mystery smell

fryup

Hi folks,

Didn't know where to post this hope this forum is ok.

I live in a 30 yr old bungalow in the country and there is a smell in our spare bedroom a rubber smell that strangely comes more noticeable at night time.

It got so bad that we took everthing out changed the carpet repainted it, but low & behold it has returned.

Ive bled the radiator but to no avail, i checked up in the attic for dead rodents but nothing.

Its only in this one room its a solid concrete foundation no floorboards.

Anyone have any ideas

Lando Griffin

What about the light bulb and fitting?

PyeContinental

Did you also change the underlay?
Is there any dampness in the room? If so, you could try sealing the floor with polybond.

Xcellor

Lando Griffin wrote: »

What about the light bulb and fitting?

Yeah. Since it happens at night when lights would be on this sounds a likely culprit. Also any heaters that might be contacting a rubber/plastic surface.

Any other electrical devices in the room?

Lando Griffin

fryup wrote: »

would they give off a smell?? the room is hardly ever used so the light is rarely switched on

The bulb could melt the light fitting and cause the smell.
Since you dont use room too much then maybe not the cause but worth checking anyway.

fryup

Lando Griffin wrote: »

What about the light bulb and fitting?

would they give off a smell?? the room is hardly ever used so the light is rarely switched on

Lando Griffin wrote: »

The bulb could melt the light fitting and cause the smell.
Since you dont use room too much then maybe not the cause but worth checking anyway.

ok' ill check it out anyway thanks

PyeContinental wrote: »

Did you also change the underlay?
Is there any dampness in the room? If so, you could try sealing the floor with polybond.

yes we changed the underlay, there is no "visible" sign of dampness so i don't know

Vomit

Check old switches, especially ones around heat - recently I had a similar smell in my house (something between burning rubber and a dead rat smell). Turned out to be the hot water tank switch burning out.

meercat

previous posters probably spot on.light bulb may heat bakelite light fitting causing a (fishy) smell.

Prenderb

If you have an ensuite, with the shower's switch in the bedroom, check that switch aswell. I recently replaced the one in my room after noticing a smell - fishy/rubbery kind of smell.

fryup

meercat wrote: »

previous posters probably spot on.light bulb may heat bakelite light fitting causing a (fishy) smell.

i'm familiar with that smell, its not it i'm afraid its a definite rubber odour

Prenderb wrote: »

If you have an ensuite, with the shower's switch in the bedroom, check that switch aswell. I recently replaced the one in my room after noticing a smell - fishy/rubbery kind of smell.

no ensuite,

De_man

meercat wrote: »

previous posters probably spot on.light bulb may heat bakelite light fitting causing a (fishy) smell.

most likely it'll be the ceiling rose i.e. the light fitting on the ceiling,
turn off power and screw off, most likely you'll see evidence of burning in the fitting - if not it's got to be the bulb/fitting connection

please make sure you turn off the mains before changing this out!!!!

(i've had this issue before) unfortunately, this is common enough on older properties, if it works
might be an idea to change all the ceiling rose fittings

meercat

Good man. Thanks

fryup

De_man wrote: »

most likely it'll be the ceiling rose i.e. the light fitting on the ceiling,
turn off power and screw off, most likely you'll see evidence of burning in the fitting - if not it's got to be the bulb/fitting connection

thanks for that i'll check it out

tiocimarla wrote: »

lmao... fishy rubbery smell that only presents itself at night, im sorry are ye sure de missus isnt having someone over when ur not der. Sorry couldnt help it:D

:eek:

Buford T Justice

tiocimarla wrote: »

lmao... fishy rubbery smell that only presents itself at night, im sorry are ye sure de missus isnt having someone over when ur not der. Sorry couldnt help it:D

u sur dat u cnt stop usin txt spk?

If your walls are drylined, is there a chance that there's dead rodents behind the slab?

fryup

Fingers McGee wrote: »

If your walls are drylined, is there a chance that there's dead rodents behind the slab?

solid concrete walls

PyeContinental wrote: »

Is there any dampness in the room? If so, you could try sealing the floor with polybond.

how about an electric dehumidier

would they do the trick for odours?

King Mallie

Dehumidifier only good for damp smells..... Turn off radiator in roo and try an elctric heater just to make sure that smell is not from rad. Because smell is strongest at night that is when heat would be on !!!!

fryup

Just to update this thread - Well i checked out the wires underneath the rose and no sign of corrosion, i changed the light bulb and fittings and no change i'm afraid.

But last night i was watching BBC's watchdog and they had a report on bad smells coming from crown paints, customers complaining of musty damp odours that linger for months after using certain crown paints.

In there defence crown paints responded by saying that this is an industry wide phenomenon called wall odour when certain paints reacts to dampness/bacteria present on some walls, they say to prevent this people should use a alkali resisting sealer.

Now i used dulux paint on my walls but seeing that this is industry wide i'm beginning to wonder is this whats causing the bad odour in my home?

dunsandin

Use Fabreeze. Its deadly in the ads.:)

De_man

you've got me..i haven't a clue now, especially since the odour is only evident at night!! i was convinced it was the lighting, arcing in the ceiling rose!!

i've only heard of a bad odour from paint only once, this was on a wall that was dry lined, seemingly the slab was damp, painted over, smell appeared.
awful job to get it sorted.

maybe a sealant will do the trick, but you should have the smell all the time in the room and not only at night!!!


keep lights off (including nearby rooms) go into room, is smell evident?
i'd really check all the wiring before i'd mess about with sealants

keep us posted pls

De_man

do you have any heating on in the room?

when did you first notice the smell and when was it painted last?

dunsandin

It could be a poultergeist, the ghost of the michelin man. Ive racked my brains and cant think of any non sarcy responce. Was there any form of adhesive used in the room at any stage? Is it a cement/latex screed? These are common enough, and the guy doing the mix might have got carried away with the old cement/latex ratios, latex being a derivative of raw rubber. Apart from that, im betting on the phantom of tyre ads past.

twinroses

Was the cause of this smell ever resolved? We have a similar problem in a small bedroom, but I would call our smell "plasticky" and my husband says "moldy." Our smell is more apparent at night as well, but that is becaue we close the door. If we leave the door open, the smell is not as strong. There are no signs of mold, we have checked the attic above for moisture, nothing. We have removed everything from the room, and shampooed the carpet. The room was painted and had new carpet put in 2 years ago. It is on an exterior wall, which outside the wall is our cesspool vent, however, we do not smell anything out there. We are on a slab and the home is 20 years old. The bedroom next to this one does not smell at all. There is no plumbing around this room. If the window is left open, the smell goes away, but when closed, the smell returns within an hour or so. The smell began all of a sudden about a month or 2 ago. It does not smell like a dead animal, as we have had there in another part of the house. Any suggestions will be much appreciated!

mad m

twinroses wrote: »

It does not smell like a dead animal, as we have had there in another part of the house. Any suggestions will be much appreciated!

I'm not joking, but if its a dead animal then the stench is unreal. Any sign of flys as the maggots will break out on the dead whatever you have after a week or two...

I had a poisoned rat under my floorboard during summer, and I'm not joking, the smell is unbearable, you wouldnt last a min or two in the room its that bad.

fryup

update : the smell has returned and it always seems to return in springtime and lingers on into the summer its not noticeable during winter

so it must be something in the environment/air

* Just to add.. the room is facing west so it would get most sun in the late afternoon & evening, it is also facing a small garden with flowers & shrubs..if that has anything to do with it?

North West

Hi Fryup
Check wiring to lights. In the older houses the wiring was insulated with a rubber insulation. This when power on can leave a rubber smell. ???
NW

fryup

^^^^^^^

thanks for that,

but the lights in this room are hardly ever on, if this makes any difference?