Building Sciences Expert Offers Mystery Odor Identification Advice

May 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Last month, residents of Eight Mile, Alabama met with their mayor and representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and two companies with pipelines that run through the area.  

The meeting was called after months of searching for the cause of a foul smell that has been making residents sick.  A chemical that is at times used in pipelines has been found in groundwater, but the source of the mystery odor is still unknown.  

Cases like these happen all across the nation.  Mystery odors can result in everything from a nuisance to health concerns for people.  These same odors can even lower property values and in commercial and institutional settings may result in lower productivity, increased absenteeism and higher turnover rates.

Problematic odors in properties may be the result of cigarette smoke, cooking odors, cleaning supplies and pets.  They also result from unsanitary conditions, water damage and even vapor intrusion.  Commercial properties may suffer from these same conditions as well as inadequate ventilation and off-gassing from manufacturing chemicals and manufacturing processes.

Additional sources of mystery odors may be coming from mold, bacteria, sewer gases or off-gassing from building materials and household products.  These odors may be signs of potential short or long term health concerns for building occupants as some off-gassing chemicals are known carcinogens.  

“Mystery odors could also be infiltrating a structure from an outside source,” reported Ed Chambers, President of EC2, one of the nation’s leading mystery odor experts.  “In the Midwest, where EC2 is located, it’s not uncommon to find these odors entering buildings through air intakes, windows and doors.  They may include vehicle exhaust, landfill odors, air pollution from nearby factories or any number of sources.  It truly takes an experienced odor investigator with the right sampling equipment to find the source to fix the problem,” he continued.

EC2 recently sponsored an educational video about mystery and nuisance odors that can be seen at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eDzaVWPBGY



To learn more odor investigations or other environmental and indoor air quality (IAQ) issues please visit http://www.4ec2inc.com, email info@4ec2inc.com or call (815) 703-9000.

About EC2, Inc.
EC2 is a leading provider of environmental consulting and inspection services for clients across the United States.  Based in the Chicago area, the company provides their services to clients ranging from local companies and institutions to international Fortune 500 Corporations.