Need Help Diagnosing a Gas Smell Problem

Oh boy.. where to start. I purchased a house in the Wells Branch area of North Austin in December, minor renovations and painting and moved into the house in February. Since then, I have noticed a gas-like smell. I have twice had the gas company out to the house and twice have had the house pressure tested. They found absolutely no leaks. While they were there, they also used the gas "sniffer" device and also found no evidence of any leak-- although one did say he smelled "something," but that it couldn't be the natural gas because nothing was showing up on his sniffer device or on the pressure test.

I have also noticed this smell briefly at times outside my home, near bushes and by the south patio door. There are no gas lines on that side of the house at all. I seem to notice that the smell is more prevelant after it rains. No, I haven't used the gas stove in at least two months (not much of a cook these days) and other than the gas water heater, there is no other gas device currently running in the house. I have a gas furnace but it's not being used and hasn't for months now.

My question is simply, if this is not a gas leak, what the heck am I smelling? And moreso, how the heck do I get rid of this?

There are 'electronic noses' but I think they are mostly for detecting explosives; ask companies who make these things about your problem.

This is about the most interesting problem I've even seen a forum.

I spent a few years on Haas Lane. What part of Wells Branch are you in? Any where next to the greenbelt? I forgot the name of the pond, but as the summer would hit the entire area would smell terrible. I had a friend whose house backed up to the creek and they had the same issue. We moved when I was 12. I missed it for a long time.

I think you need to contact an expert for this rather testing manually.

take a walk into the wind next time you smell it. Perhaps, as suggested, its something environmental. Your neighbors garbage, your garbage, a pond, a creek, a manufacturing plant, some animal, a septic or sewer issue, who knows.