Why Does My House Smell Like Fish?
When you catch a whiff of something fishy in your home, you might assume the smell is coming from a dead critter in your walls or spoiled food that hasn’t made it into the trash. However, this unpleasant odor could signal a more urgent safety issue. Join us to learn what it means when your house smells like fish and which electrical components may be causing the problem.
What does it mean when my house smells fishy?
A sudden fishy odor in your home—or one that comes and goes—is a telltale sign of overheating electrical components. Here are some of the basics you’ll want to understand:
Overheating electrical components
The plastics, heat-resistant chemicals, and wires in your electrical outlets can let off an unpleasant odor that smells like urine or dead fish when overheating. While you might be tempted to ignore the aroma, its presence can signal a major emergency. This is one household issue that won’t resolve on its own.
How to prevent electrical components from overheating
Balancing the load on your electrical outlets can help ensure you aren’t overloading particular circuits. Avoid placing too much demand on each outlet, and do your best to spread out heavy-use appliances that can enable overheating.
What to do if your house smells like fish
It’s essential to determine the source of these foul smells to prevent a dangerous house fire or further damage to your electrical system. But this can be tricky. In some cases, your AC unit can send stinky smells through your ducts and spread the odor throughout your house.
If possible, try to sniff out the source of faulty electrical components. You may be able to narrow down the possibilities to a specific portion of your house. Take time to inspect every outlet in rooms where you smell the fishy odor. Here are some problems to look for:
Loose plugs
Discolored or damaged outlets
Outlets, sockets, and switches that feel warm to the touch
Overloaded circuits
Frayed wiring or electrical insulation
Short circuits
Check your breakers to ensure none have tripped. Those that trip on a regular basis may be overloaded. If you’re unable to determine the source of your fishy electrical smell, contact a qualified electrician to help you find and fix the issue.
Common problem areas that cause electrical items to overheat
Certain devices and fixtures may be more prone to overheating than others. Here are a few common culprits:
Electrical outlets
Overloaded electrical outlets are a leading cause of overheated circuits. Avoid placing too much demand on your outlets to minimize the risks.
Lighting fixtures
Most of us use our lighting fixtures more than any other devices in our homes, but they rarely get much attention. Plastic sockets may begin to melt due to bulbs with improper wattage or faulty wiring. Regularly inspecting and cleaning each light in your home should be part of your standard maintenance routine.
Outdated wiring
Older houses are often at higher risk of fires due to aging electrical systems. If your home is more than 25 years old, it’s time to establish a relationship with a trusted licensed electrician who can perform routine maintenance and ensure your system is functioning properly.
Outdated breaker boxes
An electrical system is only as healthy as its breaker box, and these hubs can begin to malfunction over time. Homes that experience overheated outlets and electrical faults on a regular basis may require a new breaker box.
Why do electrical components overheat?
There are plenty of reasons electrical components may overheat and cause a funky, fishy smell. Here are a few possible causes:
Deterioration
Each element of your electrical system will eventually begin to age. Over time, environmental factors like heat and humidity can affect your home’s electrical health, leading to frayed wires, overheated outlets, and potential fires.
Broken down wiring insulation
The insulation that protects your home’s wiring can also break down over the years. Critters in your crawl space can gnaw through this coating, exposing wires and increasing the risk of a fire. Of course, even with consistent pest control treatments, these components will eventually wear down.
Electrical surges
Weather events, aging infrastructure, and heavy demand on the grid can all cause power surges that strain your home’s electrical system. While these surges can be powerful enough to wipe out expensive electronics, they may also go undetected.
However, they can still take a toll on your wiring, outlets, and other critical components. Although you can’t control these events, surge protectors may protect your TVs, computers, and other devices.
Stay safe and call in the pros at Young Cardinal Electric
If you notice a fishy smell in your house, finding the source and solving the problem is critical. The licensed electricians at Young Cardinal Electric can help you sniff out the culprit and resolve your electrical issues before they destroy your home.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!