We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?

"theonyxguy" wrote in message

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

Yes, it could still be building moisture and mold.


b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

You'd think so, but could there be a leak and mold forming? Could the hose
leak a bit where it goes into the drain?

In article m, lid (theonyxguy) wrote:
We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.
[snip]
The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

Have you checked for critters living in the chimney? Raccoons don't smell real
pretty.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...
We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?


Okay, this might be a longshot - but I noticed a faint urine-like odor in
the house a couple weeks ago. It turns out that the Bradford Pear in the
yard was blossoming and with the windows open the not-too-pleasant fragrance
was wafting into the house. Any flowering trees and open windows?

Vent the dryer outside. Even if that is not the problem, you should do
it anyway to reduce the chance of mold from moisture buildup.

Stretch

"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...
We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?


Are any of the toilets NOT tightly attached to the floor, perhaps with bad
wax rings?

theonyxguy wrote:
We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?

Spoiled food can smell like urine. I once had the misfortune of
handling textured vegetable protein that was a full year past its
sell-by date. Its reek was identical to cat's ****.

Chip C

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 08:57:40 +0000,
lid (theonyxguy) wrote:

We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 08:57:40 +0000,
lid (theonyxguy) wrote:

We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.


The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.


Mice got into the stove (and/or dryer) and have ****ed all over
the insulation? If the smell gets stronger when you use
the oven, that's probably it.

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 08:57:40 +0000,
lid (theonyxguy) wrote:

:We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
:4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
:seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
:kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
:the urine smell has been coming and going.
:
:Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
:installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
:doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
:units on that side of the house except for ours.
:
:The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
:drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
:non-functioning chimney stack is located.
:
:I was wondering if:
:
:a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
:though we open windows and turn on a fan.
:
:b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
:running down the chimney
:
:c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
:smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
:installed)
:
:Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?

My guess would be that you have an animal or nest of animals going
there, probably under the house. I had that and had to basically scare
them out. It's a long time ago now, but in my case I think it was a
family of possums. There's various strategies depending on what species
you are host to. Loud music, but in my case I believe I put a container
of ammonia down there and the fumes freaked them out and they went bye
bye. Before doing that, I opened one entrance to the crawl space and was
very careful to seal all other entry to it. So, they had an out. Once I
was confident they were all out (I placed a layer of fine sand at the
one entrance/exit and watched for little critter prints), I closed off
the remaining access and to my knowledge have never had a similar
problem.

Dan

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 10:41:53 -0400, Goedjn wrote:

:On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 08:57:40 +0000,
(theonyxguy) wrote:
:
:We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
:4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
:seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
:kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
:the urine smell has been coming and going.
:
:
:The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
:drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
:non-functioning chimney stack is located.
:
:
:Mice got into the stove (and/or dryer) and have ****ed all over
:the insulation? If the smell gets stronger when you use
:the oven, that's probably it.

Before replacing my refrigerators with a new one, I had a rodents' nest
under at least one of them. They do some pretty foul stuff in there. The
guys who moved my new refrigerator into my kitchen told me that it was
apt to happen again if I didn't make it impossible for them to get under
the refrigerator. It gets nice and warm under the condensor and they
like it in there.

Dan

"Chip C" wrote in message

I once had the misfortune of
handling textured vegetable protein that was a full year past its
sell-by date. Its reek was identical to cat's ****.

Now that is good information to have. I just have to figure how to use it
to my advantage. Like under the back seat of someone's car in the summer.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:httbe.6262$WX.2251@trndny01...

"Chip C" wrote in message

I once had the misfortune of
handling textured vegetable protein that was a full year past its
sell-by date. Its reek was identical to cat's ****.

Now that is good information to have. I just have to figure how to use it
to my advantage. Like under the back seat of someone's car in the
summer.


A bag of mussels works much faster, although I am not at liberty to reveal
how I know this. :-)

It comes from a penis or a vagina, silly!



"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...
We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?

If he has a window nearby and has a box tree bush definitely could be
that. It has a very unpleasant "waste" odor.

Jim R wrote:
"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...

We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?



Okay, this might be a longshot - but I noticed a faint urine-like odor in
the house a couple weeks ago. It turns out that the Bradford Pear in the
yard was blossoming and with the windows open the not-too-pleasant fragrance
was wafting into the house. Any flowering trees and open windows?

If he has a window nearby and has a box tree bush definitely could be
that. It has a very unpleasant "waste" odor.

Jim R wrote:
"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...

We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?



Okay, this might be a longshot - but I noticed a faint urine-like odor in
the house a couple weeks ago. It turns out that the Bradford Pear in the
yard was blossoming and with the windows open the not-too-pleasant fragrance
was wafting into the house. Any flowering trees and open windows?

If he has a window nearby and has a box tree bush definitely could be
that. It has a very unpleasant "waste" odor.

Jim R wrote:
"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...

We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?



Okay, this might be a longshot - but I noticed a faint urine-like odor in
the house a couple weeks ago. It turns out that the Bradford Pear in the
yard was blossoming and with the windows open the not-too-pleasant fragrance
was wafting into the house. Any flowering trees and open windows?

If he has a window nearby and has a box tree bush definitely could be
that. It has a very unpleasant "waste" odor.

Jim R wrote:
"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...

We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?



Okay, this might be a longshot - but I noticed a faint urine-like odor in
the house a couple weeks ago. It turns out that the Bradford Pear in the
yard was blossoming and with the windows open the not-too-pleasant fragrance
was wafting into the house. Any flowering trees and open windows?

If he has a window nearby and has a box tree bush definitely could be
that. It has a very unpleasant "waste" odor.

Jim R wrote:
"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgroup s.com...

We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the
drain for the washing machine. It's also where an old,
non-functioning chimney stack is located.

I was wondering if:

a) could mold smell like that, from not having the dryer vented, even
though we open windows and turn on a fan.

b) moisture could smell like that, from possibly a leak in the roof
running down the chimney

c) could it be the drain from the washing machine, but shouldn't this
smell more like sewage rather than urine. (There was a trap
installed)

Any advice and/or ideas would be appreciated. :?



Okay, this might be a longshot - but I noticed a faint urine-like odor in
the house a couple weeks ago. It turns out that the Bradford Pear in the
yard was blossoming and with the windows open the not-too-pleasant fragrance
was wafting into the house. Any flowering trees and open windows?

I know that this response is a little late but judging from the
proposed solutions you are still looking for an answer.

First, you really need to run the dryer vent outside ASAP. I have
rehabbed houses where the tennant was using the dryer to help heat the
house and the in just one winter the utility room and kitchen walls
and ceiling were covered with mold spots.

Second, the odor you are smelling are probably mercaptin gas which is
produced by a wide variety of products including urine from cats,
dogs, mice, roaches, people, raccoons and most other animals. It is
also produced by rotting meat and vegetable matter but is smells
different because the exact molecular construction can be quite
different. One of the things you might consider is when the humidity
gets above 50% urine residue starts producing odor. The enzyme
products available over the counter must be kept wet for a long period
of time and will not work at all if the area with the odor has been
washed with detergent. It kills the bacteria. There is a product
called OdorXit.com that does work and is permanent.


"theonyxguy" wrote in message
news:908be$426e0284$455da0d2$18330@allthenewsgrou ps.com...
We own a 90 year old, 2.5 stry house that has been converted to a
4-plex. About a week ago there was a strong smell of urine and
seasoning in our kitchen. We thought it was a tenant cooking some
kind of meat (sometimes meat smell like that). But since then, just
the urine smell has been coming and going.

Our unit is on the main floor, in the kitchen I had piping and drain
installed about 1.5 years ago for our washer and dryer. The dryer
doesn't vent outside. There are no washrooms in any of the other
units on that side of the house except for ours.

The smell seems strongest behind the stove which is right next to the