Bad Bad Smell Inside My Rehab...

[Sam Leon]

In the process of rehabbing a duplex, but my schedule was suddenly re-railed after hurricane Irma hit South Florida as the severe damages done to my other properties, so the rehab was put on hold while I deal with hurricane repairs the next two months.  I may go by the rehab property once a week the most, when I need to pick up some tools or supplies I have there.

So today I stopped by to drop off two ceiling fans, as soon as I opened the door this totally repulsive odor hit me in the face.  I immediate suspect sewer gas, may be from dried up trap seals on plumbing fixtures.  So I turned on all faucets, showers etc...and opened all the windows but it didn't feel right the smell seems to be strong in all rooms, not just where I had plumbing fixtures.

So I went next door to the next apartment (the other side of the duplex) and the smell is even stronger...which is impossible because on this side there is no plumbing fixture,  I have the bathrooms gutted and all pipes are sealed off.

Turned the lights on and OMG the place is a mess, my tools all over, boxes of screws all over the floor, buckets tipped over, looks like someone broke in but all doors and windows are secured.  There is also bird poop all over.  ALL OVER, on top of kitchen counters, on top of my table saw, all over floor tiles, on wood cabinets, on window sills, then I found a dead duck!

Last time I was there was the week prior to Thanksgiving.  May be I had the door opened for a few seconds and a duck went inside without my knowledge...then it was trapped inside all this time then died.

I bagged the duck, opened all the windows and to air out the place (hope no one breaks in), and will be going back tomorrow to clean up the place.

I have duck pooped literally on every other floor tile.  That's going to be a long day of cleaning for 2000SF of this...

So don't leave the doors or windows wide open when rehabbing, you don't know what or who would wander inside while your back is turned.