IFFY smells often crop up around the home, but ignore some in particular and you could end up with a hefty £10,000 bill.
Peculiar odours such as rotten eggs and the smell of burning can be a sign of bigger issues that need fixing.
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But what if you don’t know what each smell means?
Luckily, experts from property developers Essential Living have revealed six which you should keep an eye out for and could cost you over £10,000 if left unchecked.
Rotten egg – £165 minimum
A rotten egg smell emanating from your home is a sign of a gas leak which can lead to a fire or explosion and do serious damage.
A gas leak can come from a number of things including your stove or water heater.
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If you notice the pungent odour you should exit your property as soon as possible and call a gas company.
You can also phone the National Gas emergency line on 0800 111 999.
The cost to repair a gas leak will set you back about £165 though, although it might be even more if it’s an emergency call out.
Musty smell – up to £2,200
A musty smell is usually caused by a broken pipe or sink leak that has mould growing over it.
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You can usually get rid of mould with a solution made up of 10% bleach and 90% water.
Just add the liquid to the desired spot and let it sit for ten minutes with the windows open.
You could use a £1 item to rid your home of mould too.
But if you need to get a professional in to fix the issue, it can cost into the £1,000s.
For an entire home filled with mould, it will set you back from £280 to £2,200 to remove all the mildew.
Meanwhile, here are six telltale signs you have a hidden leak in your piping.
Burning smell – £200 minimum
Catch a whiff of burning when you enter a room and it could be a sign your wiring is broken which may lead to an electrical fire.
Other telltale indicators are flickering lights or circuits tripping.
Spot any of these and you should contact an electrician to diagnose and fix the issue.
This will cost you though – an electrician’s call out fee will usually set you back about £200, plus the cost of any repairs or work needed.
Rotting smell – up to £260
Dead animals such as rice or rats can lead to a rotting smell in your home.
Finding any carcasses early won’t cost you too much money and may lead to just a few stains.
But leave any unchecked and it can lead to fleas, worms and even skin rashes.
You’ll need to call in pest control if it gets to this point, which can cost around £200 to £260 a day overall.
In other news, a pest expert revealed how to get rid of pesky flies for just 10p.
Fishy smell – £200 minimum
A fishy odour is likely down to an electrical fixture such as a fridge or washing machine overheating.
The smell can be caused by plastic, rubber or another material around the appliance melting.
Ignore the stench for too long and it could lead to a fire.
To avoid this happening, locate the problematic appliance and turn it off immediately, then consult an electrician.
Again, the cost of doing this will come at a price – around a minimum £200 for the call out.
Toilet smell – up to £7,500
This one might seem obvious, but a persistent toilet smell could be a sign there’s a blockage in your plumbing.
Your toilet may just need a quick flush, but if it’s a more serious blockage you might have to fork out thousands to get it sorted.
Blockage build ups can see waste forced back up the pipe, into your sink and then potentially on to the bathroom floor.
Get a professional in to fix the pipe and you may have to pay out as much as £7,500.
In other news, we reveal seven everyday mistakes that could invalidate your home insurance and cost you £1,000s.
Plus, the most common car insurance mistakes that could be adding to your premium.
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