A stink wafts through the air and assaults the senses of an occupant within a perceived chemically sterile environment. Some smell it. Others smell it and get deathly ill. Then, there are those who stare in disbelief as they are barraged by tales of woe and distress.
Stories of distressed office building and home owners abound. A few case studies worthy of discussion follow:
Case #1: A drunk drove his car through a house, thinking it was his garage—the car was actually in the living room. After the insurance paid for the rebuild of the home and replacement of furnishings, the traumatized home owner complained of sickening odors and illness. Was she crazy or was she a victim? On 60-minutes, Chinese sheet rock was the toxin casualty of the month. This escalated her concerns. Chemical off-gassing from building materials became an obsession. Family told her she was crazy while friends validated her concerns about a nasty odor. When all effort failed, the process of elimination (e.g., removal of suspect products) brought her to the conclusion that one of the upholstered chairs was off-gassing chemicals. Analysis would have been more expensive than replacing the chair. So, as the supplier was willing to buy back the furniture, no further analysis was required. If this had been a manufactured chair that was associated with numerous complaints, product off-gassing analysis would have been indicated.
Case #2: A small business owner alleged that an evil arch enemy was poisoning him and his assistant. Employees who stared in disbelief were quickly identified as saboteurs. Hidden cameras were installed in hallways. A private investigator was hired. Troubled employees left or were forced to resign. Stinky clothes were sent to a lab with requests to identify the “stink.” The chemical laboratory declared the stinky clothes unmanageable. After all this, Omega Southwest Consulting became the last-call-hurray. After considerable discussion and chasing demons, we identified the problem as sewer gases from leaks in the bathroom vents within the attic being drawn through the ceiling tiles spaces by the HVAC air return into the office spaces.
Case #3: A home owner complained of a foul odor and that she was getting sick in her house. As a result, she had to either sleep outside or move in with her daughter’s family. She spent a fortune on questionable plumbers and “psychics.” She had the state department of health investigate. They found nothing. She had the county sanitarians check her septic system. They found nothing. She called a chemical laboratory to check it out. They took a soil sample for metals and found nothing. Omega Southwest Consulting, once again, became the last-call-hurray. Multiple problems were identified. The 1930’s house had cast iron sewer lines in the house. Over time, cast iron sewer pipes corrode, rust, and leak sewer gases—which were evident around certain areas of the house. The “conventional” septic system was in the back yard where she had planted very happy, healthy trees—root penetration and plant fertilization into the septic lines. Furthermore, the potable drinking water was crossing the septic field. She and her granddaughter complained of stinky water. The home owner was of modest means and could not afford the fix. Therefore, she moved out.
The above case studies are only a few of the many. Oftentimes, plumbing/sewage problems are illusive and seem to migrate, structural problems go unidentified, and the HVAC, the heart beat of a structure, remains out-of-site, out-of-mind. Not everyone smells the odors or experiences the illness that others do. Indoor stink is complex and not for the faint of heart….