Many things can cause a home to smell bad, from an overflowing trash bin, pets or even teenagers who refuse to wash! While there are some smells that we can ignore, or which will pass quickly enough, others are enduring and require immediate attention, especially if they can cause health problems, fires or in the worst case, even death.
Here are some of the top worrying smells that if found in your home, you should do something about it right away:
Smoke…call 911!
This is one smell that absolutely must not be ignored, and if you smell it, immediately evacuate your home along with any other members of the household and call 911. The fire department will turn off electricity when they arrive, the most important thing is that you get out and stay out until your property has been declared safe.
Sulphur like aroma’s:
If you can smell something resembling rotten eggs in your home, then it could be an indicator of a serious problem, such as a gas leak or escaping sewer gas. You may not know that gas is odourless, so utility suppliers inject a substance called Mercaptan to ensure that if there is a gas leak, it can be detected by the smell of sulphur or rotten eggs. As with smoke, if you smell this strongly, get out of your home immediately and call 911. Never light a match or use a lighter within the vicinity, as if there is a gas leak, you could cause a dangerous explosion. If you can detect the hint of such a smell, then call up a plumber or speak to your utility supplier to try and find the source of the problem. It could be coming from your drains and may indicate a sewer gas leak.
Musty smells:
This type of smell is usually a strong indication that there is mold growing somewhere in your home. If you can’t see the mold when you’ve searched your entire home, you may need to call in a professional to address the issue, since mold spores can be toxic when ingested in large amounts or over a long period of time. If you find the source of the smell in your home, you may still need to call up a professional to address the wider issue, but in the meantime, you can certainly clean it yourself, provided you wear a mask and suitable attire. Large amounts of mold in your home may require an extra pair of hands to help clean it, and cleaning companies are experts in tackling such problems and leaving homes looking and smelling clean again, so give them a call if the problem is extensive or you don’t have the time to clean it yourself.
The aroma of wet dog when you have no dog!
This type of smell can be very strong but not so easy to find the source of, especially if you don’t have any pets. It could mean that you have either a rodent or insect problem since both can sometimes get trapped in unused parts of homes, such as attics or walls. If the smell is noxious or sickly however, it could mean that there is an insect nest or dead animal somewhere in your plumbing or air ducts. Call a professional to come and inspect your home if you can’t locate the source of the smell.
Once you’ve found the source of the smell, your home may still smell or feel dirty, so giving it a thorough clean from top to bottom is advisable. If you don’t have the time to do this, simply call up a professional cleaning company.
