A fishy smell in the home can be unpleasant, but while spraying air freshener to combat it might be an automatic reaction for many, it could be a sign of something far more dangerous.
If you've been cooking seafood or leaving left overs in the bin, the solution is fairly simple but if you can't pinpoint the origin of the smell, it could be a sign of an electric fault at a socket or switch that will need immediate attention.
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An electrical fault impacting the wires could be extremely dangerous as a fire hazard and it is crucial to get a professional to look at the issue as soon as you smell the distinctive smell.
Electrical expert and electrical maintenance director Simon Williams from Phillip Services Ltd in Swansea has spoken to WalesOnline about the unique smell.
Simon shared why you should call an electrician if you do notice it.
What can a fishy smell in the home signify?
Electrical components are made of a hard plastic known as bakelite, Simon explained.
When this overheats and melts, it produces a fishy smell.
The overheating itself is caused by arcing, this is when an electrical current or small spark jump between two connections and causes a buzzing sound.
"So if you've got a loose termination in a fuse board or in a socket - if it's not nice and tight - when it pulls current through, that's an arc. When that arcing occurs over a long period of time, it overheats," he says.
He adds that the problem can occur at switches too - especially shower pull cords.
He explains: "A switch is two bits of metals touching two poles - so it makes contact and breaks contact. If those contacts are not tight, or get old or break down over time, then that can cause arcing as well."
Why should you never ignore the smell?
As Simon explains, other signs of overheating are if socket holes are brown, or if the back of the socket - once opened up - is burnt. Another tell-tale sign is if a socket or appliance - like a shower, which pulls a lot of current - stops working. But these signs aren't always there or immediately visible, so a fishy smell might be the only indicator that something is wrong. It's therefore important you don't dismiss it - because the outcome could be fatal.
"It could cause an electrical fire long-term," says Simon.
"Obviously it's a nuisance if your socket stopped working - but that's not the end of the world, that could be repaired. But if parts of your home burned down, then it's a different story."
Asked whether the fishy smell is a sign the fire is imminent, Simon says: "It could be imminent - it could be at any time, really. If it's got to that stage where it's starting to smell, there are things burning there."
What should you do if you notice the smell?
Simon says the smell will be in a "particular area of the property", wherever the socket or switch is, which should help to narrow it down quickly.
He warns you should switch off the mains electricity and call an electrician immediately once you notice the smell.
"If there's a fishy smell in the house, and nobody's been cooking and there's no reason for it, and it's in a particular area of the house, you should ring an electrician straightaway then to come and inspect it."
How can you avoid it happening?
Simon says it's paramount people stick to the recommendations for getting an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) - every five years for tenants in rented properties and every ten years of homeowners.
"We recommend every five years," he says. "[An electrician] will spend some time going around your house to check all the electrical sockets and do some tests on the circuit."
He also recommends not plugging multiple appliances into one socket, as this will overload it.
"If you're using televisions and stuff, it's not so bad - TVs and computers don't draw a lot of power. But if you've got washing machines, tumbler dryers - that type of thing - and extension leads, then they do draw a lot of current and that could cause problems as well."
