Is a Mold Home Test Kit the Solution to My Apartment's Harsh Odor?

[OrangeDog]

I think I have a mold infestation in my apartment. Whenever I leave for a weekend and return my apartment has a harsh smell to it that irritates my nose and throat. I have not seen any obvious signs (such as discolored walls) so I would like to find a kit that will be able to test the atmosphere. The maintenace at my apartment is a joke - when I have called them in the past about other issues I am 1000% sure they lied when they claimed they "took care" of something. Does anyone have recommendations for mold testing kits or suggestions as what might cause a harsh odor in the apartment? I should mention I had a terrible fly infestation in june that I had to take care of myself since maintenace slacked off...

 

[Jeff Rosenbury]

Some thoughts:

• Insects can cause odor. Some hide in walls.
• Mold and damp go together. I'm not sure what that's worth ...
• I've never smelled a meth lab, but they are supposed to stink.
• Keeping things clean and dry will eliminate most odors.

 

[russ_watters]

Do you live in a wet climate? What, exactly, does it smell like?

Google finds lots of mold and meth test kits and they aren't very expensive. The mold test kits are available at most hardware store.

 

[rootone]

Mould will get anywhere where there is some accumulation of damp.
Where I live that is half the year at least.
Personally I found a cheap fan heater does a job of keeping it reduced.
Doesn't need to be on all the time.

 

[OrangeDog]

I live near the ocean so it is somewhat wet but I wouldn't say it rains that often. The smell is pretty unique. It is a combination of old laundry, dust, a garage, and a used air filter.