Buying a Home in Central Texas: Smell Clues to Notice at the Showing

Quick answer: At a showing, pay attention to what the house smells like and what someone has done to change that smell. Musty closets, stained vent covers, fresh paint on one small spot and air fresheners in every room are all worth a note. Ask for HVAC service records, hire a home inspector you choose, and bring in the right licensed specialist before your option period ends if something seems off.

Why does smell matter when you tour a house?

Smell tells you how the home has been lived in, how well the AC handles humidity and whether there's water where it shouldn't be. A house can't talk, but a musty coat closet says plenty.

The catch: you have maybe 20 minutes, the sellers have cleaned, and a candle is probably burning in the kitchen. Here's how to read the clues anyway.

Which smells should you notice at a showing?

Notice any smell that is musty, earthy, sewer-like, smoky or that changes when the AC turns on. Each one points somewhere specific:

• Musty closets or a musty guest room. A damp, stale smell in closed-off spaces can mean high indoor humidity, a slow leak or poor airflow.
• A smell that shows up when the AC kicks on. If a room smells different once air starts blowing, the source may be in the air handler, drain pan or ductwork.
• Earthy smells in older homes. In pier-and-beam houses, a damp smell at floor level can come from the crawl space below.
• Sewer smells in a bathroom. Often a dry trap in a drain nobody uses, sometimes a plumbing problem. A rotten-egg smell near a stove, water heater or furnace is different: it can be gas, so step outside and tell the agent right away.
• Stale smoke or heavy pet odor. These can live in carpet pads, ceilings, cabinets and ductwork.

What are the signs someone is covering a smell?

The usual signs are fragrance in every room, one freshly painted spot and equipment running to dry or air out the house. None of these means something is wrong on its own, since sellers want the home to smell nice. Several together are worth a question.

• Plug-ins, candles or sprays in every room, including closets and bathrooms.
• Fresh paint on one ceiling spot or one wall, especially below a bathroom or near a window.
• A portable dehumidifier running in a hallway or closet.
• Fans running and windows open on a hot or humid day.
• New carpet in only one room.

Make a quiet note on your phone, room by room, and come back to it when you're making decisions.

What should you ask about the AC and heating?

Ask how old the system is, how it has been cared for and whether the drain has ever backed up. In Central Texas the AC runs most of the year and doubles as the home's dehumidifier, so its condition shapes how the house smells and feels.

• How old is the system, and when was it last serviced?
• Are there service records or invoices?
• Has the drain line ever clogged or backed up?
• Has any ductwork been replaced?
• What does the house usually run for indoor humidity in summer?

Our sister company, Gold Eagle Services, can look at the heating and cooling system during your option period if you'd like an HVAC opinion.

Who should you call before you close?

We don't inspect homes, and we don't measure or analyze indoor air. Here's who does:

• A home inspector you choose looks at the structure, roof, plumbing, electrical and HVAC. Tell them about any smell you noticed so they know where to look.
• A licensed plumber if you noticed sewer smells or signs of a leak.
• A foundation or crawl space specialist for musty smells coming from under a pier-and-beam floor.

Mold in your AC system or ductwork? Call Gold Eagle Services, a licensed Texas mold remediation company that handles HVAC mold, at 512-489-4653. For mold anywhere else in the home, contact an independent state-licensed mold assessor or remediation company.

If you're looking at a home that belonged to a smoker, our guide to buying a smoker's house during the option period covers that situation step by step.

What does a fresh start look like after closing?

It means freshening the whole house after repairs are done and before the moving truck arrives, while every room and closet is empty and easy to reach.

Pure Maintenance Austin's whole-home dry fog treatment sends the patented VaPURE fog, a very fine dry mist of a hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid solution, into every empty room, closet, crack and crevice, plus the HVAC ductwork the previous owners ran for years, without getting anything wet, and a surface protectant follows. As the fog settles it temporarily reduces airborne particulates, and on hard, non-porous surfaces such as counters, tile and cabinet faces it helps control the growth of odor-causing microorganisms. It takes one day, so it fits easily between the closing table and the moving truck.

For lingering smoke or pet odors, our Odor Treatment adds an ozone shock treatment and keeps the home empty for up to 48 hours, which is easy to plan while you're still between homes. Our guide to giving a new-to-you home a fresh start covers the order of work.

Common questions

Is a musty smell a deal-breaker?

Not always. Often it comes down to humidity, a clogged AC drain or a small leak that can be fixed. Find the cause before you decide, with help from your home inspector and the right licensed pro.

Should I be worried if the house smells strongly of air freshener?

Not necessarily, but it's worth noticing. Ask to see the home again with fragrances off and the AC running normally, if the sellers are willing.

When is the best time to treat a home I just bought?

After repairs and any painting, and before you move furniture in. An empty house is quicker to prepare and easier to air out.

What should you do next?

• Keep a room-by-room smell note on your phone at every showing.
• Ask the sellers for HVAC service records.
• Share anything you noticed with your home inspector.
• Call the right licensed specialist before your option period ends.
• Plan a fresh start between closing and move-in day.

Get a free phone consultation

Book a free phone consultation. A Comfort Advisor will call you, learn what's going on in your home and send a written quote based on square footage. Pure Maintenance Austin, brought to you by Gold Eagle Services, serves all of Central Texas, including College Station, Round Rock, Georgetown, San Marcos, Bastrop and Marble Falls.

Call 512-904-4646 or email IAQ@goldeagleservices.com. We're open Monday through Saturday, 7am to 7pm.