Unknown solvent fumes - could they come from fridge-freezer?

[Brammy]

Hi,

I hope this is an acceptable place to post this.

My house suddenly became host to some kind of persistent solvent fumes 3 weeks ago. I have no good explanation for it and as it's caused some degree of illness I'm very keen to at least eliminate some possibilities.

I have a Beko fridge-freezer (TDA 735W @ about 170cm tall).

At the time the fumes began, I had a dogs bone slip down the back of the fridge-freezer which is housed in a cabinet and hit the top of the evaporator coil. I have since removed the fridge-freezer from the housing to check for damage, but nothing unusual was visible and it continues to work normally. I can't detect any abnormal odour coming from the back.

Just so I'm clear and can hopefully discount this as the source of the fumes, is there anything in a fridge-freezer which could escape from a fracture (however small) and cause a persistent solvent smell, sufficient to stay in a house for several weeks and cause symptoms like numbing/tingling of lips?

Thanks in advance for any help you're able to offer.

[james10]

It is very unlikley to be coming from your fridge, if you cannot see any signs of burning or melting, inside the refrigeration circuit you have refrigerant and oil the refrigerant is most likely a hydrocarbon (butane) which is odourless, the oil in the system does carry a smell but if you had an oil leak you would know about it also if the system was leaking the fridge wouln't be working as the refrigerant would have leaked from the system.
Hope this puts your mind at ease
Regards James

[Brammy]

Many thanks James, that's very useful. This model has C-Pentane written on the back. I understand that is supposed to be odourless (assuming the manufacturers don't add something to create a detectable odour).

Cheers,
Andy.

[james10]

When a hydrocarbo (c-pentane) is manufactured they do not add any odours, in order to keep the gas blend pure

[Brammy]

Excellent, thanks James.

Best wishes,
Andy.

[Tayters]

Hi Andy,

As James says, the smell is unlikely to be coming fom the fridge - especially if it's still working correctly.
A domestic fridge would normally only make an electrical burning smell. The Pentane bit it the blowing agent used in the manufacture of the foam insulation.

Cheers,
Andy.

[Brammy]

Hi Andy,

As James says, the smell is unlikely to be coming fom the fridge - especially if it's still working correctly.
A domestic fridge would normally only make an electrical burning smell. The Pentane bit it the blowing agent used in the manufacture of the foam insulation.

Cheers,
Andy.

That's great Andy, thanks. I appreciate the additional information.

[install monkey]

its not the gas leaking out- probabaly electrical-either bad contact on ptc relay this would cause a fizzing and eventual crackling,this would persist for a few weeks-have u checked with beko to ensure its not on the recall list as some are the cause of recent housefires-from faulty defrost timers. check light fittings in the kitchen- if floirescent tubes the ballast could be discolouring due to insulation breakdown

[Brammy]

Thanks 'install monkey'.

[Tayters]

Tricky one to pin down. I'm sure you've had many theories from others but... would it be worth your while bunging up all the drains/overflows in the sinks and baths to eliminate something nasty down the drains?

Cheers,
Andy.

[Brammy]

Tricky one to pin down. I'm sure you've had many theories from others but... would it be worth your while bunging up all the drains/overflows in the sinks and baths to eliminate something nasty down the drains?

Cheers,
Andy.

Hi Andy and thanks for the follow up.

It really is a pain. I've got environmental health checking out the stench pipe at the moment. It's a small house with no unaccounted for solvents, nothing spilt etc. and I've not poured anything down the sink. The neighbour doesn't appear to have a problem. There's nothing for me to point to as being a good explanation, but it's affecting us quite badly. We have to take turns sleeping so we can have the front door open.

Oh well, at least it appears I can discount the fridge-freezer now thanks to you guys, so that's one less thing for me to have to check out further.

Thanks again guys,
Andy.

[james10]

Let us know what you find

[Brammy]

Let us know what you find

Sure thing James. I suspect that at some point it will simply dissipate, but if I ever find out what it is, I'll post back here.

Cheers,
Andy.