How to use this walkthrough
Close windows and interior doors the night before, turn off fresheners and candles a day ahead, and empty the trash. Start outside the front door and move through the house in the order a buyer would: entry, main living spaces, kitchen, bedrooms and baths, then the basement or lower level, then the garage and any crawl space access. Rate each item with a single word so you can compare after work is done.
Bring a flashlight and a notepad or phone. Where you smell something, look for a visible clue nearby: a stain, a damp patch, a dark corner on the carpet, a drain, a vent. Write down exactly where the smell is strongest.
Entry, living areas and kitchen
- First breath inside the front door
- Coat closet, opened
- Carpet and rugs in main rooms, sniffed at floor level in corners
- Drapes, blinds and window sills
- Fireplace: firebox, damper and any smoky smell when the HVAC runs
- Kitchen sink cabinet and the garbage disposal
- Refrigerator gaskets, drip pan area and freezer
- Range hood, oven and microwave
- Pantry and spice storage
- Return air grilles on the main floor
Bedrooms, bathrooms and laundry
- Each bedroom closet with the door opened after being closed overnight
- Mattress and soft furniture that will stay for staging
- Bathroom exhaust fans: do they run and pull air?
- Around the base of each toilet
- Under each bathroom sink
- Shower and tub drains, and any rarely used tub
- Washing machine drum and door gasket
- Dryer vent run and the area behind the dryer
- Laundry floor drain or standpipe
Lower level, garage and outside
- Top of the basement stairs, then the bottom
- Basement corners, especially below downspouts and near window wells
- Floor drains, sump pit and the area around the water heater and furnace
- Under the basement stairs and in storage rooms
- Crawl space hatch, opened briefly
- Garage, including the shared door into the house
- Trash and recycling bins
- Deck, porch and any crawl or void under them
- Attic access, if it can be opened safely
Turning notes into next steps
| What you found | Most likely category | First person to talk to |
|---|---|---|
| Musty smell in the basement or lower level | Moisture | Odor assessment provider or home inspector; gutter or grading contractor |
| Stale smoke in most rooms | Surface residue and HVAC | Odor provider; HVAC or duct cleaning provider; painter |
| Sewer smell at a drain | Plumbing | Plumber |
| Sweet-rotten smell in one spot | Animal | Wildlife control or odor provider |
| Odor only in soft goods | Contents | Laundry, cleaning or removal before staging |
| Gas or rotten-egg smell near an appliance | Safety | Leave and call the gas utility or 911 |
General information for the Denver area, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.