Hey everyone! We moved into a new rental about five weeks ago. The building is pretty new (only about 4 years old). The previous tenants painted the place with latex paint, but we're not sure if it was new or some old stuff they had lying around.
In a couple of the rooms, we've noticed a weird smell that's kind of like gas — not sewage or sweat, but definitely a sour, gas-like smell. We can tell the odor is coming from the walls.
When we air out the apartment, it doesn't smell as bad, but once we close the windows, it kicks up a notch. If we also close the bedroom door, it gets even worse.
Right now, it's summer, and the temperature is around 30°C with medium-high humidity, and we've been ventilating the apartment daily for about a month.
I'm really sensitive to smells and have been feeling dizzy for weeks, but my partner doesn't seem to notice anything unusual. Has anyone else experienced this? Is this something common, and what's the best way to fix it?
3 Answers
You should definitely call the fire department and let them check it out. Most have gas sniffers and can come to investigate any potential leaks. It could be that there’s a damaged pipe behind the wall from a screw or a rotted pipe. Better safe than sorry!
It might be mold or some kind of bacterial growth from old or poorly stored latex paint. Do you think it smells more like sour milk or rotten eggs?
Not really! I've heard that 'spoiled paint' smells really strong. For me, it's a faint, unpleasant sour smell, which definitely gets worse when the room is sealed.
I'm leaning towards spoiled paint as well. This can happen, especially with open old paint cans. If it’s been stored improperly, it might give off that type of smell.
That’s our suspicion too. They had a big bucket of paint in a musty warehouse, so we’re guessing they painted with it. If it is spoiled paint, what’s the best way to deal with this?
Yeah, but just to clarify, it doesn’t smell like classic gas—it’s more of a sour odor that’s really coming from the walls.