As long as the animal is decomposing it will emit a strong smell.
Dead animal in wall smells like fish.
Follow these steps to eliminate the odor problem.
If it s a larger animal or multiple small ones decomposition would take longer and the odor would persist longer obviously.
Well then let s get down to business and find out what could be the most likely culprit behind this putrid reek.
You may see maggots migrating away from the carcass.
Eventually i got as far as too smelling every square inch of the wall in the room that had this smell.
To locate a dead animal in a wall void use your nose.
I ve had plenty of dead mice in walls under floors etc.
The best way to eliminate the smell of a dead animal inside your wall is to find the animal and remove it.
A single small animal like a mouse or a bird decomposes very quickly.
How long will a dead animal smell.
Instead it is overheated plastic in electrical components.
If you can t find the offending animal or don t want to cut into your walls you ll have to do what you can to keep the odor contained and cover it up as much as possible it typically takes up to two weeks for the smell to fade but it can take longer for larger animals like raccoons.
Top 5 strange smells.
However if the animal dies in or around damp conditions this process will take longer.
In the case of very small animals like a baby mouse the scent may only last a day or two.
Flies in the room may lead you right to the spot some technicians have been known to release flies to find a carcass.
Usually the smell is bad for a while but it gradually goes away completely.
People who are trying to be helpful may suggest that these smells are from dead fish in the yard or dead rodents in the walls others may suggest they are the result of sewer gas backing out of your plumbing system or mold odors resulting from wet building materials.
If you smell animal waste dander cat boxes or any other pet smells that s probably what it is either prior or current pets in the building.
Almost a week went by and the smell was on off and we could not track it down.
The plastic used in these components contains a chemical that emits a fish or urine like smell when it gets extremely hot or burns.
As i approached the electrical outlet i didn t smell anything but it felt warm.
Once completely decayed or dried out the smell should subside.
Or with a larger animal you might find a damp spot or a stain on the wall or ceiling.
And yes the smell was sort of like fish or dead animal.
The most common cause for an unexplained fish odor in the home is not mold or dead animals in the crawlspace as many people might think.
When an animal like a rat squirrel opossum or raccoon dies in a wall attic or another area of your home the smell can be overwhelming.
This can make a house uninhabitable until the stench has been eliminated.
