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How to Find & Fix That Weird Smell in Your Garage

10/15/2017
Home Garage Ventilation - Purifying Stuffy Garage Air

Unless your garage converted to a living space, you’ve probably noticed your garage smells nothing like a living space. As one of the most important but poorly-maintained rooms in the home, ignoring problems can make your garage smell weird at best and nasty at worst. But how do you know what that weird smell is coming from? And how can you get rid of it for good?

Let’s find out.

Causes of Strange-Smelling Garage Environments

There are a few usual suspects when it comes to that unpleasant aroma in your garage:

Mold & Mildew

A garage is the ideal place for mold and mildew to take up residence, especially in the salty coastal air of places like Sacramento. And since the typical garage doesn’t have the same ventilation/HVAC setup as the rest of your home, stagnant, moist air has all the time it needs to penetrate the drywall, insulation, framing, cabinets, and anything else you’ve got going on in there.

Exhaust Fume Buildup

If your garage isn’t properly ventilated and/or your car’s got a leaky tailpipe, the fumes can build up, causing a headache-inducing gasoline smell that’s at-best unhealthy and at-worst dangerous to your health.

Leaking or Escaped Chemicals

If you use your garage for storage of materials you’d rather weren’t inside your house, make sure you’ve got them sealed and a remediation plan in place for if/when you have a spill. Things like gas canisters, polyurethane and paints, oil, cleaning products, etc. These can let off fumes and when spilled soaks into the concrete floor, which can make a smell that lasts long past the cleanup if not properly handled. 

Dead Stuff

In hot seasons, you’ll have bugs and small reptiles looking for a place to cool off visit your garage. In colder seasons, guests tend to be rodents and any other small animal that can get in. Then they forget how to get out, starve and die. And you smell it later. Worse, if your garage is drywalled, they can die in the walls, making it way harder to locate that telltale smell of death.

Garbage

It might be tempting to skip trash day if there’s particularly nasty weather or you simply don’t feel like it. But don’t make it a habit. Overflowing trash cans or improperly stored waste attract pests and generate a potent mix of food and decomposition odors.

How to Get Rid of That Awful Garage Odor for Good

Okay, now that we’ve located the cause, how do we fix it? There are several measures and practices every homeowner would do well to take to remedy smells and protect the long-term health of their garage structure. Remediation of big infestations like mold can be costly – prevention is way cheaper and less inconvenient than needing your garage torn apart and then renovated.

  • Ventilation is Key: Open windows and doors regularly to air out the space. Installing a ceiling fan or vent system can improve air circulation.
  • Control Moisture Levels: Fix leaky roofs and gutters, and use a dehumidifier if necessary. Store items off the floor to prevent dampness.
  • Clean & Disinfect Everything: Thoroughly clean walls, floors, and shelves with a bleach solution to kill mold and mildew. Wash or replace absorbent items like rags and towels.
  • Seal the Leaks: Check for cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and pipes, and seal them with caulk or weather stripping to prevent fumes and pests from entering.
  • Clean, Seal & Store Chemicals: Dispose of old or unused chemicals properly. Clean up spills immediately and store chemicals safely in sealed containers. For a how-to on getting stubborn oil stains out of concrete, view our handy guide.
  • Don’t Lax on Trash: Empty and clean trash cans regularly. Use liners and lids to contain odors.
  • Neutralize Odors: Activated charcoal, baking soda, and coffee grounds can absorb lingering smells.

And it’s never a bad idea to give the concrete floor in your garage a good power wash once a year to clean up anything that’s soaked into the concrete’s pores. Just make sure you choose a warm, dry day to do it and wait to put anything back inside until everything is bone dry.Have questions or want more tips on garage maintenance and repair? Visit our blog for more garage door DIY guides!

Garage Door Maintenance: Call the Pros to Fix Broken Springs

Your garage door springs are definitely not a DIY maintenance job. You should always call a professional. These springs are under incredible tension. If they are suddenly released, they can cause serious bodily injury or even death.You should give the springs an occasional visual inspection, however. Look for rust or areas that have frayed. If you do need new springs, call us immediately. We offer 24-hour emergency service. The national average for this maintenance issue is $200 to $300. The national average for an emergency room visit, however, is another story. Call the pros.

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