I built a new house this past year, and a month or so ago, I started to smell an odor much like mold in the central area of the interior -- not near the kitchen or baths, though there is a whole-house water cut-off valve in a closet in the front hall. I have searched and searched and cannot find anywhere where mold is coming through the walls -- and since I've been in the house for such a short time, it doesn't seem like I should have mold yet anyhow (we've been in drought conditions for most of the year here).
Sometimes the smell reminds me of an ashtray with old cigarettes sitting in beer or something (I don't smoke, but I well remember the smell from my college days). But it also reminds me of the moldy smell in my old house (which definitely DID have mold).
I'm at my wit's end, and getting frantic because if it IS mold, I need to get rid of it before it gets worse. I asked a contractor who worked on the house to go in the crawl space and look, and he says it looks dry under there. So here's my question: What could it be? Is there something that might cause such a smell temporarily, but that might go away after awhile? (I'm asking this because it doesn't seem as strong now as it did when I first noticed it; on the other hand, I may simply be getting used to it). And finally, who do I call to diagnose and/or fix the problem? I feel like a sitting duck; if I hire a mold specialist, they could come out here and tell me I need some sort of expensive treatment that goes far beyond what I really need, and there's nothing I can do about it!
Oh, and did I mention that the actual construction left me broke? I can't afford to take unnecessary steps.
Thank you in advance for any advise you might be willing to share.
Perri in North Carolina