Hot Attic Smell

Musty dirty animal and moldy smells in an attic create an unpleasant surprise when you go up to this easily overlooked space in the house.

Hot attic smell.

This is a combination of lumber insulation shingles all getting cooked in this hot attic air. The unpleasant odor can also attach itself to items stored in the attic. Depending on the particular type of mold its mvoc may exhibit a damp musky odor. It might be you have a gap or air leak in the returrn air duct that is allowing this smell to get into ductwork.

If you notice this type of odor coming from your attic avoid entering it unless you are wearing a proper respirator. The musty mold odor can creep down from your attic and take up residence in other areas of your home. Step 1 wear a pair of rubber gloves safety goggles a long sleeved shirt and pants to protect yourself from mold and its spores. I have large attic with ridge vents and screened vents at either end of the attic to maintain air flow.

Where those wires punch through to the attic are rarely sealed properly or at all and that is just one more path for hot air to travel down into your house bringing that lovely odor with it. I live in northern virginia hot humid climate in the summer and use heat pumps to heat and cool my house throughout the year. Rodent droppings urine. A little sealing up in the attic will do wonders.

I have a shop in my attic for some of my hobbies and it get s very hot in the summer. Such odors may even make the items or clothing you re storing in your attic smell as well. Sealing up your building envelope is the only way to go.