Question from Hannah

Hi Debra… another odd question for you! I had an old work bench in my basement that I had taken apart and removed last year because it smelled strongly, an odor that I have now identified as a creosote/coal tar smell. It had a sticky glue binding it together, and I don’t know why that gooey glue would smell like creosote but it did. Above the bench attached to the wall is a wood pegboard, attached at the bottom to a piece of wood. That piece of wood also smells faintly of creosote, which I recently noticed. I can’t tell if maybe the wood was treated with creosote (not sure why that would ever be) or if the glue used to adhere it to the pegboard somehow smells like creosote. Any ideas?

It is my understanding that this smell would indicate the presence of PAHs and would be unhealthy to breathe in (though I have v=breathed it in some trying to figure out what it is!). Would covering the entire piece of wood with aluminum foil tape be the right approach to make it safe?

Thanks!

Debra’s Answer

If you can’t remove the piece of wood, yes, covering the entire piece of wood with aluminum foil tape would block any fumes from it.

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