Strange Smells in Apartment Unit/Sewage?

Started by MaggieM1 • 10 replies • 1862 views

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MaggieM1 (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 9

Posted:

Hello All,
We own an apartment building in which one unit of 12 has a very strange odor that resembles sewage. The odor only occurs at night and not in the bathroom or kitchen but the partition wall which separates the kitchen from the living room. I have had extermintors, plumbers and sewage specialists out to see what they could find -- NOTHING! The tenants are incredibly good tenants and they may have to move. The building also has an elevator and I understand that elevator pits can get things lodged in them causing an odor. But the odor is only contained to their unit! They are very clean, meticulous tenants, as well. Any ideas??!!!
Many thanks,
Maggie McLaughlin
SBC Property Management Group

Maggie McLaughlin
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SBC Property Management Group
(Pennsylvania Community Management)
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JackieB (California)
Posts: 198

Posted:

any family members missing?? LOL

GloriaM (North Carolina)
Posts: 829

Posted:

Possibly something dead? Gas leakage? Mold?

DonnaS (Tennessee)
Posts: 5,671

Posted:

Yup, something is dead in a wall or inside the elevator shaft. Check for bodys.

AnnaD2 (Florida)
Posts: 960

Posted:

Want something done quickly? Call your local law enforcement ( police/sherrif department) and tell them you suspect someone (or something) may have died in your building. Report the rancid smell. They'll bring the "forensic" squad out there to check it out. It's a lot faster than filing a complaint with "departments" with the city or county.

SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202

Posted:

Wet drywall can give off a terrible odor. Condensation in the walls can build up when the evening coolness hits moisture. Drill some small holes in the wall and see what happens. It may just need circulation.

OR there's a dead mouse in the house!

JosephW (Michigan)
Posts: 882

Posted:

With an interior wall, about the only thing that would create that strong an odor is a dead rodent or animal. The question becomes why only at night. I don't have a clue. Punch a hole in the wall and drop a light with a camera and see what you can see. The exterminator should have a set-up for this.

Joe

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MicheleD (Kentucky)
Posts: 4,491

Posted:

Three times in as many years, my husband has had to deal with this at his office.

The first time it was a dead cat.

The second time a dead rat.

The last time (just about a month ago) a dead 'possum. (We ARE in Kentucky, after all!)

Each time the animals were inside interior walls.

Don't underestimate the power of critters to get in.

The last time they had to knock a hole in the wall and re-drywall when they were done.

KarenS11 (Florida)
Posts: 148

Posted:

I had a problem in my bathroom and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. I would close the drains to my sink and bath tub, as I thought it may be a clogged drain. I noticed it more first thing in the morning and it was a faint sewage smell. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from- no leaks under the sink or around the baseboards. I even stopped using that bathroom for a few days, but the smell remained.

Turned out to be the drain to my neighbor's toilet....it took his plumber three trips and cutting through the wall in two places to finally find it and by that time it had saturated the drywall on my wall that abuts his. If I had pushed on my wallpaper, I would have felt it give, but I never thought to do that.

If it's a toilet leak, maybe they only use that one at night....

DJ1 (Ontario)
Posts: 798

Posted:

Any missing HOA Board members?

MaggieM1 (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 9

Posted:

Thanks to all of you for your excellent input to my mysterious nighthly smells in one of our apartment units. I'll investigate using some of your experiences. Enjoy the holiday! Maggie McLaughlin, SBC

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