The disadvantages of my large apartment

[producer12999]

Hello, I signed a contract for my first own apartment 3 weeks ago, which is no longer cancellable and valid for 2 years.

The apartment is in an old building in Germany, which was built in 1900. Yesterday I received the keys and had to realize again as at the first visit that the staircase has come down extremely and smells strange. I honestly didn’t remember it that bad.

The good thing is, and why I chose this apartment primarily is the ceiling height and size. My home studio room alone will be <32 square meters and have 3 meters high ceilings. I am really lucky because the shape of the room also fits.

The problem now is the staircase, it is extremely uncomfortable for me to invite someone to my home. The smell even slightly pulls into the hallway of the apartment, I imagined yesterday at the keys. The staircase has an extremely discolored PVC floor, extremely discolored walls and together with the smell you take it as extremely disgusting. Probably the smell comes from the extremely old materials, as mentioned the house is 124 years old and the staircase needs renovation. In addition, the apartment doors are very thin, they are made of wood with a glass window, which is blurred. Smell can enter more easily (The studio is of course not exactly behind this apartment door, I don’t think you will hear anything about it in the staircase.The residents look more like they don’t care about everything.)

I have to say that the apartment is extremely beautiful and according to my ideas.The walls are white, the kitchen very modern and the floor maintained. But it will always be a little horror for me to leave the apartment. Do you think that as long as the apartment looks neat and maybe in the hallway is equipped with an air purifier that I can live and produce there comfortably? I love order and cleanliness and am also a little perfectionist, so I can not put the advantages of the apartment above the disadvantages of the staircase. It will even be unpleasant for me to order goods from the Internet, because you could think I live like a total messi at the sight of the staircase as a stranger.

Do you have any tips or experiences for me how I can deal with this issue psychologically? The area is unfortunately also very far-right, as almost everywhere in East Germany... The inhabitants of the house do not really look well maintained, at least the ones I have seen. I must also note that the apartment is not exactly cheap, but for the size definitely justified!

 

[fredoamigo]

Are you sure you're on the right forum? it has nothing to do with audio, near or far.

 

[producer12999]

Are you sure you're on the right forum? it has nothing to do with audio, near or far.

I’m in the Room Acoustics Sub Forum mate.

 

[jdjung]

I read this expecting advice on room treatment and see it's about smells. LoL! You can always put rubber or foam around the gaps of your door. I helped my friend do this when he rented a commercial office for his music studio to help suppress the sound. You can also try using baking soda. Also if the smell is from mold, you can call a city inspector or private mold tester to see if there is mold in the stairwell, which will force the owners to clean and disinfect the area.

 

[producer12999]

I read this expecting advice on room treatment and see it's about smells. LoL! You can always put rubber or foam around the gaps of your door. I helped my friend do this when he rented a commercial office for his music studio to help suppress the sound. You can also try using baking soda. Also if the smell is from mold, you can call a city inspector or private mold tester to see if there is mold in the stairwell, which will force the owners to clean and disinfect the area.

Thank you. Hahahaha now I understand what you mean, sorry about that. For me, the topic is very much about the acoustics, as that's why I moved into this flat. But yes, I'd better go elsewhere for advice about the staircase.

 

[fredoamigo]

I’m in the Room Acoustics Sub Forum mate.

i lost 1 minute of my life reading you ..you post in room accoustic and seeing the title, i thought it was about precedence effect or something else interesting ..but it's about smell in your stairwell !!!

 

[JayGilb]

Grab a bucket, mop and some diluted bleach and clean the stairwell. While I now live in a house, full scrub down was the first thing I did when moving into any apartment.

 

[FrantzM]

I’m in the Room Acoustics Sub Forum mate.

However I read your OP, it seems to be about the smell and not anything about "acoustics" but here's an advice..
not acoustics related but a good one nonetheless...

Grab a bucket, mop and some diluted bleach and clean the stairwell. While I now live in a house, full scrub down was the first thing I did when moving into any apartment.

Peace.

 

[jdjung]

Grab a bucket, mop and some diluted bleach and clean the stairwell. While I now live in a house, full scrub down was the first thing I did when moving into any apartment.

I think it is the community stairwell? If it's the community stairwell, definitely talk with the management.

 

[Ron Texas]

Baking soda absorbs odors. It can be found in 6 kilo bags for cleaning purposes.

 

[JayGilb]

I think it is the community stairwell? If it's the community stairwell, definitely talk with the management.

Yeah, talking to management is by far the quickest way to fix the stench.

 

[DVDdoug]

The area is unfortunately also very far-right, as almost everywhere in East Germany...

Yeah, too bad they tore-down the wall and let-in the right-wingers! If you like the far-left you'll probably have to move to North Korea, Cuba, or Venezuela.

 

[JustJones]

First check for decaying animals.

 

[Anton D]

You have 2 years: place sound isolation panels to fit the glass part of the door, front and back. You can cover them with attractive fabric. Then, a vapor barrier/liner at the bottom of the door.

All cheap fixes that will make your life better.

A nighttime stairway cleaning can be done by you before the weekend.

Best wishes.

As for the neighbors, perhaps shave your head and wear a dog collar?

 

[wunderkind]

Are the smells chemically synthesized or more like decaying organics. Are area residents peeing/defecating around? Mold problem is quite that possibility with old buildings that are often covered up with facade renos.
No amount of room acoustic treatment will help. The nauseating aroma will always affect your listening experience.
Bad smells will permeate into your bedsheet linen, clothes and skin.

 

[Anton D]

No amount of room acoustic treatment will help. The nauseating aroma will always affect your listening experience.
Bad smells will permeate into your bedsheet linen, clothes and skin.

That sounds like a Gypsy curse!

 

[CapMan]

Buy a dog - ours farts all the time and it will
cover most other known odours

Good luck !

 

[Roland68]

Hello, I signed a contract for my first own apartment 3 weeks ago, which is no longer cancellable and valid for 2 years.

The apartment is in an old building in Germany, which was built in 1900. Yesterday I received the keys and had to realize again as at the first visit that the staircase has come down extremely and smells strange. I honestly didn’t remember it that bad.

The good thing is, and why I chose this apartment primarily is the ceiling height and size. My home studio room alone will be <32 square meters and have 3 meters high ceilings. I am really lucky because the shape of the room also fits.

The problem now is the staircase, it is extremely uncomfortable for me to invite someone to my home. The smell even slightly pulls into the hallway of the apartment, I imagined yesterday at the keys. The staircase has an extremely discolored PVC floor, extremely discolored walls and together with the smell you take it as extremely disgusting. Probably the smell comes from the extremely old materials, as mentioned the house is 124 years old and the staircase needs renovation. In addition, the apartment doors are very thin, they are made of wood with a glass window, which is blurred. Smell can enter more easily (The studio is of course not exactly behind this apartment door, I don’t think you will hear anything about it in the staircase.The residents look more like they don’t care about everything.)

I have to say that the apartment is extremely beautiful and according to my ideas.The walls are white, the kitchen very modern and the floor maintained. But it will always be a little horror for me to leave the apartment. Do you think that as long as the apartment looks neat and maybe in the hallway is equipped with an air purifier that I can live and produce there comfortably? I love order and cleanliness and am also a little perfectionist, so I can not put the advantages of the apartment above the disadvantages of the staircase. It will even be unpleasant for me to order goods from the Internet, because you could think I live like a total messi at the sight of the staircase as a stranger.

Do you have any tips or experiences for me how I can deal with this issue psychologically? The area is unfortunately also very far-right, as almost everywhere in East Germany... The inhabitants of the house do not really look well maintained, at least the ones I have seen. I must also note that the apartment is not exactly cheap, but for the size definitely justified!

Don't make it so difficult for yourself, you are in Germany.
You didn't notice it that much on the first visit, it could be a coincidence, or the landlord made sure of this during the viewing. But you should have mentioned it during the inspection if it was disturbing.

But no matter, become a member of the Tenant Protection Association, describe the problem to them and follow the instructions (rent reductions, compensation, etc.). This puts pressure on the landlord to change something.

And, especially for health reasons, do an air analysis at a reputable laboratory (consumer advice, family doctor or Miterschutzbund will help you). This quickly clarifies the cause of the smell.

These old buildings often have no foundation and simply stand with the foundation walls in the ground. But old hallways are usually not bad or unpleasant, especially because these old materials can no longer evaporate much.
Normally, these smells in such old apartment buildings have 4 causes.
1. The smell comes from the apartment of one or more other tenants.
2. The smell comes from inside garbage cans (organic/general waste).
3. Somewhere, basement, hallway, foundation wall, wooden stairs, etc. It is moldy or rotting due to moisture.
4. The sewage system has never been renovated or replaced. The old clay/ceramic pipes are broken and some of the waste water (including from the toilets) seeps into the walls, ceilings, foundation walls or basement/basement floor.

 

[fpitas]

Am I on Olfactory Science Review?

 

[Duke]

Grab a bucket, mop and some diluted bleach and clean the stairwell. While I now live in a house, full scrub down was the first thing I did when moving into any apartment.

^^This^^.

Sometimes you have to be the one who makes a difference. You might tell the apartment management what you plan to do and ask if they would cover the cost of your cleaning supplies or let you deduct it from your next-month's rent.