What to do about smoke oozing through walls from another apartment (2013, apartments)

[1AngryTaxPayer]

The expanding foam works great for any cracks. I had some scary bartender chick move in next to me who was a chain smoker. The very first night our smoke detector went off due her smoking at 2 am. Thrilling! I noticed it coming in from a space where the walls met the ceiling. That helped a lot with the foam. It didn't help the horrid sounds of her and her every night a different guy sounds

I eventually asked the mgmt to move me to another apt after she left a cig on her clock radio and almost burned down the building.

Ask for another apt based on medical conditions. If they refuse you should be able to bust your lease.

[nullgeo]

Here's what you have to work with [so far] in California:

The Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing
Matrix of Local Smokefree Housing Policies
November
2011
Smokefree housing is the next frontier in California’s ongoing effort to protect its citizens from secondhand smoke. Although California has made great progress in getting secondhand smoke out of workplaces, for the many Californians who live in multi-housing units breathing second-hand smoke which drifts from neighboring units, balconies and outdoor areas has become a real health problem ...

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2...ber%202011.pdf

If you are a tenant and are suffering from drifting secondhand smoke in your unit, there are steps you can take to work with your neighbors and landlord to adopt a smoke-free policy for your building.

In addition, if you have a medical condition made worse by secondhand smoke drifting into your apartment, federal and state disability laws might help you address the problem. Depending on the nature of your disability, your landlord may be required to make changes to reduce your exposure. For more information, click here How Disability Laws Can Help Tenants Suffering from Drifting Tobacco Smoke | ChangeLab Solutions

For additional resources for both tenants and landlords, check out these resources
Additional Resources - TobaccoFreeCA

And, finally, share this with your landlord:
Smoke-free policies could save landlords up to $18 million a year in cleaning costs / UCLA Newsroom

[Fran66]

Originally Posted by tickyul

Get incense and use them when a large burst of stink comes into your place, that is the only time I use them.

Get some of those plug-in, scented, oil warmers, they smell pretty (vanilla) good and do a darn good job of covering up that ashtray stink.

Incense and any plug-in oil warmers are very toxic.

What she needs to do it air out her apartment regularly and spray in the air with one part filtered water/one part vinegar. (Watch the wood furniture and upholstery.) That helps a great deal.

She also needs to move into a no-smoking apartment complex. That would really solve the problem. If you knew your complex allowed smokers, why did you move there??

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by Fran66

Incense and any plug-in oil warmers are very toxic.

What she needs to do it air out her apartment regularly and spray in the air with one part filtered water/one part vinegar. (Watch the wood furniture and upholstery.) That helps a great deal.

She also needs to move into a no-smoking apartment complex. That would really solve the problem. If you know complex allowed smokers, why did you move there??

Yeah, air fresheners and incense is just layeriing another layer of grossnes on top of the problem.

And yes, moving is really the only option. If the complex allows smoking there's nothing you can do.

[tickyul]

Originally Posted by Fran66

Incense and any plug-in oil warmers are very toxic.

What she needs to do it air out her apartment regularly and spray in the air with one part filtered water/one part vinegar. (Watch the wood furniture and upholstery.) That helps a great deal.

She also needs to move into a no-smoking apartment complex. That would really solve the problem. If you knew your complex allowed smokers, why did you move there??

NO, they are not VERY toxic. And your body can handle a reasonable about of junk...no problem.

Just burn the incense when you are not in the house if you are so scaredy pants.

I have lived in plenty of so-called "no-smoking" apartments............the no-smoking rule is NEVER enforced......try again.

[Jehjeh]

I find it really funny that this thread got resurrected this week. The smoking neighbor moved out a few days ago.

[Jehjeh]

Originally Posted by Fran66

She also needs to move into a no-smoking apartment complex. That would really solve the problem. If you knew your complex allowed smokers, why did you move there??

I don't know if you're referring to me (the original post is from 2011) or the people who posted again this week, but not every complex has such porous walls. As I said in my post, I had no idea so much smoke was going to come upstairs -- the people living downstairs in previous years were nonsmokers, and the management when I moved in tended not to have too many smokers in the building. Management changed after I moved in.

Moving also costs money. Health and financial issues have prevented me from getting enough together for a deposit.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Jehjeh

I don't know if you're referring to me (the original post is from 2011) or the people who posted again this week, but not every complex has such porous walls. As I said in my post, I had no idea so much smoke was going to come upstairs -- the people living downstairs in previous years were nonsmokers, and the management when I moved in tended not to have too many smokers in the building. Management changed after I moved in.

Moving also costs money. Health and financial issues have prevented me from getting enough together for a deposit.

So, how did you cope with the second hand smoke over the last 2 years? Did you take any of the suggestions?

[Jehjeh]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

So, how did you cope with the second hand smoke over the last 2 years? Did you take any of the suggestions?

I tried using natural scents (essential oils, smoker's candles, etc.) to cover things up, which didn't work too well, but then the guy reduced the amount that he smoked and wasn't home that much anyway. He became a bit predictable, too, which helped. So it was still annoying, but I was able to deal with it.

Who knows who the next neighbor will be, though. The guy who just left might have been annoying, but I'd figured out how to deal with him and knew what to expect.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Jehjeh

I tried using natural scents (essential oils, smoker's candles, etc.) to cover things up, which didn't work too well, but then the guy reduced the amount that he smoked and wasn't home that much anyway. He became a bit predictable, too, which helped. So it was still annoying, but I was able to deal with it.

Who knows who the next neighbor will be, though. The guy who just left might have been annoying, but I'd figured out how to deal with him and knew what to expect.

I'm glad you figured out how to deal with him and that it wasn't too bad. I'm glad to hear he started smoking less. I wonder what prompted that? Good news in any case.

I totally understand why you wouldn't move. Moving is expensive and the rent in your new place is almost always higher than the rent at your old place, so if your income is limited, you end up feeling kinda stuck.

Hopefully, the new neighbor will be a non-smoker and a nice neighbor!