Question: Dear Robert, there is a smell in my home that is foul, but I cannot figure out where it is coming from. I live in the older part of Valencia and have been here for a couple of years, never experienced this before in my life. I am beside myself trying to figure out what this is and how to get rid of it, but don’t know where to turn. It’s been like this for a couple of days now and it seems worse when I turn on the heat for a short bit in the morning.
I’ve looked everywhere, cannot see anything out of place or different. My plumbing is all working well and it doesn’t smell like sewer, so I don’t think there is a leak in any sewer pipes. Any thoughts on where I can hunt or what I may be hunting for? This is nearly unbearable. Thanks for any help.
— Joe M.
Answer: Joe, first check that you’re not smelling a gas leak. It smells like rotten eggs, they put this scent into the gas because, naturally, it has no odor. If this is even remotely a possibility, call the gas company immediately and have your home checked.
Once that is ruled out, I’d certainly look for rodent activity. Especially when there are an abundance of trees and landscaping such as in the older part of Valencia, you can’t help but have rodents in the area. Mostly they just live outside and don’t invade homes, but there are exceptions to this if there is a failure in something like an attic screen or other way they can get in. They’ll likely jump from trees and access roofs, and it’s game on from there, if they find access.
If at the “ground” level of your home you see nothing, including checking near the furnace/water heater areas, I’d go into the crawl space/attic. This is prime real estate for rodents, as they have the insulation for their bedding. If you are not safe to do so, I’d call a licensed and insured pest control contractor to come in and inspect for you. My best guess is that this is the case, and you have some visitors up there.
A good pest control company can solve this problem for you by eliminating the critters and also performing service to prevent future access. They’ll figure out where they accessed, and seal the area. Best of luck. Let me know if you need further assistance.
Robert Lamoureux has more than 40 years of experience as a general contractor, with separate licenses in electrical and plumbing contracting. He owns IMS Construction Inc. in Valencia. His opinions are his own, not necessarily those of The Signal. Opinions expressed in this column are not meant to replace the recommendations of a qualified contractor after that contractor has made a thorough visual inspection. Email questions to Robert at [email protected].
