Older, smaller and often modified

Northeast Lakewood developed earlier than much of the city, and the streets on either side of West Colfax Avenue include compact postwar brick ranches, small frame houses and a scattering of older cottages. Many have a small basement under part of the house and a crawl space under the rest, or a full crawl space with the furnace tucked into a utility room.

Over seventy-plus years these homes have often been added onto. A family room or bedroom addition built over a crawl space next to an original basement is common, and the joint between old and new foundations is a frequent spot for water and odor. Basements that were never meant to be living space may have been finished with whatever materials were on hand.

Mature trees shade many lots here. They are a big part of the neighborhood's character, and their roots are also a familiar cause of trouble in older clay sewer laterals. Irrigation ditches cross parts of this side of Lakewood as well, and properties near them may have higher groundwater at certain times of year; ask neighbors and check before assuming.

What a 1950s house here has often been through

A rough sketch of changes that matter for odor; your house may differ.

Original construction
Partial basement or crawl space, clay or cast iron sewer lateral, little or no ground cover.
1970s to 1980s
Basement finished with paneling and carpet; swamp cooler added; maybe an addition over a new crawl space.
1990s to 2000s
Furnace and water heater replaced; sprinklers installed; possibly a radon system.
Recent years
Many homes sold and renovated; new finishes may cover older moisture history.

Matching the smell to the likely source

  • IfSour smell that comes and goes, especially with heavy water useCheck traps and consider a sewer camera inspection of the lateral.
  • IfEarthy smell in rooms over the additionLook at the crawl space under the addition and the joint between old and new foundations.
  • IfMusty smell in the small basement's finished roomLook behind paneling and under carpet on exterior walls.
  • IfSmell rises seasonally with high water in a nearby ditchTrack humidity against ditch flow and ask a drainage professional about groundwater.

Questions specific to older homes here

  1. Is my house on a crawl space, a basement or both, and where is each?
  2. What material is my sewer lateral, and has it been scoped?
  3. Which water and sanitation district serves my address, and does it have requirements for lateral repairs?
  4. Were any additions permitted, and how were their foundations tied to the original?
  5. Are any old materials, such as pipe wrap or floor tiles, worth testing before work begins?
Map of Eiber and Two Creeks. 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.