When you smell something fishy in your home, you likely aren’t thinking serious threat. Instead, you are likely wondering who forgot to throw out last week’s leftovers. However, be wary of that thought pattern.
According to experts, when you smell something fishy in your home, it could be an indication of an electrical emergency. Most components, like circuit breakers, outlets, and modern wiring are designed to prevent overheating. However, there are cases when the insulation could become damaged, causing the plastic in an outlet to begin to melt.
When this happens, one of the first things you may notice is a strong, fishy smell.
Bob Villa explains that typically, this is because of a light fixture, fan, light switch, outlet, or appliance. And if the smell comes and goes, it is likely an appliance or item that isn’t run all day long.
Regardless, if you smell a fishy smell that occurs and can be sourced to an electrical issue, it’s best to act fast. The reason for this is that it could lead to a fire, so you may need to hire a professional electrician to come to your home and inspect your outlets, breakers, and wiring.
Something else to look out for is sparking, which occurs when you plug something into your outlet. If you experience sparks when you plug in an appliance or hear a buzzing or humming noise, this is merited as an electrical emergency.
Another reason for a strong fishy smell in your home could be caused by your central heating and air because mold can occur in the vents, which can lead to a fishy smell.
If none of these is the issue, then it could also be an overloaded circuit or loose wires.
However, no matter what it is, unless you are a professional yourself, you should contact one immediately, so they can determine the source of the smell (unless it was determined to be some sushi leftovers that got left out for a few days….yuck.)
While it may cost a little bit now, it will save you a lot, later on, possibly even your life.