How to Find a Smell Inside of a Wall

Inspect the outside walls adjacent to the room with the odor. Homes with damaged exterior walls provide creatures easy access to wall cavities. Inspect any possible entry points using a flashlight and your nose to find the odor. Be careful when poking around these areas because dead animals harbor disease. In addition, rodents and other creatures tend to travel in packs, and you do not want to be bitten by one.

Remove the receptacle and switch plates one at a time in the room where the odor is the strongest. Smell around the exposed opening to determine whether the odor grows stronger. If the smell grows much stronger, chances are that it is in or close to the wall cavity housing the outlet. If not, replace the plate and move on to the next one. Remove and investigate the light fixture and any air conditioning registers to check for a stronger odor.

Inspect the attic area, if applicable, to find the odor. Sometimes rodents become trapped in an attic, where they die. The odor will work its way down into nearby rooms.

Cut small holes in the drywall between the studs using a razor knife as a last resort. Use your nose to detect stronger odors or inspect the cavity with a flashlight to find the source.