Nasty smells are hardly a pleasant topic for any blog post, but sometimes, identifying an issue with your nose can be just as effective as identifying one with your ears or eyes. That’s because silent, out-of-sight home emergencies aren’t going to alert you, but you generally know what your home smells like, and anything seriously out of sync with that can raise alarm bells. Now, we can’t smell anything, which is why having carbon monoxide detectors near your gas appliances can be so important.

However, you don’t need us to tell you that if something stinks, and you weren’t expecting it to, that might be a sign to escalate the issue. In this post, we’ll discuss which sudden household smells are a sign of deeper issues that should be attended to immediately.

Please consider the following advice with that in mind:

Burnt Plastic Or Electrical Smells

Your nose might catch a whiff of something that resembles burning plastic or an electrical fire before you see any visible signs of trouble. You’ll notice it, because it’s very unpleasant. That odor could signal serious electrical problems within your walls or appliances, and a possible fire. This can be caused by faulty wiring, overheating electronics, or even a burning motor in an appliance which may be the culprit.

You could notice this smell near outlets, circuit breakers, or around larger appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, or air conditioning units. It can be wise to turn off your electrical supply to the room in question and call electrical inspectors immediately so they can identify and fix the issue.

Rotten Smells

We won’t go into what this smells like because you don’t need to think of that. But it could possibly point to dead animals trapped within walls, attics, or crawl spaces, which most commonly cause this issue. That might be rodents or birds which found their way into the smallest openings in your home’s structure, becoming trapped and eventually perishing. Or, sewage problems can be another source of issues, especially if you have a septic tank in a rural property. You might consider calling professional pest control services to remove those prior issues, or a plumber to fix your piping problems. Ventilate the house as much as you can in these instances.

Musky, Damp Smells

Damp smells, but we might not notice it if it’s situated in a room like the attic or basement. It usually show there’s trapped moisture where it shouldn’t be. If you don’t resolve it that can lead to mold, which gives off spores and can harm your respiratory health, not to mention the rotting of wood and other home materials. This might be a sign your roof needs inspection or window seals and weatherstripping has worn away. Also consider how air is ventilated in these spaces, as you may need to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

With this advice, you’ll be sure to avoid house emergencies by being mindful about smells, and dealing with them as they arise.

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