Houses are full of smells. From what pets you have to what laundry detergent you use. Every house and family has a signature scent. We’re all so used the smells around our home that we no longer smell them. When there’s a peculiar scent, it get’s noticed. For instance, the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven is an attention grabber.
Not all house smells are good ones like stinky trash that’s overdue for the dumpster, a teenager’s body odor, and animal urine. The smells you should really be worried about are the ones that suggest something is seriously wrong in your home. It’s important to be hyperaware of the following smells to keep you safe. Some smells can cause health problems, fires, or even death. Let’s take a closer look at five domestic odors you should pay attention to if they occur in your home.
1.
A Dog:
If you notice a wild, animal-like smell like a dog in need of a bath, you could
have an animal or insect problem. Rodents, raccoons, and squirrels are all prone to getting
trapped in neglected parts of a home like the attic or walls. However, if
the smell is a noxious, sickly smell, there is probably an insect nest or a
dead animal trapped somewhere in the plumbing or air ducts.
Call a professional Heating,
Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
repair or plumbing company to come inspect
your home’s systems and get your home back to
smelling right.
2.
Dirty Socks: If
you smell a musty or moldy odor, you could have a mold problem—some
people say that mold smells like dirty socks or feet. Mold can vary in severity
from being merely an inconvenience to being dangerously toxic,
so it’s important to address the issue immediately. People with asthma and
allergies can find that their symptoms are made worse by exposure to mold.
If you do find mold, disinfect non-porous substances like
tile with a solution of bleach and water, and let it sit for a few minutes
before venting the area. If your mold outbreak is in dry wall, it’s best to
have a professional remove and replace these areas. If you can’t see the mold,
it could be in the walls or ceiling, meaning you’ll need to call your local
health department or a home inspector to
find the problem.
3.
Nothing:
Out of all the dangers posed by substances in a home, one is particularly
deadly, and doesn’t contain any detection substances like mercaptan. Carbon monoxide doesn’t smell like anything, and yet it can be absorbed by
the human body in minutes leading to unconsciousness, illness or death. Sources
of carbon monoxide in a home can include space heaters, gas, and wood stoves,
and fireplaces.
That’s why it’s important to keep a carbon monoxide detector in your home,
as well as a smoke detector. They work off a variety of technologies. In a
biomimetic sensor, a gel changes color when it absorbs carbon dioxide,
triggering an alarm. Others use circuit chips or chemical solutions to detect
carbon monoxide and trigger an alarm. Install one carbon monoxide detector per
floor to ensure that the gas doesn’t become trapped in one area.
If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, move everyone
outside into the fresh air. Carbon monoxide exposure can produce flu-like symptoms,
so if these signs are present, call 911 immediately. If you can, open your
doors and windows before heading outside to vent the gas from your home. Don’t
re-enter the home until the alarm stops, or the authorities say it’s safe to
return home. Contact a professional to evaluate your heating appliances and any
other potential sources of carbon monoxide to prevent a future incident.
4.
Rotten Eggs: The smell of rotten eggs is
instantly recognizable, and can be an indicator of a serious problem in your
home. The two most common sources of a rotten egg smell are a natural gas leak,
and escaping sewer gas. In its natural state, natural gas is actually odorless.
That’s why utility companies inject a substance called mercaptan,
which emits an odor that smells like sulfur or rotten eggs. If there’s a very
strong smell, you could have a substantial natural gas leak.
Leave the area, call 911 from a safe place, and call your
utility company so they can send out a technician as well. It’s also important
not to smoke or use matches or lighters because natural gas is flammable. If
you detect a faint smell of rotten eggs on occasion, you may have a leak of sewer gas,
which contains toxic elements including hydrogen sulfide and methane. Often the
source of sewer gas is a bathroom that isn’t used very often. The pipes under a
shower or sink have a u-shaped trap where water usually blocks sewer gas from
leaking back into a home.
To create that barrier, simply pour a cup of water into the
bathroom drain. If you can’t find the source of the sewer gas leak in your
plumbing, the issue could be a vent pipe, which disperses sewer gas through a
home’s roof. If you can’t find the source, simply call a home inspector or
plumber to investigate.
5.
Smoke:
If you smell smoke in
your home, exit it through the nearest door or window, and call 911. Don’t
return to the home, and don’t worry about turning off the electricity because
your local fire department will shut off utilities when they arrive. It’s also
critical to know what your smoke detector sounds like so you and your family
will recognize it in the event of a fire.
Another urgent task is to change the batteries in your smoke
detector annually, and check that they’re working at least once a month. Another
key smell that could indicate that you have an electrical short somewhere
is a pungent “fish” smell. This smell often indicates that there’s a burning
electrical implement somewhere in your home.
As it turns out,
electrical wires and other manufactured plastic components emit a fishy smell
when they’re exposed to high heat. If you smell this particular odor, take a
look at your outlets and electrical components to see if anything is melting or
otherwise malfunctioning.
“If your house smells good, people perceive you as a good person. If there is a bad smell, people may perceive you another way.” (Alan R. Hirsch)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“8 Highly Dangerous House Smells That Should Not Be
Ignored” by Kate Taylor
·
“HVAC” from Wikipedia
·
“Top Five
Smells to Be Concerned About in your Home” by StormGuard
This post was inspired
by the Rossen Reports (“Home Explosion Danger”) on the Today Show, Tuesday, September 18, 2018.
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