April 2015
Living in a condo community requires control of odours. Smells acceptable to some may be offensive to others. For those with asthma or allergies certain odours can be dangerous.
Common sources of problem odours in condominiums include smoke, mould, pets and cooking. Others include fragrances, perfume and lotions.
Control of odours is one of the reasons why condo corporations require that suite doors remain closed except when entering and exiting a suite.
Cooking odours are particularly problematic in condominiums.
Certain smells, such as curry, can be offensive to some and difficult to eliminate. Controlling odour from pets is relatively easy with products available in local stores.
Removing the source of the odour is always the best solution. Mould problems, for example, can be resolved with proper care.
Not all sources of odours can be removed. Deodorizers and disinfectants can provide a temporary solution for persistent problems, or help with short term odours. These products mask odours but do not eliminate them at the source.
For persistent odours, or those where the source is difficult to detect, there are certified odour technicians. Technicians have numerous ways to detect, identify and treat persistent odour problems. These include techniques developed at NASA for their space shuttles. These and other techniques can be used to address persistent odours such as those from animals or cigarette smoke.
