Fish Smell
- Thread starter The Maid
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Roughcaster....interesting. I just read your Jan 5th reply. This is interesting. Pipublisher's spirit comment wasn't taken as a joke...I know for a fact these things are possible. And I don't want to really spook anyome out but when I bought this house I asked the realestate agent "Has anyone been murdered in this house before?" Needless to say, she was horrified at my question, but I didn't actually mean it as anything weird or scarey, I just had this weird feeling. Having said that, I can't tell you how beautiful my old home is, and how much I love it and if there is a guest spirit...we'll work it out.
BUT, having said that...I'm still not convinced it isn't something simpler than that like an electrical or plumbing issue or something.
But anyhow, in the meantime Roughcaster, Woody, Pipublisher...keep the advice coming. It is all helpful.....
BUT, having said that...I'm still not convinced it isn't something simpler than that like an electrical or plumbing issue or something.
But anyhow, in the meantime Roughcaster, Woody, Pipublisher...keep the advice coming. It is all helpful.....
Sponsored Links
I have a similar experinece in fact almost identical. In our case the smell is similar to trimethylamine (fishy). Our house is also 100 years old and we began restoration about 10 years ago. the smell occurs only in three areas, differnet rooms and goes from mild to unbearable and then gone without a trace. Like your message no one can explain it, others have experienced it. Have keep records - but no obvious pattern. Would like to compare notes.
thanks
thanks
mayerdale,
are you serious? and if so then go to the bakelite lampholder that holds the ceiling light lampshade on. Depending on how long the hot lightbulb is left on depends on whether you get a smell or not. Change the lead with fittings from the rose to the lampshade and the problem will be gone.
are you serious? and if so then go to the bakelite lampholder that holds the ceiling light lampshade on. Depending on how long the hot lightbulb is left on depends on whether you get a smell or not. Change the lead with fittings from the rose to the lampshade and the problem will be gone.
Mayerdale, after worrying about this for years, the problem suddenly stopped. Really weird. The house behind us, which is on elevated land, had major excavation work done and for unknown reasons, the smell suddenly stopped occurring after that.
Maybe he theory that it was something happening under ground may have some truth to it.
Is it possible that I broken sewer line was infiltrating underground and making it's way under our house or something?
I wish I could tell you what the solution was but what I can tell you is that it was not eelctrical and not a plumbing issue (originating from this house anyway). Good luck...I feel bad for you because it is really is a horrible problem.
Maybe he theory that it was something happening under ground may have some truth to it.
Is it possible that I broken sewer line was infiltrating underground and making it's way under our house or something?
I wish I could tell you what the solution was but what I can tell you is that it was not eelctrical and not a plumbing issue (originating from this house anyway). Good luck...I feel bad for you because it is really is a horrible problem.
Dear Maid,
Thanks for your reply. Our smell issue has existed for years although there has been many months with no occurence.
How would you describe your smell was it fishy or feral? Also how would you rate the intensity - did it vary? That is somethings weak, other times strong.
Most of our occurences happen on the second floor in 2 of the 4 bedrooms, always the same rooms (not in the bathrroms). And it has moved form one room to the other in a matter of minutes with no trace to the prior room. The smell has been mild to very, very strong.
We have been restoring the structure and all cavities have been opened, cleaned and sealed. All electrical, plumbing has been replaced.
Like you, we are not getting excited about it but just want to know if there is some worldly explanation or if others have had similar experinces.
The house is isolated, there is no projects or ground work in the area.
Thanks
Thanks for your reply. Our smell issue has existed for years although there has been many months with no occurence.
How would you describe your smell was it fishy or feral? Also how would you rate the intensity - did it vary? That is somethings weak, other times strong.
Most of our occurences happen on the second floor in 2 of the 4 bedrooms, always the same rooms (not in the bathrroms). And it has moved form one room to the other in a matter of minutes with no trace to the prior room. The smell has been mild to very, very strong.
We have been restoring the structure and all cavities have been opened, cleaned and sealed. All electrical, plumbing has been replaced.
Like you, we are not getting excited about it but just want to know if there is some worldly explanation or if others have had similar experinces.
The house is isolated, there is no projects or ground work in the area.
Thanks
Mayerdale, I can't tell you how interesting it is that someone else has this very same problem. You would think that some professional could figure this out for us! Our smell also came and went...we could go 3 months with nothing and then have numerous incidents of it. It was truly awful. The smell intensity was undeniable...once the dog jumped off the room and ran out! It was definately a fishy smell....not a sewage smell, and not a rotting corspe smell either ("animal in wall" theory). One witness felt it smelled like sewage (he was the only one who described it that way). It was not something that cold be ignored.
Of course.. the strangest thing of all, is that it stopped.
I kept all kinds of records while this was going on...the weather conditions, which appliamces were on, etc. Never saw a pattern with anything whatsoever. Our problem was on the main floor, in the den and sometimes in the next room. Once my daughter claimed she smelled it upstairs but I can't confirm that. I hope this answers your questions. Let me know how you do with this.
Of course.. the strangest thing of all, is that it stopped.
I kept all kinds of records while this was going on...the weather conditions, which appliamces were on, etc. Never saw a pattern with anything whatsoever. Our problem was on the main floor, in the den and sometimes in the next room. Once my daughter claimed she smelled it upstairs but I can't confirm that. I hope this answers your questions. Let me know how you do with this.
With that business of the smell moving rooms and not leaving a trace , and also you disturbing the house - I`d get on to Ghost Hunters . They are on SKY TV over here in UK. OK everyone will
. But those guys go in a property to debunk the supernatural - not look for "spirits" . They are ( or were- we get old progs. over her ) based in the USA.
Oooooooooooo....Ooooooooooooooo....Oooooooooooooooooooooo
Time to put this one to bed with a few stories.
This story started 12 years ago.
There used to be an old chap who lived next door to us. He lived alone and had no family left. He used to come and visit my mother when me and my brother were at school and dad was working.
On a Saturday he used to bring us fish and chips wrapped in greaseproof paper. This happened every weekend without fail. After a while he became unable to climb the stairs and got moved to a ground floor flat just around the corner, he would still visit but not as often, eventually we lost touch, after coming back from a family holiday we found out that he had passed away in his sleep.
A week or two after his funeral we started getting a strange smell in the house, my parents thought some food had been left somewhere or a bird had fallen down the chimney and died there. We hunted high and low basically ripping the house apart trying to find out what this smell was and where it was coming from. Months after smelling this smell in certain parts of the house we realized what the smell was.
Now the only place in the house the old man had not been in was my parents bedroom as the one time he came and mum showed him round (as we were in the middle of having work done) was my parents bedroom. This is the only place we have never smelt it. It was a really strong fish smell.
Up until last year it seemed to have vanished, but I got really poorly and had to be admitted to hospital, on returning home it was back. I see it as an "I'm just making sure you are ok" kind of visit which is nice as he was a really lovely man.
Do they have fish & chip shops over in Canada and USA ? near you
Now that would be strange. Ooooooooooooooo
Time to put this one to bed with a few stories.
This story started 12 years ago.
There used to be an old chap who lived next door to us. He lived alone and had no family left. He used to come and visit my mother when me and my brother were at school and dad was working.
On a Saturday he used to bring us fish and chips wrapped in greaseproof paper. This happened every weekend without fail. After a while he became unable to climb the stairs and got moved to a ground floor flat just around the corner, he would still visit but not as often, eventually we lost touch, after coming back from a family holiday we found out that he had passed away in his sleep.
A week or two after his funeral we started getting a strange smell in the house, my parents thought some food had been left somewhere or a bird had fallen down the chimney and died there. We hunted high and low basically ripping the house apart trying to find out what this smell was and where it was coming from. Months after smelling this smell in certain parts of the house we realized what the smell was.
Now the only place in the house the old man had not been in was my parents bedroom as the one time he came and mum showed him round (as we were in the middle of having work done) was my parents bedroom. This is the only place we have never smelt it. It was a really strong fish smell.
Up until last year it seemed to have vanished, but I got really poorly and had to be admitted to hospital, on returning home it was back. I see it as an "I'm just making sure you are ok" kind of visit which is nice as he was a really lovely man.
Do they have fish & chip shops over in Canada and USA ? near you
Now that would be strange. Ooooooooooooooo
The explanation as to fish smell is really a simple explanation for a more complex compound. The smell is actually closer to that of trimethylamine, which can be describe as fishy but is really something else. It is closer to the smell of a hawthorn blossom that is begun to decay.
You can see an old photo of the house at www.mayerdale.com. I am really looking for a worldly explanation but have yet to find one. A few past resident have no recollection of a smell. But many of our friends and workers have. They are equally perplexed.
There is no fish stores near by but the Columbia River is the northern boundary.
You can see an old photo of the house at www.mayerdale.com. I am really looking for a worldly explanation but have yet to find one. A few past resident have no recollection of a smell. But many of our friends and workers have. They are equally perplexed.
There is no fish stores near by but the Columbia River is the northern boundary.
Mayerdale...first of all, thank you for sharing your website. Your home, it's history and setting are truly beautiful.
I looked up trimethylamine...interesting but where would it be originating from?
Anyhow, should you ever resolve this mystery...please don't forget to post the information on this site because although my own "fishy problem" appears to have solved itself, I am under no illsuions...it may return yet.
Good look to you. I hope it doesn't affect your wine!
I looked up trimethylamine...interesting but where would it be originating from?
Anyhow, should you ever resolve this mystery...please don't forget to post the information on this site because although my own "fishy problem" appears to have solved itself, I am under no illsuions...it may return yet.
Good look to you. I hope it doesn't affect your wine!
M
Mickymoody
What's the weather like over there at present?
Untreated plaster/plasterboard, with applied wallpaper, while the plaster is damp, causes an ammonia based reaction. As the plaster/board hasn't had time to set, the paste, can't set, an emits an odour of ammonia (which is similar to a fish rotting), but due to the paper being layered over plaster that isn't dry, then damp weather will increase the ammonia level, due to damp ingress, and in summer, will dry out, and not be noticed, however, the damp/mould, will still be prevelent under the by now presumably peeling wallpaper/facings? Which translates to the facings in your house not being sealed correctly, and/or insulation being installed incorrectly. So I presume it's warm over there, and everything has dried out? Or it's winter, and everything has been soaked.
Untreated plaster/plasterboard, with applied wallpaper, while the plaster is damp, causes an ammonia based reaction. As the plaster/board hasn't had time to set, the paste, can't set, an emits an odour of ammonia (which is similar to a fish rotting), but due to the paper being layered over plaster that isn't dry, then damp weather will increase the ammonia level, due to damp ingress, and in summer, will dry out, and not be noticed, however, the damp/mould, will still be prevelent under the by now presumably peeling wallpaper/facings? Which translates to the facings in your house not being sealed correctly, and/or insulation being installed incorrectly. So I presume it's warm over there, and everything has dried out? Or it's winter, and everything has been soaked.
Interesting theory Mickymoody but actually, as far as I'm concerned, not only do I not have any wall paper in my home, but my problem was a twelve month a year problem. The rooms affected here have the original plaster of the house.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
