I have a mildew smell in my laundry room of my 14 year old house that I have lived in for 2 years. How can I test where the smell is coming from?
A. One testing method is a smoke test which indicates a pipe break when visible smoke escapes near the pipe breach. Smoke tests are professionally done by a plumber and require some knowledge to interpret the signs and to accurately plan where to open the walls. Another safer testing method is the peppermint test suggested by a plumber on the show. Pour $4-$5 of pure peppermint flavoring down the roof vent stack in your house nearest the smelly room and begin smelling around the house for the peppermint smell. Where you discover the peppermint smell inside your house indicates a location with something not right in the waste piping. If you smell no peppermint in the house then there is less likelihood of a breach in the waste system inside the house.
