A week ago last Sunday we noticed a smell in our study (upper level of house). It was weak and we could not point where exactly it was coming from. It was very hit and miss. Last week, some days I could smell it, some days not at all. Then yesterday- YUCK- full force. Today the entire upper level smells.
And what does it smell like you ask? Fish. Rotten fish (which it is not).
Our house is pretty clean and we took a black light over the carpet w/o success. Anyone have any idea what this is?
Some facts- house is tri-level, built 1980, Royal Oak, carpet, have 2 cats one dog and baby. Does not seem to be pet urine or baby diapers. Been in house 4 years. There is an attic above- we have not heard anything up there- but I may have to check it out if we can't figure this out. Smell not downstairs.
Thanks
If you don't have any pets that could be causing the odor it could be a dead mouse. I found one of those in a cupboard where I was working and it was the worst smell!
It could be a dead squirrel or bird caught in the chimney or attack...
It could be a bad electrical outlet. Check all your plugs and power strips if you have any for black marks or smoke coming from them.
Hi H., I would recommend Peak Environment. They do just about everything from dead animals to fixing roofs. And if it's covered by your homeowners ins., they are pre-approved. I am familiar with the owner, David Scott, and he's a straight-up guy. Have had to use their services, unfortunately things just happen when you have a dang house!:), several times over the past few years. They have a web-site, but the direct number is ###-###-####. Good Luck!
Laurie E.
It sounds like something died in your attic. A small animal probably got in and couldn't get out, hence, no attic noise. Someone will have to go up there to check it out. You can call critter control, they will go up there, see if something is up there, and if there is, find how it got in and fix that problem. Expect to pay up to couple hundred dollars for that, less if they just have to remove what is up there. Good Luck!
Is it a sewer smell?
I live in Ferndale and they've been cleaning the sewers for the past couple of weeks. While they are doing it, gas starts coming up through the drains and toilet. It smells terrible.
It also settles in our upstairs more than the downstairs.
Anyways, hope that helps. :p
If your animals go upstairs I have a possibility.
May sound odd though! Look up animal "anal glands leaking" or "anal sacs". Every so often our dogs/cats need the vet to express the fluid out of those glands. If you don't the smell will be exactly what you described. We had the same issue, couldn't figure it out, had the vet take a look at our dog and after he emptied the gland, the smell went away. Now, it took a while to clear the house because you do not know where the cats or dog have left this fluid. We had to use a carpet cleaner and even use it on the lower sides of all furniture...get your nose down to the ground and you may find the smell more powerful in certain areas. Not a fun job but you can get rid of it! Good luck!
You have two cats & a dog. It could be a dead mouse or bird. Keep hunting. It could be anywhere.
It could be a dead mouse in the walls of the house. The smell will go away on its own, it will just take a little while (personal experience).
I will second Monica's response. It didn't occur to me until I read her response, but we have the same problem with our dog and that IS how it smells. "Lucky" for us, our dog sticks close by, so the only place he ever leaks is on his pillow case in his crate, or on the "rag" sheet that we put on top of our bed for him to sleep on.
It sounds gross, but you'll be happy to know that the fluid is easy to clean and doesn't leave a stain. I've never had it on the carpet, but it always comes out of the sheet and pillow case with a little spot treatment.
There may be a dead animal in your attic that is causing the smell.
Do you know what a dead animal smells like? I wonder if something got into the attic...
S.
Hmm thats odd. Have you tried smelling the carpet to try and see where the smell is coming from? Maybe an animal died in the wall or in the attic. I can't stand it when ther is an odd smell in my house so I would smell the carpet and if i didn't find I would go nuts smelling everything to try and find out where the smell is coming from.
