Your House Has An Odour…Can It Affect Air Quality?

Bad Odour Affect Indoor Air Quality
Bad Odour Affect Indoor Air Quality

Most homes have a signature scent so to speak. Some are pleasant…some are anything but.  

Any indoor environment, whether it be a house, apartment, office building, etc has a signature scent. In fact, hotels and resorts spend thousands each year branding a certain scent with a pleasure experience and cognitive effects. However, in your own home it is best to keep scent or odours at a minimum. Scents or odours can affect air quality. Poor indoor air quality can affect mood, physical performance, enjoyment of your home and health.

So let’s examine the different and most common sources of odours indoors that can affect the indoor air quality of your home.

Good Indoor Air Quality Has No Scent!

Top Ten Sources Of Odours Affecting Indoor Air Quality:

  1. Poor Ventilation
  2. VOC’s
  3. Mould
  4. Bacteria
  5. Biofilms
  6. Rodents
  7. Pets
  8. Occupants
  9. Scented products
  10. Smoke

Let’s deal with the top ten sources for poor indoor air quality and odours in your home one at a time.

Poor ventilation is one of the leading sources of odours indoors. Our homes are so tightly sealed these days, it’s like living in a plastic bubble. Whatever is created indoors, stays indoors until we open the door or a window. Opening of windows in the GTA gets difficult in winter or summer because of the extreme temperatures outdoors and the energy loss. The best way to improve ventilation and reduce odours to improve indoor air quality is to have good ventilation. Good and proper ventilation can only be achieved by a mechanical ventilation system such as an HRV or ERV.

Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC’s are chemicals that off-gass or are released by items and materials in your home. VOC’s can come from and include paints, adhesives, building materials, decorating items, furniture and anything that has a scent or chemical in it. Elevated VOC’s levels indoor cause poor indoor air quality and can cause allergic reactions and disease.

Mould growth also have VOC’s that are referred to as MVOC’s or Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds. These are chemicals released by active mould growth. Most people can identify with musty odours at the cottage or old garage. These are chemicals released by mould.

Bacteria is the leading source of odour in the home. Bacteria, depending on their species emit strong and pungent odours. Rotting vermin, unsanitary surfaces, water damaged building materials can support bacterial growth and lead to unpleasant odours and poor indoor air quality.

Biofilms left behind by microbial growth also are a source for odours. You may have a room or area that you keep cleaning but the odour just doesn’t seem to go away or improve. You could have a biofilm issue which can be a health hazard and affect indoor air quality.

Rodents and rodent nests can have a pungent odour in any indoor environment. Avoid using bait or killing products designed for the rodents to take back to their nest where it kills them. You are now left with decaying rodent carcasses that have a very unpleasant and long lasting odour.

Pets can also add to the odours in the home. Dogs and cats when they are wet emit a significant odour. As does kitty litter. Accidents inside the home also pose a scent or odour issue.

Occupants also add significantly to the overall odour indoors. Poor hygiene coupled with poor ventilation can lead to some eye brow raising scents in your home for visitors to notice. On the flip side, perfumes and colognes or personal care products can also make the home have a pleasant scent but still increase the VOC levels and reduce the air quality.

This leads us to scented products. Any perfumed item such as candles, incense, potpourri and cleaning agents with a scent should ideally be avoided. These all increase the VOC levels indoors.

Smoke whether from cigarette smoke, pot, candles, incense or wood burning fireplaces should be avoided indoors if indoor air quality is important to you. All of these can lead to a significant increase in soot and chemical activity in the air your breathe.

In addition to the above, if indoor air quality is important to your and your family, consider an indoor air quality assessment. Air quality testing can provide important information on the indoor health of your home and how to prevent allergies and illness this winter.


Call us for an in-depth indoor air quality test of your home or office today.  We service all of the Toronto and GTA area including the Hamilton area. 

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