Project Mortgage Neutral Begins

A_Frayed_Knot

Great advice SL, exactly what I do, although I still get a bit messy at times, so have resorted to wearing plastic? gloves, keeps me trying to get the silicone off where it shouldn't be !!!.

AJ you mention that the smell arrived as the workmen arrived and in the same area  it could be that there has been stagnant water in your rads, and when they emptied them (down the drain?) then this could be the cause.

You are also describing a fatty smell, and was wondering if you had a chip pan or frying pan you have used recently, or again could just be a build up in the drains.  I'm sure you will get it sorted soon.

Another wee point to make is my mum bought leg cups from Bee&Q the other day and they have a sort of felt on the bottom of them, for putting under furniture legs so they don't scrape the wooden floors, but they are also great for under washing machines, fridge freezers and cookers, or anything heavy that will slide on wooden floors, tiles or lino, makes moving things a breeze.

ajmoney

Thanks guys.  I noticed the smell yesterday morning when I went into the kitchen, before the workmen arrived so I don't think they are to blame.  After a couple of hours with the doors and windows shut while I was out I can confirm the smell is now in the kitchen AND bathroom but nowhere else.  The rooms are next to each other at the back of the house but the bedroom on that side of the house and the dining room are fine.  I guess from this it may be water related, if not slowly spreading from the kitchen.  I think my help will be here in an hour to see if we can get to the bottom of it, I have shut the doors up again so he can get an idea of what I am working with.  Fresh air does seem to get rid of it but I don't know if that helps my detective work.

ajmoney

Mr AJM came yesterday evening and if nothing else helped me to be able to explain the smell. It is a chemical/solvent kind of smell. We pulled the washing machine out but there were no signs there, the kickboards are glued in place so couldn't get underneath the unit but he agrees with me that it is coming from around the sink area and doesn't appear to be in the sink drains. We went outside and put our heads to the airbricks at the back and could smell it all along the back of the house, we didn't think to check at the front. I messaged the heating engineers from the day before to ask if they had noticed anything in the void space but they hadn't. We were left not having a clue what to do but because the electrician still needs to pop round I am going to ask his advice.
I spoke to my family while we were on a video chat last night to brainstorm who I would call and we wondered about a builder. I am going to ask my neighbours if they have had any problems today but bizarrely when I went in the kitchen and bathroom this morning I couldn't smell anything. It will be interesting to see if anything is disturbed when I run water into the sinks.

Suffolk_lass

I should have said before, try putting a full kettle of boiling water down the kitchen sink. If the smell is fat related it may be straightforward. Otherwise, definitely try the caustic soda (Lye) crystals - if nothing else they will send caustic smoke up as they clear the immediate pipes. "Knowing" how you like things clean and sorted, this is a good monthly cleaning routine to have anyway. Helps remove any slimy deposits.

ajmoney

Where do I get the crystals from @Suffolk_lass ? Still no smell in the house, I think there is a residual smell by the airbricks but I might also be imagining it.  You are right about clean and sorted, now the charity shops are open I may take the stuff that was sorted during lockdown along tomorrow.  I want to have another sort out (didn't do my room and it is nearly 6 months since I did that one) but rather than overwhelm myself I am going to complete the first job.

I went for a bike ride with a friend this morning, a 20km route where I was on roads the whole time and then some mountain bike trails, I didn't like those and was completely out of my comfort zone but knowing how far I have come in the last few months it would be interesting to try again next year.  We had a bite to eat and then had a loch swim.  We are a good match for swim pace and once I get more confidence on the bike downhill we will be fairly well matched on the bike too so it was lovely.  In a couple of hours I have an online pilates class and then a zoom thing with british triathlon to find out how they have been operating their events during the restrictions as out first triathlon events are starting up in a couple of weeks time.

Suffolk_lass

Usually I go to a traditional hardware store but if you haven't got one nearby online is an option. I keep them for making soap really but drain cleaning too. Mostly people tend to use soda crystals first as they are the green bags in the laundry department of many supermarkets and are kinder to the environment - just reading a bit online there are environmental controls in UK around caustic soda now so it may be you would prefer a ready dilute liquid like drain unblocker to try first - I use this one and the blue bathroom one when I see them on offer.

I did not know the rules had changed as I make soap so keep lye in the house.

ajmoney

It is a strange day weather wise today so a lot of it will probably be spent inside.  These are the days I am least keen on, when I don't have plans to see others and can't get out and about as easily, especially as I don't like just sitting in the house.  My cupboards are very bare and I no longer have anything to make up meals from so food shopping is definitely on my to do list, I have got even worse with meal planning so will try and do this until Tuesday as I am unsure what I am doing after that next week.  If the ground dries up enough I might try and get out locally on my bike, if not I will put my waterproofs on and go for a walk this afternoon.  I don't have much planned for the weekend either so I will need to change that or it won't be a good few days, hopefully the weather will be kind.

ajmoney

I should have stayed at home.  Went out on my bike, all was going well and then I think I panicked, braked and came off my bike.  A lovely couple stopped to check I was ok which was nice, especially in these weird times.  Grazes to my arm and leg, sore inner leg where I fell against the cross bar and a cracked bike helmet although after getting home and having a shower I can add marks on my flank on the side I didn't land on.  I can't fully remember what happened so maybe the bike fell on me but I am not sure.  Sitting with tea and biscuits and feeling a little sorry for myself.  After spending the last three months building my confidence up I will need to get on again soon so I don't do silly things again, I need to get a new bike helmet first though.

A_Frayed_Knot

Oh no, a bit bruised and battered but thank goodness you had a helmet on.
A nights rest should help but could be a little sore in the morning (sorry), a wee blich (not sure that's how is spelt, I googled it and it came up with a place in Poland) 
Get a good rest.

ajmoney

It wasn't such a restful night as I couldn't get comfortable. I put a sterile dressing over my elbow so I could sleep on either side but that seemed the easier bit. The bruising on the opposite side of my body is tender and that side of my neck is a little sore too. I am meant to be doing a friend's Pilates class this morning, I messaged her last night to say what had happened and that there might be some exercises I can't do but I am wondering if I should give my body a couple of days to settle. The worst bit is I will need to take a couple of days off swimming until the graze on my elbow dries up 
I think I will probably walk to h@lfords to look at their bike helmets. As soon as the swelling and bruising has died down on my inner leg and I can sit on the bike I want to get back out there before I talk myself out of it again.