Why keep a log
People remember a smell as strong or unbearable, but memory is poor at timing. A log written at the moment of the smell captures the weather, the HVAC state, who was in the room and what happened earlier. After two or three weeks, patterns appear that no single observation could show. A property manager or tradesperson can also act more quickly on a record than on a general report.
Use plain words. Describe what the smell resembles, such as sewer, grease, musty, smoke, chemical, sour, sweet or burnt, rather than what you think caused it. Add a number from one to five for strength so changes stand out.
If several people fill in the log, agree on a few simple words first so that musty means the same thing to everyone. A shared glossary of three or four descriptions keeps entries comparable. It also helps to note who is sensitive to smell and who is not, since people differ widely in what they notice and how quickly they adapt.
Log template
| Date and time | Room or area | What it smells like | Strength 1-5 | HVAC running? | Weather and doors | Notes and who noticed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: Monday 8:10 | Front reception | Musty, damp | 3 | Just started | Cold morning, door closed | Gone by noon |
Extra details worth adding
- Whether the smell is stronger near floors, ceilings, vents or one wall
- Whether neighboring suites notice it too
- Any recent cleaning, painting, deliveries or construction nearby
- Whether restrooms or drains were recently used or left idle
- Photographs of stains, standing water or residue
- Any symptoms reported by staff, noted without drawing conclusions
Reading the log after a few weeks
- Do the strongest entries line up with a time of day, day of week or weather change?
- Does one room or one vent always appear?
- Does the smell change when the HVAC starts or stops?
- Are the same people reporting it, or is it shared across the suite?
- What was different on the days the smell was absent?
Common questions
- How long should the log run?
- Two to four weeks is usually enough to show a pattern, longer if the smell is occasional.
- Who should keep it?
- Whoever is in the space most often, with one or two others adding entries so the record is not a single person's impression.
General information for Westminster, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.