Nasty Smell!

[Jacquie62]

I have noticed a nasty smell in my house, it smells a bit like FISH! We don't eat fish, so its not a leftover dinner smell... Could it mean we have a damp problem somewhere?

[Grimalkin]

We had a similar problem a couple of weeks ago and it turned out to be a dead bird beginning to fester behind the conservatory - ick... 

I thought damp smelt more like mould.

[Jacquie62]

Thankyou Grimalkin! will do a thorough search for dead birds. but it really does smell like fish?

[cuan2002]

Set a mouse trap under the stairs. If you catch a trout, then you definitely have a damp problem.

It might explain the fishy smell too!

[Emily Ball]

This may seem an unlikely answer but check the plugs of your electric appliances. If faulty wiring is causing the plug to overheat, the resultant odour can smell very fishy.

[sddsddean]

Agree with Emily about the electrics. If you have an old house, check the fuse board and junction boxes in the 'cupboard under the stairs'. I once had this smell for about 4 days and on the 4th day the bakelite fuse board burst into flames (luckily we were in). The guy from the Electricity Board said the smell was the bakelite smouldering.

[Jacquie62]

Thank you for your helpful answers, its funny a friend said it could be electrical.. So will have to have a look.

Otherwise I may try the mouse trap idea and catch a trout!

[gen2]

There is a story that has been going around the internet for a while now concerning fishy smells in a house.  Are you sure you are not the origin of this story?  Here is a summary of the story . . .

A couple broke up (he traded in his forty for a twenty) and the wife put shrimps in the curtain rods as her parting gift before she moved out.
His new girlfriend moved in with him and the smell started and just got worse and worse.
They decided to move as they couldn't get rid of the ever worsening stench.
Of course they took the curtain rods with them....

CHECK YOUR CURTAIN RODS!

[TEAK36]

I am thinking about getting some solar lights for my garden, and was wondering if they are any good, Do they emit a decent amount of light.

[TEAK36]

Sorry Jacqui62,my solar light query was supposed to be a new question, but I clicked on post an answer instead.

[Jacquie62]

not guilty gen2!

[roger_harr]

Hi - have you checked your drains and sewerage outlet outside - this was causing the problem for me.