Empty finished living room with a fireplace and plank flooring

Empty finished living room with a fireplace and plank flooring. Included to show the kind of work involved, not a property or job connected to this site.

The situation

Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.

A family relocates out of state in early winter and lists their two-story house with a finished basement. To save on heating, they set the thermostat low. Photos were taken before they left, and the house smelled fine. Three weeks into the listing, two showing agents mention a sewer smell in the basement and a stale smell upstairs.

  1. The listing agent visits and confirms a sewer odor near the basement floor drain by the furnace and a closed-up smell throughout the house.
  2. Water poured into the floor drain and a rarely used basement shower drain clears most of the sewer smell within a day.
  3. The agent finds the dishwasher and washing machine have standing water and residue; empty cycles are run and doors left ajar.
  4. The thermostat is set to a moderate temperature and the HVAC fan set to cycle, and a fresh filter is installed.
  5. The agent sets up a weekly visit with a simple checklist: run water in every fixture, check the basement, air the house when the weather allows.
  6. The seller asks a plumber whether a trap primer or trap seal insert would help, since the floor drain dries out quickly.

Feedback at the next several showings no longer mentions odor. The seller decides the plumber's suggestion is worth doing. The case is a reminder that a house can be ready on photo day and still need care every week it stays on the market.

What the weekly visit covers

  • Run water in every sink, tub, shower and toilet
  • Pour water into each floor drain
  • Check the thermostat and HVAC fan setting
  • Look and sniff in the basement, including under the stairs
  • Check for any sign of leaks, especially after a cold snap
  • Look for signs of animals in the garage and basement
  • Empty any trash left by showing visitors
  • Open and close the front door to judge the first impression

What might have changed the outcome

  • IfNobody had followed up on the feedbackThenThe listing could have sat longer with buyers assuming a sewer line problem.
  • IfA pipe had frozen in the cold houseThenWater damage and a much bigger odor and repair problem could have followed. Keeping the heat at a safe level matters more than the saving.
  • IfFragrance had been used insteadThenThe sewer smell would have returned, now with a scent that made agents suspicious.

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