The Smell Seemed to Be Coming From the Wall
Eventually, the homeowner reportedly noticed that the odor was strongest near a particular section of wall.
This was the clue he had been looking for.
If the smell was actually coming from behind the wall, then there was a good chance that something was trapped inside the structure of the house.
Walls contain more than most people realize.
Behind drywall can be electrical wiring, plumbing, insulation, ventilation spaces and structural components. Depending on the construction of a building, there may also be small cavities where insects and rodents can enter.
Those spaces are normally invisible to the people living in the house.
And that invisibility can make a problem extremely difficult to locate.
The homeowner now faced a decision.
He could continue trying to identify the smell from outside the wall—or he could find out what was behind it.
Eventually, curiosity and frustration won.
