Fishy smell...

[liessemsed]

We have a new construction home (built last summer), and for the last month or two we've been noticing a fishy smell in two upstairs bedrooms. We've gone through the bedrooms, looking to see if the kids stashed anything nasty in there, but they haven't. It goes back and forth between the rooms, at times it's stronger in my son's room, other times its strongest in my daughter's room. It comes and goes, it's not constant. We don't think it's a dead critter in the walls, because it doesn't smell like what I've known a dead animal in the walls to smell like. Any other ideas??

[Ludwig]

You could have critters in the attic. Check your courts in rods. There was a vindictive wife who put shrimp in the rods and the guy could not sell the house because of the smell. It took them a long time to find the source. LOL

[sojourner truth]

I had a friend who had this problem, and they never did narrow down an exact cause. A contractor suggested it may have been one of the adhesives used in the carpet or tile. Also, perhaps somethiung in the insulation or ducting.

They did a check in the attic and couldn't find any critters either.

[IronErnin]

Cut a piece of citrus fruit in half. Place each half in opposing corners of the room. Leave for about a day. It works for getting rid of fresh paint smells. If the smell persists beyond a couple of applications, have the kids checked. They may have some health problem that is causing it.

[sojourner truth]

Now that IE mentionsit, paint is also a strong possible. I had this problem at the old house now that my mind has been joggled. I used some cheap off brand to repaint 2 rooms and had a slight fishy smell.

[beaver]

Get some tartar sauce.

[HistoryTeacher]

Don't know where you'd look in bedrooms, but our kitchen almost had smell issues. We came to look at the progress while our house was being built, and found that the workers were putting their trash between the kitchen cabinets. We saw this the day before the countertop was to go on. We let them know that this would only make us check it nearly every day from then on. Wonder if you have an open space where something might have been stashed.

[sojourner truth]

You'd be amazed at what I found in my wall spaces and attic mixed in with the insulation....I though it was taboo to driink beer on the job.

[CenTexDave]

Last trip back from Germany and delivery of household goods revealed an empty case of Stuttgarter Hofbrau in the container. Damn fools could have at least left me one full one. :))

[sojourner truth]

Yep...the guys that moved us out of quarters on our last tour of Germany were very thorough...They packed up our garbage can...garbage and all and shipped it to Texas. It was ripe when we got our household goods 4 months later.:))

[liessemsed]

I wonder if it's not the paint - they're the only two rooms in the house that smell and they're the only 2 rooms in the house that we've repainted... but it comes and goes with no real rhyme or reason. Last night it smelled very strongly. Today, nothing.

We've checked the attic, and there's nothing up there.

[Ludwig]

Yep...the guys that moved us out of quarters on our last tour of Germany were very thorough...They packed up our garbage can...garbage and all and shipped it to Texas. It was ripe when we got our household goods 4 months later.:))

It is our vay for getting revenge on the enemies of the vaterland. bmhahahahahah,

[siamcat]

You might want to check electrical outlets and light fixtures in the area. I had a friend who had that problem and it was melting plastic or other parts in the outlet. Can't remember exactly. They discovered it when one outlet started smoking and the smell went away until another outlet had the same problem and the smell came back.

[liessemsed]

You might want to check electrical outlets and light fixtures in the area. I had a friend who had that problem and it was melting plastic or other parts in the outlet. Can't remember exactly. They discovered it when one outlet started smoking and the smell went away until another outlet had the same problem and the smell came back.

We don't think that's it, but we'll check. We haven't changed out any of the lightbulbs or anything since we moved in, and we don't have issues in any other rooms except for those two. I think we will probably have to call the builders and see if they can come in and check it out.

[siamcat]

We don't think that's it, but we'll check. We haven't changed out any of the lightbulbs or anything since we moved in, and we don't have issues in any other rooms except for those two. I think we will probably have to call the builders and see if they can come in and check it out.

If your house is that new, call them. After all they built it. I just wanted to bring it up, since it can be the cause and it's a hazard.

[kantwin]

We've checked the attic, and there's nothing up there.
Krikey! I hope there is insulation there at least! {just kidding...}
Other than that, I got nothin'...LOL

[Ludwig]

We don't think that's it, but we'll check. ...

Just wondering... did the occupants of the rooms detect the smell before you got there? Is it possible that you are carrying the smell in with you?

[liessemsed]

Just wondering... did the occupants of the rooms detect the smell before you got there? Is it possible that you are carrying the smell in with you?

:) No, my son noticed it that it stunk in his room. He alerted me of it, so I naturally thought it was his laundry. Then a few days later my husband (who has a terrible sense of smell) smelled it in my daughter's room. My parents were visiting and they noticed it in the hallway outside of their room. My nephew noticed it too. So I don't think it's me.

[engteach64]

Ludwig, I read that about the woman with the curtain rods. I thought it was hilarious!

When we were in the Army we were told to make sure all garbage, etc. was out of the way of the movers or they'd pack it. They will pack an open can of pop. Crazy movers. We watched them like hawks to be sure the didn't pack anything we didn't want packed. :)

[liessemsed]

Problem solved! We discovered it was the lights in the rooms. We discovered this because last week we had company, and they turned on the lights in our upstairs play room (and we rarely turn on the lights in there ever), and after about 30 minutes, there was a slight fishy smell. We replaced the bulbs that were in with lower wattage, and the smell went away. Oddly enough, this hasn't been a problem on the 1st floor of our house. Although I tried to remove the air freshener from my son's room, and he said, "No, mom. Keep it in here. I'm a stinky boy, so this makes people think I'm not so stinky." (He's almost 5.) :)

[CenTexDave]

Please - what kind of bulbs? Manufacturer and wattage?

[circle_c]

Certainly weird to say the least, first time I have heard of this. May be that thick dusst on the bulbs smelled after bulb got hot,

[CenTexDave]

I have electric heaters in both bathrooms, and when I use them for the first time when it gets cold - after sitting dormant for 8 or 9 months - I get a smell but it is like a burning electric smell as the dust is burned off the heating elements.

[siamcat]

I'm glad you found the problem.