Removing the stink from a barn?

[zmoz]

Did you try running fans where there was no plastic? I suspect you'll find the air movement is what caused the gravel to be dry, not the plastic......unless theres a water source you haven't discovered.

Yeah, I moved the fan over to the dirt areas yesterday. Tonight they're slightly dryer but still moist. Once I get it dry I'll move the fan again and see if it gets wet again.

If for some reason the floor is exceptionally cooler than the air, it could be pulling moisture from the air being vented through, concentrating it in the stone and increasing the humidity overall. Pumping lots of air through could be making things worse.

Check the temperature differential between the floor and the air.

I would guess the floor is close to the temp of the room, but it's worth a check. I've noticed it stays about 10 degrees warmer inside than outside, and today my humidity meter wouldn't even give me a reading, it just flashed "HIGH". LOL

 

[zmoz]

Well, looks like things are improving well. I've got about half the floor covered with plastic and the humidity is down to 67%! That's roughly the same as outside. About the best I can hope for until I close it in more. Smells much more pleasant than it did....

 

[Big Joe]

I agree with 2manyrocks. I would suggest getting some soil samples and taking them to your county ag department for testing. If it turns out that there are no bio hazards that need to be cleaned up, I would suggest using a product named Biozap. This is a concentrate that is diluted with water and can be used in a pump sprayer. Just clean your sprayer very well after using as it has a tendency to clog if left unused for a while.

 

[JohninCT]

The wife uses granulated limestone to neutralize odors in the horse barn. We buy it in bags (less than $5 per 40 or 50lb bag I think). You might be able to buy it in bulk too. Put a good layer of lime in there. It will mix right in with your gravel and become part of your base material.