A musty smell in an apartment or condo is extra frustrating because you don’t control everything: the AC may be the landlord’s, the pipes run through your neighbors’ walls, and a leak upstairs can show up in your unit first. Here’s how to figure out what’s going on, what you can fix yourself, and when it’s someone else’s job.
Common Causes in Florida Apartments and Condos
- The AC. A dirty filter, a clogged drain line or a wet drain pan in the AC closet is the number-one cause. See why it smells when the AC turns on.
- High humidity. Small units with the AC set high or turned off while you’re at work turn musty fast.
- A leak from another unit. Water from the unit above or next door can soak your ceiling or shared wall before you see a stain. See condo leak from upstairs: who pays.
- Bathroom and kitchen moisture. Weak or broken exhaust fans and slow leaks under sinks.
- Old carpet that has absorbed years of humidity and previous tenants’ spills. See how to get a smell out of carpet.
What You Can Do as a Renter or Owner
- Run the AC all the time. Raise the temperature a few degrees when you’re out instead of turning it off.
- Change the AC filter, or ask maintenance to if that’s their job.
- Run bathroom fans during and after showers, and the range hood when you cook.
- Use a small dehumidifier if the unit still feels damp. Empty it often.
- Look for signs of water: stains on ceilings, bubbling paint, soft drywall near the AC closet, under sinks, around the water heater and along shared walls.
- Keep closets from being packed tight, and keep boxes off the floor.
Renters: How to Report It
Tell your landlord or property manager in writing (email or the tenant portal), not just in person. Say where the smell is strongest, when it started, and whether it’s worse when the AC runs. Attach photos of any stains, water or spots. Keep a copy. If the smell came from a leak and you have renters insurance, see does renters insurance cover mold. For questions about your rights under your lease, talk to a Florida attorney or your local legal aid office.
Condo Owners: Who Handles What
Inside your unit is usually yours; common pipes, roofs and exterior walls are often the association’s. If you think the smell is coming from a leak in a neighbor’s unit or a common area, let the association or property manager know in writing. Your condo documents spell out exactly who is responsible for what. Boards can see a condo board’s guide to water damage.
Can’t Find the Source?
A musty smell that keeps coming back usually means hidden moisture. We offer a free visual inspection with moisture readings and an infrared (thermal) camera, which can show wet spots in ceilings and shared walls without opening anything up. Lab testing is separate if it’s needed. Florida licenses: Mold Assessor MRSA4035, Mold Remediator MRSR4158. We also work with property managers and landlords. More on what a musty smell means in a Florida home.
Getting the Smell Out of the Unit
Once any leak is fixed and the unit is dry, the musty smell can hang on in carpet, fabrics and the AC system. Our whole-home odor removal treatment treats the air throughout the home, including one AC system. You’ll be out for about 8 hours. It’s an odor treatment only. It doesn’t fix leaks or remove mold, so the source has to be handled first. Apartment and condo units are priced the same way as a house: $997 covers the unit and one AC system, and each additional AC unit is $550. Hallways, lobbies and other common areas are different. People walk through them all day, so we don’t use the whole-home treatment there; a building or its common areas need a different type of treatment. Call us and we’ll walk you through the options. Landlords between tenants: see getting rid of odors between tenants. Smell something different? See our smell-by-smell guide.
Whole-Home Odor Removal in South Florida: $997
Our Whole-Home Odor Removal Treatment is $997 and includes one AC system ($550 for each additional AC unit). That’s the same for a house, an apartment or a condo unit. Call 877-224-2532 to request a free visual inspection, or to ask about hallways and other common areas. We answer 24/7; when you call, we’ll tell you honestly when a technician can be there based on that day’s schedule. Hablamos español.
About the author: James Rice-Peña is the owner of FL Cleanup and a Florida-licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA4035) and Mold Remediator (MRSR4158). He has worked in property restoration in South Florida since 2012, and FL Cleanup has earned 200+ five-star Google reviews.
