NEWS9 went to the home on Short Creek Road and found dirt covering the walls and belongings, but very few answers to where it’s coming from.

Black soot built up on surfaces throughout the home. Ed Smith, the homeowner, says he’s tried to get to the bottom of it, but he feels helpless.

He’s lived on Short Creek Road for 20 years, but has never had any problems until the spring of 2009.

“We noticed some blackening in the ceiling,” he said.

Strange, black soot streaks were coming from his outlets, up his walls and along the ceiling.

“There is soot in my freezer, coming through the freezer part itself,” said Smith. “When you pull your clothes down and you got black streaks in your clothes, you got a problem.”

Smith was shocked when he took a look at his air filter and found it covered with black soot, and he just changed it two months prior.

He said the Department of Environmental Protection took samples and told him it was wood ash, but Smith has his doubts.

“Wood ash you can wipe off,” he said. “This is like a soot. It smears and it won’t come off.”

Smith says he noticed the problem when a local coal company started moving earth nearby. He’s afraid it may be diesel fuel. He hasn’t noticed it at his other trailer nearby, but he said maybe it’s just the lay of the land.

He’s called the company, but said he’s not satisfied. Smith then turned to the law, but said lawyers won’t take the case.

“I’m disappointed that I had to go this far. I don’t know what to do. We can’t live like this,” said Smith.

Smith said a cleaning estimate from a local company is nearly $9,000.