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Strange house smell

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  • 12-06-2021 10:47pm
    #1
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭


    Not exactly a DIY question but as I’m thinking of ripping open walls it’s not far off. The last two weeks a strange smell has appeared in the hall of our house. Seems strongest in the morning and rises through the house. It’s like a strong beer/yeast/cannabis kind of smell. Almost like it’s coming through the floor (tiled concrete subfloor). I’ve cleaned rainwater drains outside and checked utility boxes. Any idea what could be the problem?


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    #2
    Needles73
    Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭Needles73


    El_robbo1980 wrote: »
    Not exactly a DIY question but as I’m thinking of ripping open walls it’s not far off. The last two weeks a strange smell has appeared in the hall of our house. Seems strongest in the morning and rises through the house. It’s like a strong beer/yeast/cannabis kind of smell. Almost like it’s coming through the floor (tiled concrete subfloor). I’ve cleaned rainwater drains outside and checked utility boxes. Any idea what could be the problem?

    Any chance it’s an electrical burning smell ? I’ve seen old light fittings and kitchen appliances emit odours ?


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    #3
    dazberry
    Registered Users Posts: 2,145 ✭✭✭dazberry


    Needles73 wrote: »
    Any chance it’s an electrical burning smell ? I’ve seen old light fittings and kitchen appliances emit odours ?

    We had this issue with an old light fitting, it took a while to figure out, basically related to what type of bulbs we used at various times, and the heat they generated. The smell was foul.


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    #4
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,677 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Did you buy a new door mat or anything plastic. My wife bought a anti slip bath mat for the kids smelled the bathroom out for weeks til I figured it out what it was. Straight in the bin immediately smell gone.


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    #5
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,831 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    El_robbo1980 wrote:
    Not exactly a DIY question but as I’m thinking of ripping open walls it’s not far off. The last two weeks a strange smell has appeared in the hall of our house. Seems strongest in the morning and rises through the house. It’s like a strong beer/yeast/cannabis kind of smell. Almost like it’s coming through the floor (tiled concrete subfloor). I’ve cleaned rainwater drains outside and checked utility boxes. Any idea what could be the problem?

    Semi-d or terraced, is it your neighbours?


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    #6
    chooseusername
    Registered Users Posts: 3,607 ✭✭✭chooseusername


    Any new plants around outside?
    New neighbours puffing or home brewing?
    If nothing has changed inside the house it may be from outside.


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    #7
    BillyBiggs
    Registered Users Posts: 167 ✭✭BillyBiggs


    El_robbo1980 wrote: »
    Not exactly a DIY question but as I’m thinking of ripping open walls it’s not far off. The last two weeks a strange smell has appeared in the hall of our house. Seems strongest in the morning and rises through the house. It’s like a strong beer/yeast/cannabis kind of smell. Almost like it’s coming through the floor (tiled concrete subfloor). I’ve cleaned rainwater drains outside and checked utility boxes. Any idea what could be the problem?

    Has the house ever been flooded? Whether it has or hasn’t is sounds like mould.


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    #8
    Physiologybrah
    Site Banned Posts: 22 ✭Physiologybrah


    A yeast smell you say? Are all the occupants of the house taking regular showers, particularly the female occupants?


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    #9
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,831 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Physiologybrah wrote:
    A yeast smell you say? Are all the occupants of the house taking regular showers, particularly the female occupants?

    What's the story with all the arseholes on boards this morning!


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    #10
    poppers
    Registered Users Posts: 600 ✭✭✭poppers


    El_robbo1980 wrote: »
    Not exactly a DIY question but as I’m thinking of ripping open walls it’s not far off. The last two weeks a strange smell has appeared in the hall of our house. Seems strongest in the morning and rises through the house. It’s like a strong beer/yeast/cannabis kind of smell. Almost like it’s coming through the floor (tiled concrete subfloor). I’ve cleaned rainwater drains outside and checked utility boxes. Any idea what could be the problem?

    Could be a Dead mouse in the cavity. It will give Foul smell for a couple of weeks.


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    #11
    kadman
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 5,063 Mod ✭✭✭✭kadman


    poppers wrote: »
    Could be a Dead mouse in the cavity. It will give Foul smell for a couple of weeks.
    Dead mouse is definitely a foul fishy type of smell


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    #12
    KaneToad
    Registered Users Posts: 3,170 ✭✭✭KaneToad


    Needles73 wrote: »
    Any chance it’s an electrical burning smell ? I’ve seen old light fittings and kitchen appliances emit odours ?

    I'd second this. Turn on all lights for 30 mins. Turn off. Then go and sniff each fitting.


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    #13
    Physiologybrah
    Site Banned Posts: 22 ✭Physiologybrah


    kadman wrote: »
    Dead mouse is definitely a foul fishy type of smell

    Mods have a word please.


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    #14
    greasepalm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,259 ✭✭✭greasepalm


    So its only in the hall and what about presses under the stairs or cloakroom.
    Dead shrimp in the curtain rail prank.


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    #15
    chooseusername
    Registered Users Posts: 3,607 ✭✭✭chooseusername


    Physiologybrah wrote: »
    Mods have a word please.

    Have a word with yourself!


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    #16
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,536 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    poppers wrote: »
    Could be a Dead mouse in the cavity. It will give Foul smell for a couple of weeks.

    Yes, I had this in two houses.


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    #17
    chooseusername
    Registered Users Posts: 3,607 ✭✭✭chooseusername


    El_robbo1980 wrote: »
    Not exactly a DIY question but as I’m thinking of ripping open walls it’s not far off. The last two weeks a strange smell has appeared in the hall of our house. Seems strongest in the morning and rises through the house. It’s like a strong beer/yeast/cannabis kind of smell. Almost like it’s coming through the floor (tiled concrete subfloor). I’ve cleaned rainwater drains outside and checked utility boxes. Any idea what could be the problem?
    Have you got a rarely used downstairs cloakroom by any chance?


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    #18
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    chooseusername wrote: »
    Have you got a rarely used downstairs cloakroom by any chance?

    Have an “understairs storage area” which is basically just used for shoes etc. It’s bare concrete in there but zero smell at all (including the shoes/boots). What are you thinking?


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    #19
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    dazberry wrote: »
    We had this issue with an old light fitting, it took a while to figure out, basically related to what type of bulbs we used at various times, and the heat they generated. The smell was foul.

    No I don’t think it’s that. House is two years old, all fittings fairly new. Smell is worse in the morning when all lights have been off all night

    In saying that, the ESB did install a new smart meter on the outside wall near where the smell seems to eminate from


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    #20
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    listermint wrote: »
    Did you buy a new door mat or anything plastic. My wife bought a anti slip bath mat for the kids smelled the bathroom out for weeks til I figured it out what it was. Straight in the bin immediately smell gone.

    I know that smell - and it’s very similar! But nothing new like that was bought.


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    #21
    Greentree_uk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭Greentree_uk


    we had a smell downstairs too, when taking up the floor we found the old toilet waste pipe. no cover just laminate floor boards over the hole in the original floor boards...... I mean why did the previous owner live like that for the last 20 odd years...


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    #22
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    Semi-d or terraced, is it your neighbours?

    Semi-d, definitely not the neighbours. Plus it’s on the side of the house furthest from their house


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    #23
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    Greentree_uk wrote: »
    we had a smell downstairs too, when taking up the floor we found the old toilet waste pipe. no cover just laminate floor boards over the hole in the original floor boards...... I mean why did the previous owner live like that for the last 20 odd years...

    You would wonder! It’s tiles on concrete though in a new build so I would hope that’s not the case. Although having seen some of the work in some houses you could never say never!


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    #24
    chooseusername
    Registered Users Posts: 3,607 ✭✭✭chooseusername


    El_robbo1980 wrote: »
    Have an “understairs stoflap?rage area” which is basically just used for shoes etc. It’s bare concrete in there but zero smell at all (including the shoes/boots). What are you thinking?
    A cloakroom , if not used much may get smelly as the trap(s) dry out ,but that would be a fairly recognisable sewage smell,
    so sounds like that's not your issue.
    The dead critter in the cavity seems to be the consensus here.
    Have you painted the area in the last couple of months?


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    #25
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    chooseusername wrote: »
    A cloakroom , if not used much may get smelly as the trap(s) dry out ,but that would be a fairly recognisable sewage smell,
    so sounds like that's not your issue.
    The dead critter in the cavity seems to be the consensus here.
    Have you painted the area in the last couple of months?

    Last painted there two years ago. As for the dead animal theory, I removed a double socket in that area and ran an inspection camera into the cavity between the insulated plasterboard and wall. Couldn’t see anything at all

    If the smell is coming in through the hall door, there’s a rainwater drain outside. But I’ve had a good rummage in there, completely free of debris and filled with water. Also gets a blast of Jeyes fluid every couple of months. So strange that it just appeared out of nowhere after two years.


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    #26
    greasepalm
    Registered Users Posts: 5,259 ✭✭✭greasepalm


    Did it only make its presence known after the meter fitting.


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    #27
    Hal1
    Registered Users Posts: 8,720 ✭✭✭Hal1


    It might be nothing, but get a carbon monoxide alarm.


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    #28
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    greasepalm wrote: »
    Did it only make its presence known after the meter fitting.

    Meter was fitted about a month ago. Smell arrived about two weeks ago


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    #29
    El_robbo1980
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭El_robbo1980


    Hal1 wrote: »
    It might be nothing, but get a carbon monoxide alarm.

    Have them throughout the house but not specifically in that area. Are you thinking of something in particular?

    Forgot to mention that the first day we had the smell I called out Gas networks to carry out a leak check but that was fine


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    #30
    ParkRunner
    Registered Users Posts: 3,007 ✭✭✭ParkRunner


    Have you just one bathroom in the house, upstairs? Are the outside bins nearby?


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    #31
    Stigura
    Registered Users Posts: 3,413 ✭✭✭Stigura


    El Robbo; Have you a 'Fishing Tackle' shop within reach?

    I Don't mean it could have anything to do with such a place. Just an old rat catchers trick. Might be a step in the process of elimination :)


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