Berkeley for hosts

Where
Northwest Denver, roughly between Federal Boulevard and Sheridan Boulevard north of West 38th Avenue, centered on Tennyson Street and Berkeley Park.
Housing
Early-1900s bungalows and Tudors, postwar brick homes, and many newer duplexes and modern infill homes.
Rental types
Whole homes, garden-level or basement suites in owner-occupied houses, and duplex halves.
What draws guests
Tennyson Street restaurants and shops, the lakes and parks, and quick access to downtown and the mountains.

Odor issues tied to Berkeley houses

Basement and garden-level suites are common here, and basements bring their own smells. Older foundations can let in moisture, carpet laid directly on a concrete slab can develop a musty odor, and a floor drain that is never used dries out and lets sewer gas in. Guests notice a basement smell the moment they open the door, especially in summer.

In a house where the host lives upstairs and rents the basement, the two spaces often share one furnace and one duct system. Cooking or smoking upstairs can show up in the suite, and the reverse. Older homes may have duct runs that leak into the basement ceiling or walls, spreading air in ways that are hard to predict.

Newer duplexes and infill homes are tighter and better sealed. They hold smells longer unless the bathroom fans and the kitchen hood actually vent outside and get used.

Berkeley turnover checklist

  • Run water in every drain in the suite, including the floor drain, at each turnover.
  • Run a dehumidifier in basement suites during humid weeks and empty it before each check-in.
  • Keep rugs off bare concrete or use a breathable pad, and check the underside for dampness.
  • If the host lives upstairs, keep strong cooking and any smoking out of shared air paths before arrivals.
  • Check that bathroom fans and the range hood vent outside and are strong enough to clear steam and smoke.
  • Note any musty smell after rain and look for water at the foundation.
Map of Berkeley, Denver. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

Common questions

Can a musty basement suite be fixed without a big remodel?

Often yes. Controlling humidity, fixing drainage at the foundation, replacing a pad or carpet that sits on the slab, and keeping traps full solve many cases.

General information for LoHi, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.