I have a 3/2 modest rental SFH built mid-1950s that smells funky and I can't figure out why:

I've had it professionally cleaned, twice.

Paint touched up / some rooms repainted entirely

Plug ins in 2x places

Pest control treatment twice (does this cause a funk?)

Ran ozone machine for three days, waited for the ozone scent to dissipate.

What can I look for to source the funky smell?

Last set of tenants were evicted but don't think they did stuff like stuff chicken in the vents. The house is just...I don't know doesn't smell awesome like it used to. This annoys me.

When was the last time it smelled normal? Did Harvey cause any hidden problems?

A few ideas...

1) Do any of the plumbing fixtures have S traps? If so, these are a common cause of sewer odors.

2) Dead animal inside a wall somewhere? I had a handyman job for a guy once where a bat got in his attic, then down into a wall and died..I cut the drywall open to get it out and then patched the wall.

3) Dishwasher drain/filter, clean it!

4) Any P-trap can smell horrible. Usually the water wet vent prevents the odor, but if you have a fixture that's not used for a long time, the water can evaporate and you'll smell the odor. Run water in all fixtures for 10 seconds...especially those that have not been run in a long time like that spa tub.

5) General clog of plumbing vent.

6) Check crawlspace and attic for mold or dead animals

7) Some old food that's in a box or luggage somewhere that belongs to the tenant.

8) I had a rental once that had a smell that I couldn't find. After a lot of investigation, found out the cast iron sewer drain in the crawlspace (which was partially buried under dirt due to the slope downwards as it went out the crawlspace) had a crack on the underside. It would leak small amounts of waste water into the crawlspace, then dry up over night so it was difficult to detect. I replaced the ENTIRE sewer line with PVC...problem solved.

I had a tenant whose child peed down the floor registers and shoved dog food down them. I had to replace the flex lines to one of the bedrooms.

Can't make this stuff up.

Adding to Hoosiers list:

Check around doors and windows for wet wood/drywall.

Animal house.

Y'all so refreshingly encouraging. Sometimes I forget that I am not alone out here, landlording away.

The house sits on a slab. Hardwood and vinyl plank floors. Previous tenants didn't have an animal (and doesn't have that funky odor that pets leave behind).

I didn't think about the P/S traps. I bet the one with the washing machine has dried up. I ran water in the sinks, flushed the toilets. As I type this, I forgot to run the water in the bath tubs, darn it.

The HVAC was also turned off for awhile. I turned that back on, set to 79.

Adding to everyone’s good list- do you get sinus/allergy issues? Well, mine mostly cause me to not be able to smell, but sometimes I smell stuff in my own house that others cannot. Lets me know its time to get out the Navage and eat lots of garlic.

I bought a foreclosure where tenant left behind an unusual amount of cleaning and air freshening supplies in bathroom. When I took old, rusty ducts down to replace, bathroom vent had been stuffed with half dozen or so boys boxer shorts (soiled) and two belts . Found the kid’s I.E.P. ( individualized educational plan) on a closet shelf. Poor family! Mom was struggling, kid had mild cognitive disabilities , and nobody was figuring things out. Taking the belt to the kid’s backside probably wasn’t helping either.