ᐅ Renovating a House with Smoke Damage – Ideas and Advice
Created on: 9 Sep 2019 22:17
S
SanierungsmüdS
Sanierungsmüd9 Sep 2019 22:17Hello, I would like to share the renovation issues we are currently facing and hope that someone here might have some advice on what else we can do.
We bought an end-unit townhouse (built in 1984) in the Munich suburbs at the end of 2018. During all the viewings, all the windows were open, so unfortunately, we did not notice many things. Since it was warm in 2018, we didn’t give it much thought at the time.
1. Attic: Extreme smoker house condition. As I said, we didn’t recognize this during the viewings because everything was open, the walls had been freshly painted, and two older dogs had lived in the house. We tried ozone treatment to remove the smoke smell but without success. That’s why we have already started removing the plaster from the attic walls and are having everything replastered. We have also taken out the floors. We will prime the screed and then install new flooring. We have also removed the roof insulation. Partly because it was original from the construction year and was hanging in tatters under the wooden ceiling, and partly because the insulation smelled terrible.
2. First floor: Sour, musty smell in the rooms after painting with standard dispersion paint. Apparently, there was a reaction with the substrate. It still smells very unpleasant even after months. We are now also going to remove the plaster here and have everything replastered. Additionally, it seems that under all the parquet floors, the old rubber backing from carpets was left as sound insulation. Of course, these smell accordingly. Everything will and is being removed.
3. Ground floor and entire staircase:
Originally, there was a rough textured plaster here. We had it smoothed. Rotband plaster was applied first, followed by a smooth plaster. Then a silicone resin paint was applied. Now we have the problem that the walls smell of cat urine, especially when it is warm outside and ozone levels are high. I have researched this, and it seems that titanium dioxide and ozone really do react together. For the last few days, the old smoke smell has also obviously started to come through again. We are really at our wit’s end. Anyone familiar with property prices around Munich knows this really wasn’t a bargain. We have a 10-month-old baby, and I’m worried that all these fumes and smells might make him ill.
Why I am writing here:
- Has anyone had the above problems and somehow managed to solve them?
- Are there any other ways to remove the smoke smell besides ozone treatment, sealant paint, and removing plaster? All my internet research hasn’t yielded anything useful.
- Has anyone removed plaster and replastered afterward? Did the smoke smell go away?
Does anyone have additional ideas for our problems?
We can no longer contact the previous owner, as he has since passed away from lung cancer.
Is it possible to hold the real estate agent partially liable? Shouldn’t they have informed us about this?
Many thanks in advance to everyone who read this far and for any possible ideas.
We bought an end-unit townhouse (built in 1984) in the Munich suburbs at the end of 2018. During all the viewings, all the windows were open, so unfortunately, we did not notice many things. Since it was warm in 2018, we didn’t give it much thought at the time.
1. Attic: Extreme smoker house condition. As I said, we didn’t recognize this during the viewings because everything was open, the walls had been freshly painted, and two older dogs had lived in the house. We tried ozone treatment to remove the smoke smell but without success. That’s why we have already started removing the plaster from the attic walls and are having everything replastered. We have also taken out the floors. We will prime the screed and then install new flooring. We have also removed the roof insulation. Partly because it was original from the construction year and was hanging in tatters under the wooden ceiling, and partly because the insulation smelled terrible.
2. First floor: Sour, musty smell in the rooms after painting with standard dispersion paint. Apparently, there was a reaction with the substrate. It still smells very unpleasant even after months. We are now also going to remove the plaster here and have everything replastered. Additionally, it seems that under all the parquet floors, the old rubber backing from carpets was left as sound insulation. Of course, these smell accordingly. Everything will and is being removed.
3. Ground floor and entire staircase:
Originally, there was a rough textured plaster here. We had it smoothed. Rotband plaster was applied first, followed by a smooth plaster. Then a silicone resin paint was applied. Now we have the problem that the walls smell of cat urine, especially when it is warm outside and ozone levels are high. I have researched this, and it seems that titanium dioxide and ozone really do react together. For the last few days, the old smoke smell has also obviously started to come through again. We are really at our wit’s end. Anyone familiar with property prices around Munich knows this really wasn’t a bargain. We have a 10-month-old baby, and I’m worried that all these fumes and smells might make him ill.
Why I am writing here:
- Has anyone had the above problems and somehow managed to solve them?
- Are there any other ways to remove the smoke smell besides ozone treatment, sealant paint, and removing plaster? All my internet research hasn’t yielded anything useful.
- Has anyone removed plaster and replastered afterward? Did the smoke smell go away?
Does anyone have additional ideas for our problems?
We can no longer contact the previous owner, as he has since passed away from lung cancer.
Is it possible to hold the real estate agent partially liable? Shouldn’t they have informed us about this?
Many thanks in advance to everyone who read this far and for any possible ideas.
Sanierungsmüd schrieb:
Can the realtor be held partially liable here? Should he have warned us about this?No. No.
I'm sorry. You really should have noticed this yourselves in time.
As simple as it sounds: do air fresheners and oils not help?
Winniefred10 Sep 2019 08:59I’m afraid the only real solution is to remove everything and start fresh. Smoke smells terrible and deeply ingrained. However, I wonder how you didn’t notice the smell earlier. Open windows won’t mask a strong smoke odor that has settled over years—you can smell it immediately. Everything stinks then, from the radiators to the window frames, from the carpet to the wallpaper, simply everything. My grandmother was a heavy smoker who only smoked on the balcony, and over two years ago I took over a nightstand that was at the other end of the apartment, in the bedroom. It still smells like smoke today! In my opinion, there’s no way to save it; you’ll need to replace everything if you want to get rid of the smell. Especially for the child’s sake, I would definitely recommend doing this. The real estate agent isn’t to blame for you missing an obvious defect. When buying houses, it’s usually “as is.” Look at it positively: after this, your house will be fully refurbished and you’ll have peace of mind for decades without issues like crumbling old plaster, etc.
Winniefred10 Sep 2019 09:07How is it possible to hide smoke odor that is present throughout the entire house?
N
nordanney10 Sep 2019 10:10fragg schrieb:
deliberately withheld??? Every room was seen and could be freely "sniffed around". There is no hidden defect.Similar topics