Many people call us because they are concerned about musty odors, and then we conduct a mold inspection. But there are other sources of building odors that can sometimes make people sick and that may indicate the presence of a variety of building problems. Then the odor testing required may be more complex.

Odors can arise due to sewer gas and natural gas leaks, oil or gasoline fumes, and formaldehyde gas. Plastic window screens can off-gas, and rugs or new carpets can emit irritating chemicals. And the odors from some caulks and finishes (like paint and varnish) can bother some people.

There are two ways to approach trying to identify the source of a building odor. The simplest is to carefully sniff surfaces. Or you may want to hire a professional to do the sniffing and conduct some odor testing.

Odors are caused by chemicals, and there are different testing methods involved to determine what chemicals are present. Testing for VOCs (volatile organic compounds) can be very expensive, and unfortunately, even if the chemicals are present below the detection limit of the testing method, some people still find them irritating. Even if the test does find the detectable presence of a particular chemical, you still don’t know where the chemical is coming from, so a visual inspection done by an experienced air quality professional must augment the odor testing.

Many professionals who do odor testing use instruments that detect VOCs like combustible gases and solvents: an approach which can point to the source of an odor and which is less expensive than testing the air for all the chemicals that may be present.

If you want to hire someone to do odor testing and to figure out the source of a building odor, be sure the person has the scientific training, experience, and sophisticated equipment necessary to give you the information that you need.

If you want to understand why and where mold grows, learn how to get rid of it and prevent it from returning, buy a copy of The Mold Survival Guide: For Your Home and for Your Health, Jeffrey C. May and Connie L. May (2004). Jeff May is also author of My House is Killing Me! The Home Guide for Families with Allergies and Asthma (2001) and co-author of Jeff May’s Healthy Home Tips (2008). All three books are published by The Johns Hopkins University Press and are available on amazon.com.