13, 7:05*pm, VikkiC wrote:
My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. *We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. *Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. *The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. *Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? *(I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. *The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.

-------------------------------------

The smellmay not be "urine" itmay be faulty drains.

That spot, carpet or not, may be some animal's place to urinate. If
there is no water source above or near that spot, for it to have
leaked there, then some animal returns to the spot, when no one is
there (at night?), and does its thing.

To determine if it's a cat, tear up tissue paper (lots of small bits)
and scatter it all around the spot. A cat will "collect" the tissue,
when done, to cover up its business.

Sonny

On Jun 13, 8:08*pm, Sonny wrote:
That spot, carpet or not, may be some animal's place to urinate. *If
there is no water source above or near that spot, for it to have
leaked there, then some animal returns to the spot, when no one is
there (at night?), and does its thing.

To determine if it's a cat, tear up tissue paper (lots of small bits)
and scatter it all around the spot. *A cat will "collect" the tissue,
when done, to cover up its business.

Sonny

If that were so, there would be turds. Anyway cats **** has a very
distinctive smell.

On 6/13/2012 2:05 PM, VikkiC wrote:
My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? (I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.


-------------------------------------





Could water be leaking from windows/walls and running along the base of
the wals, or studs and collecting on the sub-floor? Just a random
thought...

On Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:05:03 +0000, VikkiC
wrote:

My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? (I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.

You may also want to look outside for gutters and down drain pipes.
Sometimes if not properly tilted the rainwater can backup and pass the
flashing and get behind the siding finding its way to an interior wall
where it could leak under a floor then wick up. Its worth a look
anyway.

On Wednesday, June 13, 2012 11:05:03 AM UTC-7, VikkiC wrote:
My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? (I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.


-------------------------------------

Where is the nearest sewer pipe, drain pipe, shower, tub, lavatory, kitchen or toilet? If there is an access door like for a shower drain then turn on the shower and check with flashlight or you may have to start making holes in the walls until you find it.

On 6/13/2012 6:05 PM, wrote:
On Wed, 13 Jun 2012 18:05:03 +0000, VikkiC
wrote:

My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry the
day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark liquid. Does
anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising from the floor, or
something else? (I know there was a horror movie that started this way,
though I am not seriously going there!) The basement under the floor is
unfinished, and there is no visible leak, nor a water source handy. The
radiators are off, and the only one of those with any real issues is two
rooms away, on an exterior enclosed porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank you
all so much in advance.

You may also want to look outside for gutters and down drain pipes.
Sometimes if not properly tilted the rainwater can backup and pass the
flashing and get behind the siding finding its way to an interior wall
where it could leak under a floor then wick up. Its worth a look
anyway.



Esp. in wintertime with ice and freeze-thaw cycles....

VikkiC wrote:
My boyfriend and I just bought a 1910 house. We did this actually
expecting a LOT of work, but this has us scratching our heads:

We spent part of the weekend ripping up carpet, because it smelled of
urine. Of course, we found urine/water stains on the hardwood -- we
expected that, and are going to deal with it. The thing that has us
stumped is, yesterday, we found the stained areas, which had been dry
the day before, suddenly wet, in some places with pools of dark
liquid. Does anyone know if this could be the urine/water rising
from the floor, or something else? (I know there was a horror movie
that started this way, though I am not seriously going there!) The
basement under the floor is unfinished, and there is no visible leak,
nor a water source handy. The radiators are off, and the only one of
those with any real issues is two rooms away, on an exterior enclosed
porch!

Any wild guesses, expert diagnosis, general sympathy welcome! Thank
you all so much in advance.


As urine dries it forms alkaline salts. Those salts are hygroscopic which
means they suck up moisture from the atmosphare.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

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