Nasty Niff - Update! Domicile Cup Fungus

joop

There is a horrible musty smell in my upstairs (middle of house, with window) bathroom, particularly bad when the door is left closed overnight. I can't pin it down to any particular area. It's also noticeable on opening the front door in the evening, (same outside wall as bathroom) but not in the rest of the house. I've cleaned everything and plunged and bleached the drains but can't get rid of it.

Is is best to call out a plumber or heating person? Can they sort of 'trace' the walls etc to see if there is something damp going on somewhere?

Thanks in anticipation for any help.

macman

I'd start by lifting the first inspection hatch downstream outside to see if there is a free flow to that point.
I can't see why you would want a heating engineer, as it appears to be a drainage problem if the smell is originating outside and coming back up through the soil stack.

Ebe_Scrooge

Could be anything. Blocked drainpipes are a likely candidate, though they would give off a smell more offensive than just "musty". But if the pipework is easily accessible it's easy enough to take off the traps and give them a good clean, nothing lost.

What's on the floor ? If it's floorboards covered with lino or similar, it's quite possible water has seeped underneath and the wood is wet. Can you lift the floor covering relatively easily ? If so, this would be a good place to start. Rather more tricky if it's tiled, of course. Or under the bath - should be easy to remove the bath panel and look underneath, see if the floor is wet underneath. Very possible if the sealant is cracked around the edge, allowing water to trickle down the side.

It could be any number of things, something somewhere is damp would be a good bet. Try the above suggestions first if you can, save paying for someone to come out.

If it is damp, then you can hire a dehumidifier for a weekend to dry things out, however you need to locate and rectify the cause of the damp, otherwise it'll just come back.

macman

Surely the fact that it's detectable outside indicates an external drain or sewer problem?

Ebe_Scrooge

macman wrote: »

Surely the fact that it's detectable outside indicates an external drain or sewer problem?

Yes, sorry, missed that point.

Actually, if it's a "musty" rather than "eggy" smell, could it be something like an overflow, making the outside wall damp ???

But you're right, check the drains first, very simple and zero cost :-)

joop

It's not outside but in the hall when I open the front door in the evening.

Thanks for your suggestions so far, taking off the bath panel is one of the obvious things to try first of all.

J

macman

Lifting the inspection hatch will take you 30 seconds-unless you've paved over it of course...

Charlton_King

Maybe washing machine door seal mould?

joop

OMG I have found a toadstool behind the toilet! It's beige, flacid and I'm covered in goosebumps!

How on earth it grew without me noticing, as the smell has been building up for a while, is beyond me but the BIG question now is how to get rid of it and the cause!

joop

OK, I've identified it as Domicile Cup Fungus and I'm going to bleach it to death. Then I'll have to take the panel off behind the loo and errr, don't think I'm going to like what I find there.

TimBuckTeeth

You need to locate the source of the dampness as they will not grow in dry conditions. I assume there is a leak from the toilet cistern or outlet pipe. If you remove the panel you should be able to see. I would replace the panel if it is wood or chipboard to get rid of the fungal spores.