Two kinds of housing within a few blocks

Belmar was built in the early 2000s on the site of a former shopping mall near Wadsworth Boulevard and Alameda Avenue, and it brought townhomes, condominiums and apartments to the center of Lakewood. Many of those buildings have ground-floor units, lower-level garages and shared mechanical spaces rather than traditional basements.

The surrounding streets are a different story. Neighborhoods around Belmar include many 1950s and 1960s ranches and split-levels with full or partial basements and some crawl spaces, the same construction found across much of Lakewood. A musty smell in one of those houses usually traces to the familiar list: humidity, old finishes, storage, drains and outdoor water.

In attached housing, a smell can come from next door or from a common area: a shared wall cavity, a garage below, a trash room or a mechanical closet. That changes who is responsible and who needs to be contacted first.

Crawlspace with sagging wet insulation over a vapor barrier

Crawlspace with sagging wet insulation over a vapor barrier. Example of the work involved; the photo does not show a specific property or a job for this site.

Where the smell tends to start

Newer townhome or condo

  • Lower-level unit next to a parking garage or storage room.
  • Floor drains in garages or mechanical rooms drying out.
  • Condensation in closets on exterior walls.
  • Leaks from a unit above or plumbing in a shared wall.
  • Responsibility often split with the HOA.

Older ranch or split-level nearby

  • Partly buried family room or full basement walls.
  • Old carpet, paneling and storage holding odor.
  • Crawl space under part of the house.
  • Mid-century sewer lateral and floor drain.
  • Responsibility rests with the owner.

If you live in attached housing

  • Check your HOA documents to see who maintains common walls, garages and plumbing risers.
  • Report the smell in writing to the HOA or property manager with dates and locations.
  • Note whether the smell changes when neighbors are home, shower or do laundry.
  • Look for staining on ceilings below upstairs units and on walls shared with garages.
  • Ask whether common-area floor drains and trash rooms are maintained on a schedule.
  • Keep a humidity log in your unit to show whether moisture is involved.
Map of Belmar. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

General information for Lakewood, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.