I live in Canada and have turned my basement into a bedroom. For the past month, there's been a terrible odor, mostly similar to gas and farts, with occasional hints of urine or other unpleasant smells. The smell fluctuates throughout the day but gets much worse at night, and lately, it's become almost unbearable. The basement is regularly cleaned and has no floor drain; it's a finished space with no exposed walls. Two years ago, we had a mouse issue, and after using poison, we were told the mice would dissolve on their own. The smell back then was similar but didn't linger after that incident. Last summer, there were no smells at all. This new odor started randomly a month ago, and I thought it would resolve itself, but it hasn't. I'm worried it might be from dead animals, sewer gas, or a leak from the ceiling or walls. Who should I call to look into it—plumber, air quality inspector, rodent decontamination service? I want to avoid wasting money on someone who won't check the walls or ceiling.
3 Answers
It sounds like it could be related to the P-trap in your plumbing. If the P-trap dries out, it can let sewer gases infiltrate your space. You might want to check that out!
One possibility is a leak in the drains or pipes from nearby bathrooms—those can sometimes create odors inside the walls. If you're not sure, I’d recommend giving a professional a call to investigate.
Have someone flush the toilet while someone else stands in the basement to see if the smell intensifies. I suggest calling a plumber first if that’s the case. They might be able to spot any plumbing issues right away!
That’s a good point! Just make sure they check the P-traps too.