Old house, how to remove or block the smell

[Christianb]

I've got a house that is build in 70s. Like most houses here in Tenerife it is made of grey blocks.
I have a bedroom that seems impossible to ventilate and clear the smell that I believe comes from these blocks. The smell is somehow sharp and fiery like a burn, it can also be smelled in the roof loft. It exist also if the electricity is disconnected so it is not that something is really burning. I wonder if anybody knows if this can be blocked with some specific paint or wall paper, like waterproof ones etc.

I also wonder that these blocks have cavities and that air can flow through it and then bring the smell into the room through holes. Anybody has experience with this?

[ribuck]

Are other rooms in the house affected? If not, are there any differences in the construction and/or decorating between those rooms and the troublesome one?

I also have a persistent smell in one part of my house, but it's in England so it won't be the same cause as yours.

[Christianb]

Hi, thank you for the reply. The smell is particularity strong in one room where only difference is an old linoleum. Since this smell drives my stomach crazy and I don't like the color of the lino a bit, I am going to remove it tomorrow and see if the things going to improve.
Other rooms have somewhat stale/moisture smell. I was told that nobody lived in the house for some years, so it may be a combination of various material smells and moisture. So I'll start with the process of elimination by removing the lino.
I guess if one boards the walls one can eliminate the smells from the walls' materials?

[ribuck]

Funnily enough, we also have old linoleum in the part of our house that has a persistent smell. But we previously had old linoleum in other parts of the house too, and those parts had no smell. When we removed the old linoleum from the other areas, we got a (different) persistent smell. This turned out to be from the glue that had been holding the linoleum down. Once we removed the glue, that smell disappeared.

Smells can permeate many types of building materials. If the smell is coming from your walls, it may not be enough to board them or plaster them. You would also need to incorporate an impermeable layer underneath the board/plaster. You could use the waterproof backing board that people put behind shower enclosures before tiling them, but a builder might have an alternative which is cheaper and simpler.

[Christianb]

Unfortunately removing my old lino proved to be a very difficult job. While I can rip it off gradually, there is a layer of grey brown cementy substance which produces terribly fine dust. Below that are very old ceramic tiles, I mean very old probably from Atlantis or something :) It takes me about thirty minutes per tile to scrub it clear and there are hundreds of them! G* how am I going to clear this this...

[ribuck]

Oh, that's bad news. The grey brown substance might be a levelling compound, applied on top of the old tiles to make a level surface for the lino.

Maybe it isn't necessary to remove the substance? I mean, by now you will be able to tell if this substance is the source of your smell. If it isn't, you can maybe put your new floor covering straight on top of the old levelling compound.

[Christianb]

I'll have to pay a man to remove the compound using a machine made for this job. It is using water as well so it will not dust up all the house. After that I think I want a carpet on top of the tiles without any chemicals in-between except maybe a double sided tape on the edges. At least then I would have some control and could easily change it in the future. I know that carpets are not the tenerife/spanish thing but it makes a room more homey, softer. I could add the underneath rubber sheet to perhaps level the tiles.
Yes it seems that the old lino is decomposing and adds to the smell, but the level compound is damaged and it turns partially into dust when lifting the lino which can only be done with a screwdriver.
I am also going to tear down all wallpapers, at the moment there are two: an ancient(Incas?) and and on top of it one less ancient (Columbus?). When this is all done, then will know the truth... maybe.

[delderek]

Agree carpets are more homey, but just see how much dust and muck land on the tiles every day, which are easy to wash off. But trying to keep carpets clean in the dry dusty climate is gonna be a nightmare, which I presume is why not many people have them, and what a lovely cosy incubator for roaches.

[warbey]

.
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I would be inclined to get the layer of Lino off, make good with the Leveller and retile over that Layer.

I don't know the costing but it would help to stifle the smell.

Maybe a Mat over that if required.?

I take it the Ceiling is concrete with a covering?

All the Best...

[Christianb]

It seems I will indeed have to put new bigger tiles over the old. Though I could place a mat over the old ones, if I can get used to the old tiles look. The roof is concrete and covered with orange round roof-tiles.

New thing: after removing the old wallpaper, I discovered that there are cracks along the vertical joints of the walls in the room, pretty much in every corner. Can anybody tell me what does this mean regarding the structure of this terrace house?
Also I've heard that there is a filler for this type if cracks, that is extra strong. Does anybody know how do one calls this in English and Spanish and possible product name in Tenerife shops like Leroy Merlin?

[ribuck]

The majority of such cracks are harmless, caused by shrinkage as moisture evaporated from the new construction. But a professional could take a look at them to ensure that they are not caused by structural movement.

There's usually no advantage from using extra-strong filler. If you did that, and there was further movement, it would simply open up a new crack next to the old filled crack.

[Christianb]

The major cause of smell was that somebody spilled or left evaporate entire box of paint and other liquids in the enclosed balcony of the bedroom. After removing the lino in the balcony the smell has pretty much gone. The question is whether I can place a vinyl "click-in" tiles floor directly on top of my old lino in the bedroom considering that is well leveled; which would be an economical solution...?

[warbey]

..
Glad You got this far

Always nasty when You don't know what causes a smell

The Imagination can run riot.!

Best of luck , and the Value has just appreciated without that smell...?

[ribuck]

It's great that the smell has gone!

I think old lino would make a good base for the click-tiles, but this will raise the floor slightly. Will that cause problems with any doors that open inwards into this room and swing over the floor? If so, it may be easier to remove the old lino than to cut a thin strip off the bottom of the door. And what about where the new click-tiles meet the next room - will this cause a change of level and will that introduce any complications?

[Angusjim]

Just be careful if the lino was put down in the 70s there is a chance it may contain asbestos

[Christianb]

With the old house I guess it is best to assume that everything that can have asbestos it has, and therefore work with a good mask when "disturbing" the material. I did use a mask, but it is the cement below that pulverises not the lino so hope I am safe. Since the lino is so much glued to the leveling cement that I had to use screwdriver and even a hummer to tear it peace by peace in the balcony (I hell of a job, especially if asbestos present), and lot of the leveler was teared too, I think it would be easier just to shorten the balcony and entry doors and lay click-tiles which do not let anything go through. The joining hall is 1cm above the lino in the bedroom, which is good. In this away I would not mess up with possible asbestos and the cost of the floor is only 6 euros/m2, so I could have a new beautiful floor for only 100e, if I want to do it myself.

I guess in a warm climate it is difficult to have a house that does not smell at all. I hear that heat is very hard on architecture, makes things crack and increases sublimation... luckily it is an island and there is always movement of air.

[Angusjim]

With the old house I guess it is best to assume that everything that can have asbestos it has, and therefore work with a good mask when "disturbing" the material. I did use a mask, but it is the cement below that pulverises not the lino so hope I am safe. Since the lino is so much glued to the leveling cement that I had to use screwdriver and even a hummer to tear it peace by peace in the balcony (I hell of a job, especially if asbestos present), and lot of the leveler was teared too, I think it would be easier just to shorten the balcony and entry doors and lay click-tiles which do not let anything go through. The joining hall is 1cm above the lino in the bedroom, which is good. In this away I would not mess up with possible asbestos and the cost of the floor is only 6 euros/m2, so I could have a new beautiful floor for only 100e, if I want to do it myself.

I guess in a warm climate it is difficult to have a house that does not smell at all. I hear that heat is very hard on architecture, makes things crack and increases sublimation... luckily it is an island and there is always movement of air.

Standard face masks are of no use for asbestos dust

[Christianb]

OK, here is the plan for removing the smell:

1. Place vinyl parquet on the floor that don't have ceramic tiles
2. Repair structural cracks with Fibro cement
3. Replace humid mortar at the bottom of the wall with Fibro cement
3. Repair some wholes and small cracks with normal cement or filler
4. Apply some antimoho primer on the walls
5. Finally cover all with fabric backed vinyl wallpapers

I think this should do it, any comments on this?