What Is That Smell?
I know. That question is never promising. Here are the primary bad odor causes that may explain what that smelly, smoky, dirty stink is in your house and what to do!
1. Smelly Cat, smelly caaat! What are they feeding youu? Does it smell like a pet needs a bath? Maybe Phoebe from Friends had a rotting animal in floorboards or some other rodent that has made it’s way in an unseen nook in her home. I kid, i kid...so before you tear the place apart, call an HVAC/Plumbing specialist to inspect and root out the source!
2. Dirty Socks! It’s probably mold. This could be a minor inconvenience or dangerously toxic. If nothing is visible, it’s good to get an inspection and perhaps change drywall that may be holding the moisture in; good to solve the problem immediately before it continues to de-value your home and create unsafe conditions!
3. Rotten Eggs! Bleh. This sewer smell is very unpleasant and can also be a warning of a natural gas leak or sewer leak. If the smell is strong and constant , walk out of your home immediately and call your utility company and/or expert handyman. If the smell is faint and comes and go, often the source is sewer gas in a bathroom that isn’t used very often.
4. Smoke! If it isn’t cigarettes from questionable guest sticking their head out of a window to try to puff one out, then leave your home immediately! If you smell smoke and you don’t see the source readily, call the fire department.
5. Fishy! If you aren’t scaling the bass you fished over the weekend or unwrapping your latest Whole Foods purchase, take a look at your outlets and electrical components to see if anything is melting or otherwise malfunctioning. Electrical wires and other manufactured plastic components emit a fishy smell when they’re exposed to high heat. Find a service pro that will handle the problem immediately!
