Cement under floating floor now stinks?

Question

we bought a new house and a room had a cement floor and now my parents put floating floor over top. now we're starting to smell a musty smell and we have asked some people what to do and they said

1) paint cement with sealer then recover with floating floor ( remove floor first)

2) air exchanger

3) put vents on the floor

when the windows are closed it doesn't smell but when the windows are open it really stinks so we know that it's under the floor and we are told that the cement is starting to sweat.

my question: what do i do and what do i treat it with?

thanks!

Answer 1

new house? get in touch with the builder, if no joy then contact nhbc who give building certificate for advice

Answer 2

You got water, moisture under there, water must be coming thorugh the slab.  You must remove the floor, clean the slab with bleach to kill mold and mildew,  seal the concrete and then put the moisture proof paper and floor back down.

Answer 3

They actually recomend a foam based underlayment inbetween the concrete and the floating floor...the wood is laying on bare concrete which will have condensation  and basically soak into the flooring and create a musk and mildew...Here are many types of these underlayments on this link..You do not lay this floor without it..it will rot it after a little time..

http://www.nextag.com/floating-floor-und...

Heres step by step instructions on laying a floating floor...notice the material list has this underlayment..and also tells you to lay it...This floor will not last a long time especially if it is a pressed wood based floating floor..even solid wood will rot over time..but not as quick as a pressed board one..

http://www.ehow.com/how_2087472_install-...

Answer 4

There should be plastic under the concrete.  But the builder was probably too lazy or cheap or stupid to do that.  So now the smell of damp earth will forever try to migrate through the floor.

The perfect answer is to remove the floor and the concrete and lay down 3 mil plastic and repour concrete and relay the floor.  Failing that, I like the 'seal the concrete' concept.  Try to find a product that is a vapor barrier.  The original BIN is a vapor barrier.  With luck the smell will be sealed out also.