Hello,
I know this is a home construction forum, but I am at a loss and hope to get some helpful advice.
For a few days now, there has been a smell of stale beer/marijuana in the bedroom of my partner and me. We have searched everywhere and found nothing. It is absolutely certain that the cause is not related to these substances.
Now, I smelled the walls (sounds strange, I know) and noticed that a slanted wall smells strongly of this. It is the "sun wall" on the upper floor. The house is about 70 years old.
What could be causing this? Do we need to open up the wall? Could it be mold or maybe a decomposing animal?
I am at a loss.
Thank you in advance!
I know this is a home construction forum, but I am at a loss and hope to get some helpful advice.
For a few days now, there has been a smell of stale beer/marijuana in the bedroom of my partner and me. We have searched everywhere and found nothing. It is absolutely certain that the cause is not related to these substances.
Now, I smelled the walls (sounds strange, I know) and noticed that a slanted wall smells strongly of this. It is the "sun wall" on the upper floor. The house is about 70 years old.
What could be causing this? Do we need to open up the wall? Could it be mold or maybe a decomposing animal?
I am at a loss.
Thank you in advance!
Marie2213 schrieb:
Hello,
I know this is a house BUILDING forum, but I am at a loss and hope for some helpful advice.
For the past few days, there has been a stale beer/marijuana smell in the bedroom of my partner and me. We have searched everywhere and found nothing. It is absolutely certain that the cause is not related to these substances.
Now I have smelled the walls (sounds strange, I know) and noticed that one slanted wall smells strongly of it. It is the "sun wall" on the upper floor. The house is about 70 years old.
What could be causing this? Do we need to open up the wall? Could it be mold or possibly a decomposing animal?
I am at a loss.
Thank you very much in advance!Hello Marie,
I wanted to ask if you have found the cause in the meantime... I think we have the same problem. It is between the garage and the attached house. The wall smells like you described. Strangely, only when it is warm.
I would appreciate a reply. Many thanks and best regards, Stefan
S
Stefanie D.5 Mar 2024 23:58Hello!
I have had a similar problem in my house for many years. But actually only in spring (it has happened again for the past 3 days), always as soon as things start to bloom outside. When it is hot and dry in the summer, the smell disappears – then only appears occasionally when it rains, but mostly just until early summer, after that it’s completely gone. And it happens mainly in the living room and somewhat in the kitchen (which has no door, just an open passage). A few years ago, I had new windows installed, but that didn’t help. The house has no basement. I laid laminate flooring over the solid wood parquet a few years ago. The smell was there both before and after.
Interestingly, there is no smell in the bedroom above the living room, but every now and then it reaches the hallway.
I suspect a huge tree standing next door (a few meters away), which is currently budding, which would fit the timing. But outside, you can only smell it occasionally – then it comes in waves (or maybe I’m imagining it?). It seems like the smell gets more “trapped” in the living room than outside.
The neighbors across the street have not noticed this smell or no longer notice it.
Perhaps someone else here also has a tree nearby?
I would rule out dead mice because of the consistent pattern every year – there’s no scratching in the walls, nor does any wall smell directly anywhere. The dog doesn’t show any signs either and has a good nose...
Next to the living room, I built a WPC (wood-plastic composite) veranda, but underneath it is hollow, partly concrete and gravel. Yes, a mouse sometimes runs through there, but only in spring, and given the weather, that would be strange, right? The dog often alerts to mice under there as well.
Maybe this information helps or we can figure it out together.
Best regards
I have had a similar problem in my house for many years. But actually only in spring (it has happened again for the past 3 days), always as soon as things start to bloom outside. When it is hot and dry in the summer, the smell disappears – then only appears occasionally when it rains, but mostly just until early summer, after that it’s completely gone. And it happens mainly in the living room and somewhat in the kitchen (which has no door, just an open passage). A few years ago, I had new windows installed, but that didn’t help. The house has no basement. I laid laminate flooring over the solid wood parquet a few years ago. The smell was there both before and after.
Interestingly, there is no smell in the bedroom above the living room, but every now and then it reaches the hallway.
I suspect a huge tree standing next door (a few meters away), which is currently budding, which would fit the timing. But outside, you can only smell it occasionally – then it comes in waves (or maybe I’m imagining it?). It seems like the smell gets more “trapped” in the living room than outside.
The neighbors across the street have not noticed this smell or no longer notice it.
Perhaps someone else here also has a tree nearby?
I would rule out dead mice because of the consistent pattern every year – there’s no scratching in the walls, nor does any wall smell directly anywhere. The dog doesn’t show any signs either and has a good nose...
Next to the living room, I built a WPC (wood-plastic composite) veranda, but underneath it is hollow, partly concrete and gravel. Yes, a mouse sometimes runs through there, but only in spring, and given the weather, that would be strange, right? The dog often alerts to mice under there as well.
Maybe this information helps or we can figure it out together.
Best regards
Stefanie D. schrieb:
I suspect the huge tree nearby (it’s already several meters away) What kind of tree is it?
Are there any bird nests in it?
Is there a mouse or rat nest underneath?
Does the dog sometimes behave strangely?
Is there a spot in the living room that smells stronger?
What does the smell actually resemble?
S
Stefanie D.6 Mar 2024 00:29I would have also perceived it as either a marijuana or beer smell, as mentioned in the topic. Although I’m not very familiar with the former.
The tree is quite large and seems to be budding right now; later it will have leaves. Whether animals are living in or under it... good question, it stands on the school grounds next door. I’ll take a photo of it tomorrow and have a closer sniff. Then I’ll try to provide a more detailed report.
The tree is quite large and seems to be budding right now; later it will have leaves. Whether animals are living in or under it... good question, it stands on the school grounds next door. I’ll take a photo of it tomorrow and have a closer sniff. Then I’ll try to provide a more detailed report.
K
Käsekrümelchen13 Mar 2024 13:25Stefanie D. schrieb:
I would have described it the same way as in the original topic, like a smell of marijuana or beer. Although I’m not very familiar with the first.
The tree is quite large and is currently developing buds, later it will have leaves. Whether animals are living in or under it... good question, it stands on the school grounds next door. I’ll take a photo of it tomorrow and have a closer sniff. Then I’ll try to report more precisely. I would be very grateful to know the type of tree, as we have had the same problem in our daughter’s room for 3 or 4 years in a row. Always from the end of February to the end of April. It’s happening again right now. Suddenly the smell appears, and then just as suddenly it disappears. We have lived here for 15 years already. It’s really driving me crazy. It sometimes causes itching and crackling noises in the crawl space (but nobody can get me in there), yet mouse urine definitely smells different! We once had mice and also rats in a cage, so I am familiar with that odor. Decomposition smells completely different as well.
It’s simply a mystery. One day I thought I briefly smelled a small cloud of it outside, but only in a specific spot. Otherwise, no other room smells. Last year it moved—from my daughter’s room to my son’s room, and then to our entrance hall above which there is nothing. After that, it was gone. We live in a timber-frame house.
Best regards,
Nadine
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