Crawl space mildew smell

[kmp007]

Hi,

I am just wondering how we can get rid of the mildewy smell in the crawlspace underneath our house.  There are a few air vents.  The crawl space underneath is big enough for you to walk under there, in fact, you can even stand up under there.  We have a multi-level or split-level home and when you head down the stairs to the lower level, that is where it smells the worst.  We have thought about putting plastic along the wall on the back side of the stairwell and maybe putting a buildup of clay along the front of the house to keep the water flowing away from the house when it rains.  Or possibly fans under there to keep the air moving?  What are your thoughts?  I appreciate any input.

Thanks!

[jb]

I'm not an expert, but I would definately first check around your foundation and make sure that your ground is graded, sloped, away from the walls. Bring in more dirt if you have to. I would probably rip out the drywall, or whatever wall covering you have around the stairs and check the concrete foundation. You may have some cracks, or other prob's that need patching, and maybe coat the concrete walls with water sealant and/or mildew resistant concrete paint...I had a small problem with mildew forming inside my cabin I am remodeling. I started spraying the areas with either tilex, or a water/bleach mixture and within a week or so it died back and has been fine ever since.

[Daddymem]

You have two issues...
1.  What caused the mildew to be able to grow.
2.  Kill the existing mildew.

I can't add to Jb's answer to 1 but To kill the mildew try:
http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/110
 I've used vinegar in my parent's cellar for mildew and it works great.

[John Raabe]

Ventilation (fan or otherwise) will help as will covering any soil with 6 mil black poly. Site drainage and the techniques mentioned earlier will help keep moisture from getting into the space in the first place.