Felt Underlay smell

[ron]

Hi I have had some carpets fitted and the fitter used a felt underlay as I had preciously had a, possibly cheap, rubber/foam based underlay that had disintegrated so I asked what the alternatives were. However there is a smell coming from the underlay which the fitter said would disappear in a week or two. Well a month has passed and the smell is still noticeable. Any ideas as to what I can do about the smell as the fitter just keeps saying it will disappear eventually? Thanks Ron

[Suz]

Whay sort of smell? Organic or chemical?

[ron]

possibly organic, I have a spare piece in my shed which smells worse because it is damp.

Ronald

[Suz]

That can't be good as felt underlay is usually natural fibres. If the smell is organic then there is two possibilites; the material is rotting, or it was treated with smelly stuff/ is naturally smelly. Could be a long time before it goes away. Must be strong to whiff through the carpet.

What does the fitter say the smell is? did it pong as soon as it was brought into the house, or did it start after he laid it? If it ponged on arrival then I would try and get a refund - you have a good reason. If you put down high quality foam underlay it shouldn't disintegrate. Our living room underlay was good enough for a second go with the new carpet.

Suzanne

[Jerry Built]

What sort of new carpet is it? Could it be that? What sort of smell is it, i.e. what does it smell similar to? Felt underlay normally has a smell like hessian sacks, if you know what that is like, but isn't obtrusive and should not last long once it's unrolled. What is the floor under made of? I take it that your felt underlay is made of a fibrous sort of stuff, either light brown or light brown with flecks of coulored stuff in it?

J.B.