ᐅ The wall suddenly smells like marijuana and stale beer.

Käsekrümelchen schrieb:

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 until the end of April. It’s happening again right now. Suddenly the smell appears, and then just as suddenly it’s gone. We have lived here for 15 years already. It’s driving me crazy. There is occasionally some scratching and crackling in the crawl space (but no one can get me in there), and mouse urine definitely smells different! We once had mice and also rats in a cage, so I know that smell well. Decay smells definitely different too.
It’s just a mystery. That day I briefly thought I smelled a small cloud outside, but only in one specific spot. Otherwise, none of the rooms smell. Last year the smell moved. From my daughter’s room to my son’s room and then to our entrance hall, which has nothing above it. Then it disappeared. We live in a timber-framed house.
Best regards
Nadine

Hello Nadine, unfortunately, the tree only has buds so far, so I haven’t got any further with that either. For three days there has been no smell here at all. Since yesterday, however, it’s been very strong again, and throughout the whole house, but I still can’t pinpoint exactly where it is coming from or entering.
It sounds very similar to what you’re experiencing... A friend said yesterday it comes from outside; he also noticed it in waves there. In the living room, where I smell it the most, I have the most windows, so that might at least explain it.
I’ll keep looking into it, and if you make any progress, please let me know!
Best regards, Steffi

Stefanie D. schrieb:

Hello Nadine, so far the tree only has buds, so I’m still not any further. For three days now, there hasn’t been any smell here at all. Since yesterday, it’s been extremely strong again. But it’s throughout the whole house, and I still can’t pinpoint exactly where it’s coming from.
It sounds very similar to what you’re experiencing... A friend said yesterday it might be coming from outside; he also smelled it there in bursts. In the living room, where I notice it the most, I have the most windows. That could at least explain it.
I’ll keep monitoring the situation, and if you make any progress, please let me know!
Best regards, Steffi

For us, it was shrews. I caught one in a live trap, and when I smelled it, I knew... those were the shrews.

Käsekrümelchen schrieb:

There’s sometimes scratching and rustling in the crawl space (but no one is getting in there)

In that case, grandpa placed a bowl of water and locked up a cat for 2 days, and after that, it was always quiet.

Nida35a schrieb:

In this case, grandpa put out a bowl of water and kept the cat confined for 2 days, and after that, everything was quiet.

It seems strange to me if this happens every spring and only under certain weather conditions. I don’t have a basement or an attic, nor is there anything running inside the walls, and the dog would have already indicated the mice. Then it would have to smell every day, not just occasionally, right?

Did it smell more like urine constantly, or only occasionally?

Since Nadine mentioned scratching, I could imagine it being more likely there. Although she also writes that the smell was different.

Best regards, Steffi

Stefanie D. schrieb:

Having this happen every spring for many years and only under certain weather conditions seems a bit strange to me. I don’t have a basement or attic, nothing moves in the walls, and the dog would have alerted us to mice by now. If that were the case, it should smell every day, not just occasionally, right?

Did it smell more like urine and was it constant or only occasional?

Since Nadine experiences itching, I can more easily imagine something there. Although she also says the smell is different.

Best, Steffi

It definitely doesn’t smell like mice. I doubt that shrews (or similar small rodents) have distinctly different urine odors. It doesn’t sting the nose either. The smell disappears after being in the room for a few minutes—you don’t notice it anymore. It’s only noticeable when entering the room. It’s a really hard smell to describe but not unpleasant enough to avoid the room. And as I said, it comes and goes suddenly. Knowing that others have this problem too is reassuring. I was beginning to think I was going crazy. I always suspected a tree outside, but it’s strange that you can’t smell this scent outdoors or anywhere else in the house. Last year it actually moved. Oh, I should also mention that our son’s room is right next door, separated only by drywall, and the floor runs under both rooms. So why doesn’t it smell there? We’ve had mice from time to time—at one point they made themselves comfortable in our pantry—but it never smelled like this. We do occasionally hear scratching noises in the ceiling of our bedroom, just under a small section of the ridge beam (the attic is fully converted).

It remains odd.

Käsekrümelchen schrieb:

It definitely doesn’t smell like mice. I doubt that shrews’ urine smells any different. The smell doesn’t irritate the nose either. After being in the room for a few minutes, the smell disappears completely. You only notice it when you enter the room. It’s a scent that’s really hard to describe but not unpleasant enough to avoid the room. And as I said, it appears suddenly and disappears just as quickly. Knowing that others have the same problem is reassuring. I thought I was going crazy. I also suspected a tree, but it’s strange that you don’t smell anything like this outside or anywhere else in the house. Only last year did the smell move around. I should mention our son’s room is right next door and only separated by drywall, with the floor continuing over there as well. So why doesn’t it smell there? We’ve had mice from time to time. They liked our pantry for a while, but it never smelled like this. Sometimes there’s scratching noise up in our bedroom near the small ridge beam (the attic is fully converted). It’s still strange.

What’s odd is that in the evening (like right now) the smell is gone, but it was very noticeable this morning…