OK I have a STINKY situation HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!


 
Well I did caulk up that opening. I started with the one I photographed and "scoped" finding a dead end. however I found a smaller nearly unnoticed hole under it. I did not bother to scope it but also wonder if MAYBE it was the source? Anyway I caulked it up as well. I had decided to cut the walls open in the closet but I was telling the wife of the plan and I got yelled at. My thought was cut openings in the 3 walls, scope everything, maybe sprinkle in baking soda and then patch the drywall back in place. She did not like the idea and did not trust my ability to fix the drywall :D Go figure :D Anyway I will continue with the O3 and airing out treatments
 
The hardest thing about a closet and the thing I don't like is the small space you have to work in (of course, the size varies, but our front closet is pretty small). The home repair is my reponsibility and my wife doesn't know one end of a hammer from the other so she leaves me alone, but if she were to ever question my ability to do something (and I know full well my own limitations), I would ask her if there wasn't something she could be doing in the kitchen (her domain), and that would p*** her off so it would be hot tongue and cold shoulder for me for a day or two, but at least I'd have some peace and quiet while I did what I was about to do in the first place. Now with some wives you might have to sleep with one eye open, I'll agree, so what works for me may not work for you, and I've done some drywall work, but something like this, in a closet where nobody will see it, seems like a great way to pick up a new skill.
 
Oh, yeah, our daughter does some of her own home repair, and she really likes that pink drywall putty that turns white so she knows when it's dry. Maybe get your wife involved with it...it might be fun for her, learning how to patch up holes. Also, we had this hole in the wall at work where some 6" ducting ran through the wall. One of the guys bought a screen patch large enough to cover it...couldn't even tell it was patched when he got done.
 
That sounds incredibly frustrating! Sometimes an odd odor can be caused by something small like a spilled substance or even a long-hidden critter. It might be worth checking any gaps or vents with a camera, and if nothing turns up, a local pest control or restoration service could help track down the source. Hope you find the culprit soon.
 
Ed P said:
The hardest thing about a closet and the thing I don't like is the small space you have to work in (of course, the size varies, but our front closet is pretty small). The home repair is my reponsibility and my wife doesn't know one end of a hammer from the other so she leaves me alone, but if she were to ever question my ability to do something (and I know full well my own limitations), I would ask her if there wasn't something she could be doing in the kitchen (her domain), and that would p*** her off so it would be hot tongue and cold shoulder for me for a day or two, but at least I'd have some peace and quiet while I did what I was about to do in the first place. Now with some wives you might have to sleep with one eye open, I'll agree, so what works for me may not work for you, and I've done some drywall work, but something like this, in a closet where nobody will see it, seems like a great way to pick up a new skill.
Click to expand...
One of my most satisfying home improvement projects that I've done recently was our front hall closet. The light didn't work and I took it apart and replaced the pull switch inside of it. I took the crappy wire shelf out and replaced it with a nice wood one and closet rod. I patched all the holes and repainted it. It just had the bare subfloor so I bought one box of vinyl plank flooring and installed it along with the nice baseboard trim I put in the rest of the house. I had previously put a nice set of oak closet doors on that didn't clear the new transition between the new closet floor and the existing tile floor so I took the doors down and used a track saw to shorten the closet doors. I bought all new hardware and reinstalled the closet doors. It wasn't a huge space but I did so much to improve it that it remains one of my favorite home improvement jobs..
 
Yeah, I've kinda been thinking about going after it today. And not saying anything to her. Sometimes better to ask forgiveness than permission :D Thing is I think to be effective I will need to open 3 walls. Because IDK where the "corpse" may be. Though I have a suspicion it's in the area closest to the front door. Since there was no trace at all of entry under the closet or on top of it. BUT, I think it there was an incursion it likely came in that area of brick I pictured. Though now I have it all sealed so I cannot scope it again. On a positive note I have my very own home colonoscopy kit now :D Maybe I can make a little "side money" :D
 
Does the closet have baseboard trim? That's usually 3" tall.
You have a bottom plate on the wall 1 1/2" so you could drill some inspection holes like 2" above the floor.
When all done replace the trim and no drywall to patch ( If you don't find anything )
 
timothy said:
Does the closet have baseboard trim? That's usually 3" tall.
You have a bottom plate on the wall 1 1/2" so you could drill some inspection holes like 2" above the floor.
When all done replace the trim and no drywall to patch ( If you don't find anything )
Click to expand...
I don't think I could get the trim off without breaking it. I'm not that good at it.
 
OK I followed advice from Timothy. I was able to carefully remove baseboard trim. Snuck the camera in and I THINK maybe I found some type of "remains" of something. I am going to open it up closer to where the camera saw this. Go in with my shop vac nozzle and clean everything out in there. Then lay down baking soda. I'll also do some more O3 treatments prior to placing the drywall and trim back, pointing the output from the generator into the opening(s). Then do another "air out". The piece of carpet has been laying outside since being pulled a few days ago. So I am sure it's well "aired out". Then all I need to do is by a threshold molding to cover the seam where I cut it, put the tackless strips back down and hopefully it will be good to go.
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Is that some BX electric cable on the right?
Maybe go down in the basement and see if it comes up in that area.
If so that could be a way something crawled up. You can seal around it with some caulk.
 
IDK what that is. Maybe when I open things up more I can tell. I'll post back. Just took a lunch and coffee break. Heading back to it now
 
Not sure what that aberration was in the photo. But whatever those remains were are now in the bag of my shop vac and I am DEFINITELY NOT gonna do a post mortem. Just gonna take that bag off and in the trash it goes. I had to open things up just a bit more but it made it easier to snake a hose in there to suck up all that debris and "body parts?".
Now the o3 generator is blowing into those cavities in the hopes it will sterilize any air in the walls and finish oxidizing those smells. I'm gonna let that blow in there for about a half hour, then open things up and blow fresh air into it for an hour, then maybe "rinse and repeat" until the sun is down. But I confirmed with the camera the wall cavities are cleaned out
 
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