Photo by Scott Webb on Pexels
It’s never nice to encounter a smell (or a stink) that you haven’t been expecting in your household. Some, of course, we do understand and plan for, such as the “pet smell” that can come from having several dogs or cats in the property. With good training, cleaning and care, you can mitigate most of this. We’re sure our dogs, with a senes of smell many times more powerful than our own, aren’t so impressed with how we smell from time to time either.
That being said, smelling something untoward outside of the house, but within your property guidelines, can be confusing. How do you know if this is caused by your own home, or if there’s another influence you’re not paying attention to? If there’s an issue with the local sewage, or a rural neighbor hasn’t emptied their septic tank, or if a local farmer has spread fertilizer on their fields, there’s no much you can do outside of notify for the most egregious examples.
But what are the most common smells you can actually alter? Let’s consider that, below:
Standing Water & Gutters
If you’ve noticed a musty or damp scent outside your home, it’s a good idea to begin looking toward the guttering or any areas where rainwater pools. This could be affected by blocked drains, bent gutters, or dips in the landscaping, which can all let water sit for too long, and over time that builds a noticeable (or rather quite terrible) smell that until it’s all you can notice. Booking gutter cleaning and checking that water is flowing properly is a good place to start before looking elsewhere.
Outdoor Bins & Compost Areas
Even if you’re on top of your waste routine, smells can build up around bins without much warning, especially during warmer periods which we’re in right now. A bit of food waste caught under the lid, liquid at the bottom of the container, or a bin that’s not been washed out in a while can all leave behind a strong smell that could even take up the whole courtyard, especially if there’s a hole in it. Compost heaps can also give off a strong scent if the balance of materials isn’t quite right or if the area isn’t draining well too, and that can be worth looking into. Sometimes, a rinse and re-bagging is all you need to do, even if the job isn’t so pleasant.
Decking, Sheds & Underneath Structures
Homeowners are often surprised to find out that wooden decking or raised sheds can sometimes trap smells underneath them, especially if leaves or natural debris have built up and started to break down. Yet another fun garden maintenance job to attend to, but one you do need to complete nonetheless. That’s because in shaded areas where sunlight doesn’t quite dry the ground out, it’s easy for moisture and rot to settle in, bringing a kind of damp-earth smell that can hang heavy on everything else. It can help to get underneath and clear out anything that shouldn’t be there, or at least poke around to see if the scent is localised. Small animals may also nest there, so it’s wise to stay mindful as you do instead of blasting it with a pressure washer, as you may be tempted to do.
With this advice, we hope you can figure out and fix those exterior smells. Don’t worry, all homeowners deal with this sooner or later.
