Strong 'cabbage' smell in bedrom?

[Aston1]

Morning all,
We've been experiencing an intermittent strong 'cabbagey' smell in our bedroom for a couple of years now. We can go for days without smelling anything and then other days it's quite noticeable? The other bedroom adjacent to ours can also sometimes have the same smell and the loft space also fills with this smell. The strongest point seems to be around our headboard area which is up against the wall (adjoining to our neighbour - it's a semi). If there is a stronger than normal wind outside, this also seems to make it worse?
Now, right behind our bedroom wall runs a flue pipe from where was once a gas fire. The fire has been removed and the wall boarded up to make a plain wall (there is no chimney breast as this is a 30 year old house and the gas fire would have only been a small one originally). I can see the flue emerging into the loft and up out of the roof.
Could this smell be anything to do with the blocked off flue downstairs? Smell is only noticeable upstairs? Could the wind be making a difference?
Our neighbour does not have the same problem but their gas fire is still in place?

Any ideas out there please or a I barking up the wrong tree with regards to the flue?

Cheers all.

 

[AGAS]

You need to put your rubbish in the bin

 

[Nige F]

does your downstairs have a wood suspended floor ? Just seen your 2015 post - still no answer to the problem

 

[Aston1]

Morning Nige....no still no answer and it was pretty bad last night hence the re-plea for help.
I think the downstairs floor is concrete....when we moved in, it had a ceramic tiled floor in the living room (last owner wanted it to have a continental feel??) which we have just carpeted over.

 

[jj4091]

A google search for similar problems seems to suggest dead rodents or birds & melting light fittings are common causes. Is your flue capped & sealed? Could the smell be migrating from under the floor or perhaps under a bath? Due you have loft insulation & have you checked underneath it for signs of vermin nests?

 

[Aston1]

Yes, definitely none of the above.
No vermin or dead anything. Just had bathroom completely replaced and all is good with pipework and traps. Smell has been around for a couple of years on and off....seems to be wind related but can't be sure.
Flue definitely still open above the roof where it exits but can't say what was done at the ground floor end as the fire was removed and the wall boarded before we moved in?

 

[bernardgreen]

Could the people next door be growing a lot of plants indoors ? Forcing some plants to grow too rapidly can produce an aroma described as being similar to rotting cabbage.

 

[Aston1]

No plants, cheers.

 

[Lower]

Have you ever asked the neighbour if they suffer with the same smell?

 

[Aston1]

Yes, as per original note.................. they do not suffer with the same issue.

 

[Diver Fred]

'Herb' cultivation next door was my first thought…

You say where the gas fire was has been ‘boarded’ up – is it a form of timber or bricked up?

I think the smell could be from a form of rot in timber. Google wood rot symptoms. A closed up fireplace that is poorly vented is likely to be a cause of condensation.
If it were timber or just plasterboard then I’d be looking to remove it and replace with brick and plaster construction. Seal or better still remove the external flue and just leave vented in the loft.

 

[Nige F]

I was wondering about rot in timber - I had a smelly underfloor void due to insufficient airbricks and a damp over site. Smells can travel a long way in boxings.

 

[Alec_t]

Have you or a previous owner ever spilt milk in that area? Warm/humid conditions can revive a sicky/cheesy smell from that even a year or two after the event.

 

[Madrab]

Get someone in with a gas sniffer just to be sure, it can sometimes manifest itself as a rotten cabbage like smell too.

 

[endecotp]

Have you been into the neighbour's adjacent room and/or attic?