Questions tagged [smell]
For questions related to resolving a smell or odor.
199
questions
2
votes
2answers
56 views
Old house odor in a condo
Condo is in Florida. The building is 32 years old. 8 Units in a 2story building. Mine is on the 2nd floor. Brand new HVAC system including ducts-2018.
Attic insulation was fine according to a home ...
3
votes
4answers
77 views
Indoor fuel tank removed - How to eliminate lingering smell
Background: I recently replaced my home heating system (an oil burning furnace) for a modern heat pump (air-water). There is a room in our basement (2.9m x 3.5m, or roughly 10ft x 13ft) where the 10'...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
Natural gas range emits kerosene/propane burner odor
I have a natural gas range. The cooktop part seems to operate normally, with the flames blue. But recently, the oven has been emitting a smell that smells like those forced air portable propane ...
0
votes
2answers
47 views
What causes old wood smell, is it bad to ignore it, and how to clean it?
I bought vintage wardrobe and cabinets and some of them have this old wood smell that you can smell in old people's homes sometimes. Does it mean it's 'moldy' in some way or there can be other reasons?...
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Slight sewage smell in basement and sump pump
we started noticing an occasional sewage smell in the basement. It comes and goes. I can't figure out its cause or source. I suspect it is somehow tied to the sump pump. The sump pump was replaced by ...
0
votes
1answer
52 views
Need tips, approach, or method(s) to eliminate smell/odor in a closet short of a tear down?
Here's some background:
We bought this house in July of 2017. The previous owner left a hall closet full of GNC-style product (it was packed with pills of all kinds). It primarily smells of those ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Intermittent sewage smell from air ducts
My home is two stories, 5100 sq feet, and was built in 1990. I have a septic system, radon mitigation, and central forced air.
This has gone on for two winters now, but not before that.
The second ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Removing the smell of cannabis (not my cannabis!)
Having recently purchased a house which was previously used to grow a "commercial" amount of cannabis I'm struggling to remove the smell. It seems to be engrained in to every surface, hard or soft. ...
0
votes
2answers
213 views
Silicone or expanding foam??? Trying to seal around pipe baseboard heating to seal out smoke from downstairs
I live in an apartment on 2nd floor. The landlord lives downstairs and 3 people down there constantly smoke. It's so bad in my second bedroom. I bought expanding foam but afraid to spray around pipe ...
1
vote
2answers
85 views
Strange voltages from wires behind outlet, and smell from behind outlet
For the last month or so I've been getting a strange smell in my house that we bought 6 months ago. The smell is not obvious, but smells a little burnt to me, but my wife thinks it smells like a stink ...
1
vote
2answers
42 views
What could cause a wet soil / moisture smell on concrete slab
I have a wet soil smell coming from the living room concrete slab.
I had to remove all the tile in the leaving room.
A remediation company came, they removed the drywall and dehumidified the place, ...
3
votes
3answers
136 views
Sewer smell in basement - missing venting or other leak?
I recently started detecting a sewer smell coming from the laundry room in my basement. I think I only trigger it (and not every time) when I run my whole-house fan. I've been running this fan (with ...
2
votes
3answers
109 views
Front-load washer keeps getting stinky
I have an older Whirlpool front-load washer that's stinky. I periodically clean it inside and out (including the folds in the seal) but the smell keeps coming back. Last time this happened, I took the ...
0
votes
2answers
69 views
how to deal with tub drain smell?
There's a foul odor in our kids (teens) bathroom which I'm pretty sure is coming from the tub drain. We have some kind of domed cover over the drain most of the time to catch hair, but apparently it ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
Effective ways to get rid of smell in basement from drain?
Background
So this weekend I got to have all the fun of unclogging a clogged drain. The drain was from a kitchen sink but I was able to go through a lower access point and run a motorized snake ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
Chlorinate hot water heater
I left town for a week and now have a hot water heater that's been sitting and apparently breeding bacteria resulting in an abundance of hydrogen sulfide. It stinks really bad.
I tried emptying it ...
1
vote
2answers
68 views
Musty Smell in slab and block house
As my title states, I have a house that is on a slab and the exterior and most interior walls are block and covered with plaster. Since we bought the house we have noticed a musty smell that we ...
1
vote
1answer
156 views
New washing machine using the same valve as the sink, water smells and tastes like plastic
So I have been using the same valve for actually two washing machines and a sink, and when I got the new washing machine the problem started appearing. I am guessing this is because of the new washer ...
0
votes
2answers
63 views
Drainage issue, water causing foul odor in home
I live in an apartment building where the building is built on a concrete slab. There is NO overhead drain pipes or gutters and the water pools up along the side of the building next to my living room ...
0
votes
0answers
34 views
Is there a simple way to evaluate whether a vent stack is clogged?
I recently spoke with a home owner who has had a number of plumbing issues, ultimately resulting in a new sewer line run from the residence to the main. The homeowner is concerned that there may still ...
4
votes
1answer
107 views
Can you sand drywall to get rid of cigarette smoke?
We are living in a house that was remodeled after purchasing from heavy smokers. Our source tell us that they used to smoke packs of cigarettes a day. Then, it was purchased and remodeled. 5 years ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
Why do I have a urine smell under vanity in bathroom
I live in a condo & under my vanity it smells like urine which makes the whole bathroom smell like urine. Why & how to get rid of this!! My cabinet is wood & I’ve clean with lysol but ...
0
votes
1answer
92 views
Warm Weather Smell…Again
Trying to track down an odor that has once again shown up, now that weather is getting warmer. I believe it to be a sewer odor, but no water leaks in the sewer pipes. House was built in 1910...with ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Is there a temporary solution to alleviate wet carpet stench in the basement?
Yesterday I discovered that part of the carpet in the basement is soggy and there's a sewage-like stench. I've contacted both the water damage restoration company and the insurance company to evaluate ...
0
votes
1answer
81 views
Can primer cover up a smoke smell inside house?
House was formerly owned by a smoker. Will 1 coat of primer(Kilz in my case) cover and seal in odor inside the house?
0
votes
2answers
122 views
How to permanently get rid of old cigarette smell from previous resident?
We have recently moved into a rental apartment (built early 1990s). The previous resident was a smoker, and there is a distinct smell of cigarette smoke. She lived there for 15 years. The apartment ...
0
votes
1answer
116 views
Room above garage smells
I live in Ottawa in 15 year old house. The room above garage smells like wet wool or rubber. I removed the carpet and a foam padding to examine. The padding and plywood smell as described above (...
0
votes
1answer
826 views
Getting rid of ozone and/or burning plastic smell left over from a dead box fan
Almost had a housefire a few weeks back. We left a Lasko box fan (that we use for white noise while sleeping) on during the day and when we went to go to bed there was a horrible burning smell coming ...
2
votes
2answers
576 views
Foul smell in living room [closed]
For the past couple days I have noticed a foul smell in my living room and I can't seem to locate it. It smells more like dog poop and/or puke. I have a dog but she has never pooped in the house ...
1
vote
1answer
332 views
Downstairs exhaust fan venting into upstairs?
I recently purchased a bi-level home with two full baths. The inspection didn't include ductwork, but it seems to me that the downstairs bathroom is somehow venting into the rest of the house. There ...
0
votes
2answers
390 views
Can I disconnect a Corian Sink Overflow tube?
We have noticed a foul odor from our sink which has the corian overflow tube (made out of plastic) that sits outside the bowl. As soon as we turn the water on, the odor appears. I have taken it ...
0
votes
1answer
73 views
How to remove smell from exposed plywood Bathroom cabinets
Recently purchased an older home and the cabinets in the bathroom have an off smell that transfers into the towels as they sit in there.
There is exposed, unfinished plywood and I’m assuming it’s ...
1
vote
1answer
3k views
How to I eliminate the smell coming from my Mitsubishi mini split units?
I have 2 Mitsubishi mini split units on the 2 additions on my house. One is a Mr. Slim Inverter and the other is an Inverter.
During the warmer months when I am running them in A/C mode, they ...
0
votes
1answer
85 views
Bathroom Sink Odor
I have recently replaced my bathroom vanity with a new vanity top and built in sink. When I turn on the water, especially the cold, there is a smell like rotten eggs that is coming from the vent in ...
1
vote
1answer
56 views
How can I determine what is emitting chemical fumes in my home?
Our home is a reconstructed 1890's log home moved and rebuilt in the late 70's or early 80's. They used 1 inch thick styrofoam board in the ceiling under the pine tongue and groove. I think it is the ...
1
vote
1answer
172 views
Expoxy Araldite and smell
2 weeks ago I used some 5 min araldite epoxy on one of my projects that consists on pine and tolex / leatherette near one of the joints.
I've gone to bring it inside and in my small office there is ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
How to get rid of odors in wood?
My attic floor was home to nesting mice for years before I bought the house. I've kept the mice away, but the smell hasn't lessened after a year of ventilation.
Short of replacing the wood, is there ...
4
votes
2answers
672 views
Stinky dishes and cups from the dishwasher - but only after it rained
The house I live in is 14 years old and is connected to the municipal water and sewage system in the Toronto, Canada, suburbs. I am on my second dishwasher. The first one was a cheapo Whirlpool, the ...
0
votes
0answers
404 views
Can leaving AC on while cooking cause odors to spread around house?
From what I understand the central AC sucks in air, the hot air is expelled via the outdoor fan, the cool air is pushed back into the home via the small vents.
So, after it sucks in air (which ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Chemical Smell After Tankless Water Heater Install
I recently had a plumbing company install a tankless water heater in my crawlspace. Everything with the install works and looks great, but we are experiencing a very strong chemical smell (like nail-...
1
vote
1answer
146 views
Metallic smell when HVAC Unit. fires up. What could it be?
Background:
The HVAC unit I have serves both the 1st and second floor, but does a poor job of distributing heat to the 1st floor. The previous owner added a hydrodronic boiler and baseboards to the ...
1
vote
1answer
304 views
Fridge has a weird smell coming from where the compressor is
I have a fridge that has some kind of weird smell coming from where the compressor is. Ive checked the wires and any connections to see if theres any burnt wires, theres nothing. Its not really a ...
0
votes
1answer
185 views
How to insulate drywall from odor?
I have a strong odor coming from my "hoarder" neighbor upstairs. It is seeping through a drywall column that houses a metal ventilation shaft (in the corner of my bedroom closet).
I am thinking of ...
1
vote
2answers
3k views
Dishwasher causes terrible smell in disposal - why?
Our 15-year-old Asko dishwasher has its drain connected to the garbage disposal on our sink, and it in turns drains through a P-trap into a sewer pipe that has a "sure vent" (not vented to the roof or ...
0
votes
0answers
199 views
How can I patch a large hole in a particle board with something removable?
I live in an apartment building on the second floor, and there is a strong smell of cigarette smoke coming through a vanity. After removing the drawers, I saw that there was a roughly 5x12" hole sawed ...
0
votes
0answers
27 views
prevent kitchen aspirator exhale from other condominium kitchens
first of all sorry my bad english.
I live in a condominium in a rented house and the owner installed very cheap appliances in the kitchen.
The condominium has the kitchen aspirator pipe for the ...
0
votes
1answer
555 views
Unidentified pipe and smelly water trickling under slab into basement floor drain
Our house is in Toronto, Canada and was built in the late 1960's. We have lived here 5 years and currently rent out the basement suite. A few days ago, our tenants complained of a sewer smell ...
1
vote
1answer
87 views
How to isolate dead animal odors in crawlspace?
Some animal, likely a squirrel or largish animal, obtained entrance to a crawlspace and died there. No one is able to isolate the location of the carcass. The odor seems to be too ubiquitous in the ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
Sewer smell every time it rains
I've just moved into a newly build house a few months ago and every time it rains, it smells like sewer in a bathroom and the living room.
I'm using the municipal sewer and I checked in my own yard ...
1
vote
0answers
837 views
New septic tank + smell in house
We have recently had a new septic tank put in our house (about 3 months ago). 1 month after the works were complete, there started to be an overwhelming septic tank smell in the house. There is only ...
