Odor leaking into basement!

I know that there is no way to make things 100% odor free but I need the smell to mellow out a bit...

I have a 5x5x7.5 grow tent that draws in fresh air from my plenty big enough basement thru the vents on the bottom of my tent, and air vented out with a 440 CFM fan pulling out thru a carbon filter. At the exhaust there is 0 odor that I can smell, but when i get home after work the smell is noticeable upstairs and I've had friends say they can smell it by the front door outside (Not good as I live in a townhouse near neighbors)

I have Ona Gel inside of my vents of my furnace/central air that runs off and on all day nonstop, before the filter on the intake, and at 3 registers. 2 Upstairs and 1 In basement (Very strong, definitely smells the whole house, which is good but I can still smell the flowering plants over it)

I made a smoke bomb for the tent to find any leaks but only came out thru the exhaust (which is good I suppose)

I have negative pressure in the tent, any smoke goes right into the passive air intakes on the bottom no problem and walls are caved in.


Any ideas?

When the tent powers down does your exhasut fan shut off too?

Nope I leave all my fans on at dark as well as dehumidifier, smell was worse when I didn't have dehumidifier because carbon wasn't working to its potential I guess. Now my RH is always around 38-40.


I have a 440 CFU fan on lowest setting pulling thru the filter to the outside of tent.

Was thinking of reducing fan size or adding another filter but can't imagine it's too small....maybe?

I have this:

iPower GLFILT6M Air Carbon Filter and Odor Control with 1050+ IAV Australia Virgin Charcoal for Inline Fan, 6-Inch, Pre-filter Included, Reversible Flange

how old is your filter? more than a year old? Ona is NOT good for food products, it is used in hospitals to rid blood odors, not allowed in kitchens or dining rooms. Check your filter, it may be spent, and you can wrap additional charcoal filter material for furnaces over your existing filter to improve contact areas. peace

VegasWinner said:

how old is your filter? more than a year old? Ona is NOT good for food products, it is used in hospitals to rid blood odors, not allowed in kitchens or dining rooms. Check your filter, it may be spent, and you can wrap additional charcoal filter material for furnaces over your existing filter to improve contact areas. peace

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The filter is still only about 2-3 months old. I will look into other coverings

Thought ONA gel was the end all be all for smell cover up

Harvester315 said:

The filter is still only about 2-3 months old. I will look into other coverings

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Ipower filters aren't the best I switch to phresh and havnt had a prob since

This doesn't make sense at all. You cant smell anything at the extraction point and you have negative pressure in your tent, you don't have an intake so how can smell be getting out into your house at all? Something very odd.
My filtered air smells of nothing. My room doesn't smell unless I'm using my drying cabinet and the room next to it doesn't smell at all, ever.
Is there a leak after your fan letting air back into thee room? Even that doesn't add up if you have zero smell at extraction point.
What about running an ozone generator outside your tent? Or a separate fan and filter in the room where your tent is which just circulates air within the room.

coreywebster said:

This doesn't make sense at all. You cant smell anything at the extraction point and you have negative pressure in your tent, you don't have an intake so how can smell be getting out into your house at all? Something very odd.
My filtered air smells of nothing. My room doesn't smell unless I'm using my drying cabinet and the room next to it doesn't smell at all, ever.
Is there a leak after your fan letting air back into thee room? Even that doesn't add up if you have zero smell at extraction point.
What about running an ozone generator outside your tent? Or a separate fan and filter in the room where your tent is which just circulates air within the room.

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if you have negative pressure you should not smell anything close to the source, negative pressure at work. I would look at a Phresh filter if you are not using one. they work great. You can get additonal charcoal filter sheets from local hardware stores in the furnace department with filters. peace

Ever try another filter on the other end too? I have one before my fan and one after for my drying room. I dry 7+ lbs ever 2 weeks and never have a smell. I change my filters ever 6 months

Good luck!

VegasWinner said:

if you have negative pressure you should not smell anything close to the source, negative pressure at work. I would look at a Phresh filter if you are not using one. they work great. You can get additonal charcoal filter sheets from local hardware stores in the furnace department with filters. peace

Click to expand...

Yes I was listing the negative pressure as a positive thing, if the OP had said he had an intake, that would of been my first question.. Is there positive pressure ect.. I use rhino filters. Possibly they are the same company as phresh. Never had issues with my house smelling.
The OPs problem is a strange one indeed. To not have a smell where it extracts and have negative pressure but to have a smell in the rest of the house.. very very strange.. The only thing I can say is his next door neighbour is growing too!
This happened to me a few years ago, the house next to me was a full grow house, empty for years but "maintenance" been done every few days.. I knew what was going on. I could hear the extractors hum. The guy two doors down knocks on my door and says "alright mate you might wana sort that smell out cuz sometimes I can smell it in the alley way" I said "don't be daft, I assure you its nothing to do with me.." A year later I spoke to the guy running the show next door, he tells me he doesn't use a filter and has his heat pumping into a drain at basement level.. Last thing I wanted was a knock on my door due to irresponsible neighbours!

My neighbor across the street and at least three other houses in the hood reek occasionally, freaked my shit out at firet, but apparently I am the most stealthy on my block.

OP, that has to suck, sorry it is happening, good luck. I have no advice for you, but I empathize with your plight.

I may look into a new filter of higher caliber, and also will duct tape any connections to reaffirm it's not leaking, if it is its a slow leak and not strong til it hits some open air or some nonsense.

After the 5 NL autos I have brewing now I will probably take a break until we move into a new house with more privacy. It's not a necessity but I really do enjoy the hobby. Saves money and is therapeutic.


Thanks for all the advice folks.

The water in your dehumidifier is probably the problem and that Ipower filter but the water in a dehumidifier can begin to stink very fast

I drain that almost every day. I had thought of it but not the water just the dehumidifier venting inside.

Thr only time I have any odor in house is during harvest. Use 6mil sheating and glue spray on framing. I dont use ona or ozone gen anymore. Just new scrubbers every 6 months. Get tall can filters.

Have you ever thought it could be somebody else in your townhouse ?