Carpets on 1st floor

[keenbutconfused]

I have a 1st floor flat built in a georgian style terrace in 1830.

The floor is currently carpeted.

We often get the smell of the kitchen below in our flat.

I intend to take up the carpet and wanted to seal the gaps in the floor boards, level the floor with some hardboard and then recarpet.

My concern is that this would effectively seal the floor. As i am currently getting smells I have deduced that there must be some sort of airflow under my floorboards. Consequently, is there a problem to seal it in the way I have described.

 

[masona]

Consequently, is there a problem to seal it in the way I have described.

No, providing you're confident the smell is coming through the flooring

 

[JohnD]

If you take up the right boards you will probably find the ceiling plaster is a bit gappy round the lamp fitting downstairs. You could probably fill round this without doing any harm.

With a house of that age you may find signs that it was previously lit by gas.

 

[gcol]

What about removing the cause of the problem? Do you have any extraction in the kitchen at all?

 

[keenbutconfused]

Should have said that the kitchen below belongs to the flat downstairs. They have halogen lights. Are these likely to be letting through smells?

My concern about sealing my floor with carpet and board etc is that if they continue to cook the steam will get under the floorboards and cause damp as there is no airflow.