I wonder if anyone can throw some light on something that is bothering me. I have a small under stairs cupboard which houses the fuse box and other switches and boxes. There is a hole in the back of the cupboard through which come some wires from an extension I think that was done in the kitchen area. I presume this hole leads into the cavity wall? There is a smell coming from this cupboard which doesn't seem to be strong enough for other people to comment on but I am sensitive to smells and smell it very strongly. It is like a very dirty smell. I think I can also smell it upstairs in the bathroom and again, there is a gap under the sink that may lead out into the wall space. I had a friend who is in the building trade to have a look and he couldn't smell anything(always the way) but said there was absolutely no sign of damp and that it was probably just a cupboard with no air smell. I cleared out the cupboard of all the stuff and wiped it over and put in an air freshener, but still I can smell it really strongly. It isn't an electrical smell I don't think, it just smells dirty. Does anyone have any ideas, could it be coming from the cavity wall and if so what can I do? It doesn't smell like anything rotting either i.e. a dead rodent or anything like that. Also, if I wanted to investigate who would be the best type of trades person to ask? Thanks.
Smell coming from understairs cupboard.
- Thread starter Judy15
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A low calorie cured pork product?
Spelling checkers aren't always right, but neither should they always be ignored.
No it isn't a fish smell, that may be easier to detect!!
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As above, look out for overheated light fittings, particularly if you have had high power bulbs fitted in there, or the plastic part of a CFL bulb, as they go brown too. The browning plastic, once re-heated stinks to high heaven. If it's actually melting though (i.e. changing shape) then it's positively unsafe as it means it is made from the wrong type of plastic.
She doesn't describe it as a fishy smell, just "dirty" (stagnant water type of thing?).
Judy - can you get your nose close enough to the holes in the walls to see if it smells stronger there to you?
Maybe get a length of plastic hose so you can "sample" the air directly from the holes?
If it is coming out of those then try sealing them with expanding foam (what circuits and sizes are the electrical cables?)
Judy - can you get your nose close enough to the holes in the walls to see if it smells stronger there to you?
Maybe get a length of plastic hose so you can "sample" the air directly from the holes?
If it is coming out of those then try sealing them with expanding foam (what circuits and sizes are the electrical cables?)
I have put my nose up against the hole and it doesn't smell stronger . It smells the strongest when you just open the door to the cupboard and get that first whiff of the air in there, once the door is open it isn't so bad. I can smell it through the door and out in the hall.
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My GF has the exact problem at her place. The smell (musty) is definitely the main drain smell. In her case the cupboard is a toilet and I'm pretty sure it's the air admittance valve that I'll change when I get around to it. So somewhere along the line you need to look at where the main drain goes. It's nothing to do with the electrics.
Thanks Joe, do you think it might be worth me asking a plumber to take a look then, the cupboard is next to the downstairs toilet.?
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