How to identify smell coming through gaps in floorboards

Lions_john

mi-key said:

Have you checked the house didn't used to belong to Dennis Nilsen ? 

Lol. Imagine that

Lions_john

markin said:

The patio should never have been raised, What is the actual level below the joists?

Indeed. The air bricks are generally above the patio as it's around the new build extension..but I noticed that one in the older part of the house is recessed...this brick feeds into the lounge

Thr level below the joists is a good half metre (estimating as am not at home for a while)

Lions_john

Eldi_Dos said:

If you still can lift the floorboards,get a small garden trowel and dig down into the solum and see if it is dry under the layer of dust you usually get under there.

If you can see the rear of air bricks while you have floorboards up is there a build up of debris behind and below air bricks.With the age of house I would imagine there will be if it has never been cleared out. This material can sometimes smell like damp soot in certain weather conditions.

I always think a experienced joiner is a good start for advice about smells coming from under floor, they can develop a nose for what smell indicates what problem.

If you have a distrust of trades best not to show it when they are there to help you.

EDIT.
 And the most obvious one, have the pipes etc checked by a gas engineer or the gas board.

Thanks for this. I'm away for a few days..but will follow your suggestions and report back

Re trades. If course. I really just meant a general distrust of calling random ones out for a difficult to explain issue...rather than tarring everyone with a brush!

Vikavika

Micron said:

Lions_john said:

Hi, very recently we have started to become aware of a noticeable smell..... like a sweetish, boiled cabbage smell...

My guess would be foul air from a damaged or ill fitting sewer, drain or vent pipe being sucked or blown in the air space under the floorboards.

Dead rats and mice give off an unmistakable odour which I would never describe as 'sweetish'.

I came across your comment a week or so ago and it stuck with me as I think this is what the issue is in our home - a gable end "upper villa" from 1880s. The smell comes from under the skirting boards along 1st floor wall, that we share with neighbour, which extends along our entrance/vestibule/hallway that leads to the small wc. It's not always there but when it is, it's always in the morning and it's especially bad if it's been a stormy night. I've spent so much time and money trying to figure it out and none of the plumbers we've had out have been able to tell us definitively what it is and needless to say they've not fixed it. Can you recommend a solution? Does it take a lot of digging in the structure of the building; could it be to do with an old sewer system that's further away from the building; or are we better off just trying to seal all under-skirting gaps as much as possible? Any advice would be really appreciated.

karenhadary

Hi I have the exact same issue and nobody else can smell it I was going crazy. We moved into a house now which had a kitchen extension about 4 years ago next to the room where the smell is. Did you resolve this?

karenhadary

Vikavika said:

Micron said:

Lions_john said:

Hi, very recently we have started to become aware of a noticeable smell..... like a sweetish, boiled cabbage smell...

My guess would be foul air from a damaged or ill fitting sewer, drain or vent pipe being sucked or blown in the air space under the floorboards.

Dead rats and mice give off an unmistakable odour which I would never describe as 'sweetish'.

I came across your comment a week or so ago and it stuck with me as I think this is what the issue is in our home - a gable end "upper villa" from 1880s. The smell comes from under the skirting boards along 1st floor wall, that we share with neighbour, which extends along our entrance/vestibule/hallway that leads to the small wc. It's not always there but when it is, it's always in the morning and it's especially bad if it's been a stormy night. I've spent so much time and money trying to figure it out and none of the plumbers we've had out have been able to tell us definitively what it is and needless to say they've not fixed it. Can you recommend a solution? Does it take a lot of digging in the structure of the building; could it be to do with an old sewer system that's further away from the building; or are we better off just trying to seal all under-skirting gaps as much as possible? Any advice would be really appreciated.

Hi we have he same issue. Plumbers checked everything and it's not plumbing they said it could be damp from outside and some sheathing has come undone with the rain but the extension could also be an issue. Did you find a solution?