Strange house smell

El_robbo1980 · 12-06-2021 09:47PM #1

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?

Needles73 · 12-06-2021 10:06PM

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 ?

dazberry · 12-06-2021 10:20PM

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.

listermint · 13-06-2021 07:15AM

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.

Wanderer78 · 13-06-2021 07:48AM

El_robbo1980 wrote:

Not exactly a DIY question but as Iâ€™m thinking of ripping open walls itâ€™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. Itâ€™s like a strong beer/yeast/cannabis kind of smell. Almost like itâ€™s coming through the floor (tiled concrete subfloor). Iâ€™ve cleaned rainwater drains outside and checked utility boxes. Any idea what could be the problem?

Semi-d or terraced, is it your neighbours?

chooseusername · 13-06-2021 07:48AM

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

BillyBiggs · 13-06-2021 07:55AM

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.

Physiologybrah · 13-06-2021 07:56AM

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

Wanderer78 · 13-06-2021 08:03AM

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!

poppers · 13-06-2021 08:07AM

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.

kadman · 13-06-2021 08:57AM

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

KaneToad · 13-06-2021 09:00AM

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.

Physiologybrah · 13-06-2021 09:44AM

kadman wrote: »

Dead mouse is definitely a foul fishy type of smell

Mods have a word please.

greasepalm · 13-06-2021 09:52AM

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

chooseusername · 13-06-2021 10:59AM

Physiologybrah wrote: »

Mods have a word please.

Have a word with yourself!

14-06-2021 06:58AM

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.

chooseusername · 14-06-2021 07:08AM

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?

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 07:11PM

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?

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 07:13PM

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

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 07:14PM

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.

Greentree_uk · 14-06-2021 07:16PM

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...

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 07:16PM

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

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 07:18PM

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!

chooseusername · 14-06-2021 07:44PM

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?

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 08:19PM

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.

greasepalm · 14-06-2021 09:14PM

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

Hal1 · 14-06-2021 09:33PM

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

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 10:27PM

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

El_robbo1980 · 14-06-2021 10:29PM

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

ParkRunner · 14-06-2021 10:40PM

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

Stigura · 15-06-2021 02:27AM

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

Strange house smell

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