Since we moved in to the 1885 brick built cottage 16 years ago we have been well aware of a very very localised smell of burning hair. It can happen at all times of the day and sometimes many months go by without it, then it could be within two weeks and in all sorts of temperature and weather conditions.
At first when we were using our now dining room as our lounge, because my Mum had a bed sitter in the now lounge, it would be so localised in one corner and if I moved to the other end of the small two seater sofa it wasn't there. Carole could not smell it two yards away, but could if she came to where I was sat (no jokey comments here).
Our friends have noticed it and our daughter so it's there.
Now we are fully using our lounge, Mum passed away several years ago, it is still present, twice this week, and just through the door which links those two rooms, so still very localised and confined.
A friend of our daughter who studies the occult or whatever, says it's a presence. We were informed when we moved in the place was once a smithy but not in it's current structure of end of terrace, long before that. That would account for the burning hair smell but what else?
No set times, sometimes many months between, no matter what the weather or temp is and we have had the electrics checked and not a thathced roof.
I say mysterious.

Haven't a clue and on a search with the local manor, huge estate of which our row of 6 cottages was part of, they had no record of a smithy either.Thanks anyway.

Zitat

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we have had the electrics checked

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Make a note of anything electrical in use at the time and check that the cables are not old ...........it could be something simple like a very old table lamp with the old type rubber coated flex, electric heaters gather dust when not in use which burns off when you turn them on which gives off that type of smell.
When you say you have had the electrics checked I assume you mean the house wiring? look at anything appliance wise that may be old enough to have pre plastic cable fitted.
The other thing that comes to mind is that there may be a vent in that part of the room where the smell can come in from outside or even next door I had one old house that had vents in the floor either side of the fireplace to provide a draught for the fire so may be under a carpet?

Zitat

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smell of burning hair.

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Not shaving with the blow lamp again are you?

Carole is of the practical view, well I am really, not being a believer etc etc about a lamp or something, but we never had it in the other room I mentioned. There is one Ikea uplighter with a reading light on it, which has done us proud in the critical corner and she is suspecting that. so we will now monitor that.

Yes did that an hour or so ago. One in there but it only arrived yesterday as the lamp was cleaned on Mondayso I am told.

"IT" came again last night, so immediately Madam who is much more practical these days, probably as she was alone in the house most of last year while I was a guest of the NHS, aimed for the IKEA lamp and sure enough it was smoking. I switched it off at that point and I have looked at it today and can't see anything wrong ( as a non techie layman), but have removed the reading spot light bulb and the thing is now ready for the tip and a new one to be purchased from IKEA again as she does like it. We have had it many years, bought from one of my business trips to Croydon which was the nearest store to us in those days.
Prosaic maybe, but hopefully the root of our worries.

Some light fittings will specify a maximum bulb size to be used ..........exceeding that can sometimes cause overheating.

Quote: hampshireman wrote in post #9

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the lamp was cleaned on Monday so I am told.

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No spray, why did it happen at such odd intervals, some months between or two night running?
Anyway when we get home we will find out having bought another lamp.