3) tossing bleach tablets into toilet tanks (toilet bowl cleaner tablets) - this and the next two are is the most likely to cause persistent smell of this type. Bleach Smell Inside And Outside Of House - Please Help!! I have not mentioned them using a handheld Drager sniffer or similar because I have low hopes that will determine the chemical responsible nor the source, though it is possible it can identify the class of chemical - but if a bleach smell, handheld unit might just give a hit for chlorinated compounds and certainly you will still need GC or MS or GC/MS testing to identify the exact one - which unfortunately STILL does not tell you necessarily the source or the exact product, because for say a chlorinated cleanser or phenol disinfectant there are still a bundle of products which could have released that chemical. You did not say what type of insulation you have - is it possible chemical was sprayed on a foam insulation that it reacted with ? How to get rid of bleach odor? Air out for days and think its dissipating, but within hours of closing up windows you can smell it again. 15) rotting wood can smell like this - some fungal growth can be quite acidic smelling or astringent - usually due to a leaking pipe or shower pan or toilet wax seal, commonly in subfloor under tub or shower or toilet. We've had A restoration company come and say it smells like ozone but cannot find a source. If not crystallized at high temperatures (3000C) without oxygen, this element will slowly oxidize into a chlorine-like smell, instantly react and bind to organic matter and all types of metal, only to be re-oxidized by humid air and repeat the process. Inside my unit is a drain hose . 11) again getting back to what was in the house on closing day so may not apply, but intermixing or leakage of solvents, paints, perfumes in storage/garage/workshop, or some chemical in a container (particularly urethanes and resins do this) going bad in the can and leaking odors as it changes chemical composition. In some cases, the added chlorine may interact with organic materials built up in the plumbing system and add odor to the water. If you smell electrical burning, cut the power to your unit and call a technician for help.” https://www.getzschman.com/blog/whats-smell-5-furnace-odors-mean/, “ 9) if possibly ozone, rather than chlorine (the biting sharp smell some electric motors and transformers and brush-type motors put out), then check around any electric motors you have - furnace blower, water or sump pumps, "instant on" hot water recirculation pump, A/C, furnace blower, reefer, doorbell or furnace/boiler transformer, etc. Also of course, if it was smelled at closing date walk-through, and same smell and approximate persistence now, I would be making a strong effort (if previous owner will cooperate) to talk with any contractors or cleaners who were in the house about what they used - anything from wall washing or carpet cleaning solution to repainting. Ran water and flushed in a bathroom we haven't used lately, even checked the traps in our outdoor storm water, which ties into our sewer line. Certainly if this smell was not there during your initial viewing or home inspection (home inspector would probably have noted it in report if that strong), then pretty much has to be something overheating causing the smell, or some architectural refinishing or cleaning or treatment or disposal that was done just before closing. Please do let me know what the cause ends up being - you now have me irritated by this issue and in anticipation of the result for this too. What could this smell be from? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/temporal-lobe-seizure/expert-answers/phantosmia/faq-20058131, https://www.getzschman.com/blog/whats-smell-5-furnace-odors-mean/, https://answers.angieslist.com/What-causing-consistent-chlorine-bleach-smell-home-recently-purchased-q224287.aspx, Cleaning tips for white hard water stains on Blanco silgranite sink, I need to know how to get rid of the dirt stain as shown below. bright red lustrous specs, especially days after cleaning the area with amine based cleaner (and turns golden with acids). Weird News. A friend's parent tried the car shocker from nasty mold growing in car from getting rained in ooops those back windows. Hope this helps! I have not had any infections this winter or other allergies. We've investigated our HVAC units, pool filter system, cleaned the entire house with a light vinegar water solution, aired the house out with commercial fans and the smell will not subside. 9) Strong chlorine smell could also be from some industrial/commercial cleaner in the public sewers backing into your line and venting into the house through a faulty vent system or dried out floor drain. Upon my dad's recommendation, I took the cap off my condensate pipe that collects condensation both from my A/C and from my dehumidifier, and stuck my nose right up to it. As your furnace ages, worn bearings may cause the blower motor to seize up or bind. Homeowner Horror Story: A Close Call with Carbon Monoxide, Video: Test for Meth Before Buying a House, Indiana Meth Law Creates New Tool to Avoid Drug, Contact Us | Besides, the strong chemical smell fills our home which is not quite pleasant. Thanks for your interest in Angie's List! That was last week. Though the fact you and the home inspector during purchase (if you had an inspection done) did not detect the smell at that time - which could mean it was wide open windows and airing out when you were there (which would imply owner know about the issue and failed to disclose it) or that possibly it was something going on after your offer and inspection and before closing - a vacant house presenting an opportunity for just a day or few of illegal use. There is no smell in 1/2 bath or laundry closet on 1st floor. It's also common for moisture to collect in the basement or stone foundation as it is the lowest point in your home and also the coolest. its been 60 days since we closed and while i believe the smell is marginally better it is still lingering. The Cause of the “Chlorine Smell” Experts at the Water Quality and Health Council, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®) tell us that properly chlorinated swimming pools do not have a strong chemical smell. I would think if you air out all the rooms (all windows open while weather is still nice), then close all doors and HVAC system and leave all fans off, and block the gap underneath all doors with tape or towels, after a few hours of it being shut up you should be able to go through the house room by room and detect where the smell is strongest, then track down the source by nose from there. Make sure you ask our Member Care Team about our new membership options! All comments are subject to review and approval prior to posting. In some cases, children may consume cleaning products that contain chlorine. This requires turning on outside faucets and letting the water run until the smell is gone. (amorphous reduced osmium is black but it can also be a red-brown hydroxide confused as iron rust.). Cat litter is super absorbsent and can capture the moisture that's in the air--given enough time. May have spilled a bottle of bleach or such during moveout that smells anuytime it gets moist (like from dishwasher venting of damp air for instance), 1) heavily used or spilled bleach or bleach-based cleanser - airing out would normally clear this out in a couple of days unless in a confined space like in the subfloor under cabinets, or drained out of cabinet under it and from there into or under the flooring, 2) bleach used to wash down bathroom, kitchen or basement walls that were growing mildew/mold - unless liberally poured on cracks in the floor or around edges of wall should dissipate in a week or so, but if poured in could be reactivated anytime the area got mosit from humid bathroom or kitchen air or such. It's hard for us to determine if the source(s) of the smell are throughout the house or just being picked up by the HVAC unit and distributed throughout. So any ozone you notice now, which does have a bit of a disinfectant odor but not really like bleach, would have to be actively generated by an electric motor in the house or powerline arcing. 3) flex dryer vent in clothes dryer partly disconnect so it is getting scorched by the hot air coming out and stinking (melted plastic smell). it could be an overheating electronic device power supply (most are constant-on) or electronic device transformer or charger putting out chlorinated or other chemical smell as it overheats. (In Philly, they are not separate.). be cautious you do not invite neighborhood drug lab operator over to talk about his lab's smell) over to smell around your house and see if it is a local odor they recognize. Now 4 hours later no more chlorine smell just a light sent of Pinesol. That is generally limited to carpets and heavily contaminated unwashable curtains, rugs, mattresses, unfinished rough wood or fabric wall coverings, and the like. Researches have found that good smells, in fact, make you happy, boost your energy and increase your focus. Generally, a sewage-like or rotten egg odor in your tap water results when sulfur-reducing bacteria grow in your drain, water heater, or well. I am going to presume you are pretty sure it is not a decaying body you are smelling, though the odor from even larger varmits like coons and possums generally taper off in about 2-3 months - smaller ones like rates and squirrels and such in the walls or trapped under tubs or such more commonly mummify or dry out completely and stop smelling strongly in a month or less. The heat is often enough to melt away wire insulation, and soon your unit could produce electrical shorts and sparks that emit the smell. Might you be using one more often than you did previously? We'll be happy to help you find some highly rated experts to look into this, but it doesn't look like you have a subscription yet. FAQ | For example I will have a terrible reaction to lavender, or to paint that nobody else smells or nobody smells it very strongly, it but we can always hunt it down and find the source. Gee thanks ancient not so wise one! The chlorine smell in water tends to dissipate as it travels to farther destinations. Another trick (though not as good as getting down on hands and knees) is to clean your vacuum (works best with shop vac where the exhaust air comes striaght up to your nose easily), then while smelling the exhaust (ignoring the slight musty and ozone smells), run the vacuum hose over all trim, baseboards, under and around all appliances to the maximum extent possible, at all vents or registers, all concrete slab cracks, etc - to see if you can pin down a source point. 4) pouring bleach into crack around basement slab or into sump pump pit to kill odor coming up from stagnant under-slab water or moisture. Normally going to be much stronger in basement, crawlspace, or just one room where the damage is concentrated. Towels would smell of it after a shower and you could definitely smell it in the bathroom when the towels were hanging to dry. Visit the Solution Center to Explore Articles. The day we closed on the house we noticed a fairly strong chemical smell (bleach/chlorine like) in the house but chalked it up to the house being closed up. Hot air rises while cold air falls. 2) just to be sure - you did say several people smell it, right - so it is not just one person's sense of smell gone haywire, right ? That would have been the time to open windows and see if it aired out completely, or if not to get a supplemental disclosure from the homeowner on anything they did to cause the smell - cleaning or disinfection or whatever. Water Smells like Rotten Eggs. Our laundry is on the second floor and I have twice smelled it in the laundry area too. For instance in our area the local landfill started extracting and burning for power the methane coming out of it - but even though a mile or more away, commonly in the summer the odor of the burning gas and the associated phenols and partially burned gas odorant added to it can be highly obnoxious (though smells like rotten garbage or a natural gas leak, not chlorine bleach) - enough so that the local natural company is going crazy with callouts for people thinking there is a natural gas leak in the area. The 3rd floor guest room is the only room in my house I can be in. Sniff around at ducts when blower is running (which is likely a brushless motor so not likely source), any constant hot water system circulating pump or heat pump like on water heater, sump pump, reefer or deep freezer when running, and fans when running. Hot air rises while cold air falls. Chlorine poisoning has been known to occur in individuals over the years, so diagnosing it usually isn’t difficult. ! Well..... tried it in the master bedroom vanity area and left it an extra day as I can't be exposed to it with my sensitivities. Symptoms disappear when I am outside or in other homes or buildings. Common causes of this sort of smell - though most would not last months: 0) spillage under kitchen or maybe bathroom cabinet or in laundry area, possible getting in under the bottom board in the cabients - commonly those are loose or lightly nailed down so easy to remove and check underneath. would we need to replace the entire attic, tear the house down (please dont' say yes to this question!!). Chemistry Topics & Videos. It certainly had helped reduce my pain, but of course does nothing to take care of the root of the problem. Angie's List Call Center, © 1995-2020, Angie's List. Answered by LCD: I sympathize with your problem - other than the thoughts I gave before, here are follow-up ones resulting from your reply: 1) in attic, wearing gloves and dust mask and washing self and clothing well afterwards, I would locally pull back the insulation in the area where the rodent infestation was and smell under the insulation and at any gaps in the plastic sheet vapor barrier (if you have one under joists and on top of underlying ceiling drywall) - possible urine or disinfectant left untreated under insulation (if a large infestation) that is not noticeable in the attic because it was treated at the surface of the insulation but if getting into the house because it is trapped under the insulation and vapor barrier - not likely, but a possibility. Maybe they have done something to the water system that could have caused a change? No need to panic, but don't let it go, either. The bleach smell stops when chlorine completely dissipates. I haven't read anyone else writing about residual chlorine smell. Below, we will give the ultimate guide about how to neutralize bleach on the skin and destroy its smell. 23) large insect nests (termites, ants, beetles, bees, etc) can have a chemically smell - but presumably if people have been in the attic and crawlspace they would have mentioned an insect infestation if they saw it. Now the odor is back but for the life of me my 65 y/o brain would not unlock the info! From what pets you have to what laundry detergent you use, every house and family has a signature smell. Ozone (scientifically known as trioxygen due to the fact that it is comprised of three oxygen atoms) is notably pungent and has a very sharp smell that is often described as similar to that of chlorine. On the day of the closing we noticed bleach like smell in the house but chalked it up to cleaning supplies or the house being closed up for a period of time. Can the wood attic floor be sprayed with a neutralizing chemical? This assessment, which I expect will total in the thousand or two range assuming no gross contamination, will likely (at least way I would do it) involve possible on-site wipe samples tested onsite with a "shake and bake" chemical family identification kit to determine what class of strong contaminants are present on surfaces in the attic (done with wipes which are then put in test tube with different chemicals to identify class of contaminant) and maybe in ducts and on walls as well, and possibly by using a "Drager Air Pump" or similar sampling tester which pulls air into a handheld test machine to react with specific identifier tubes of chemical to determine the class of the contaminant - this is wha tis generally used by fire departments and major chemical spill first responders to determine what contaminants are coming out of fires or transportation spills. You could contact your realtor and see if he/she will contact the owner's realtor, may possibly require some sort of hold-harmless agreement to get them to fess up, to get them to disclose anything done that could be causing this - cleaning, new foam insulation, sewer drain or line treatment, etc. Ha. Poured solution , inserted hose and blew out the line several times. Debate or don't but I have undeniable personal experience after being very sceptical that the filters could be the problem. I’ve always been sensitive to the smell of chlorine. To our knowledge there was no ozone treatment done but I'm just trying to check everything off the list I can. 17) one last option - don't really smell like bleach to me, but some wood funguses do have an astringent, sharp, very chemically smell - so could be significant wood rot from a leaking pipe in the house - though would not expect that to be detectable very far outside the house if at all. Another person had the same smell throughout the house and found the hot water heater exhaust fell off causing the odor. My wife and I purchased an older home 3 months ago. We'll be happy to help find providers to help you out, but it doesn't look like you have a subscription to the List yet. I'm going to call my HVAC plumbing people to see if they added any chlorinated products when they installed a new evaporator coil this summer. What they don’t know, however, is that what they are smelling is not actually chlorine, but chloramines . I left my house for about two hours this evening and when I came back the entire house smelled of what I can only describe as a bleach or cleaning chemical smell. Have you had an upper respiratory infection this winter or other allergies? Not even allergies can take away the pleasure of grammar. I poured a steady stream of 4 cups of water into the trap. I see now. Chloramines: Understanding “Pool Smell” Chloramines: Understanding “Pool Smell” A whiff of pool water—often described as the smell of chlorine—can stir happy thoughts of summer.