New Neighbor Smokes

[Carrigon]

My new neighbor moved in today. And all of a sudden, my entire bedroom now stinks of cigarette smoke because we share that wall. And our heating runs through it, so somehow his cigarette smoke is now flowing right on in here. And it's too cold out to open windows.

I am in a massive, massive, screaming pain flare all over and wondering if some of it is caused by the second hand smoke. I'm really upset over it. When I moved in here, I was promised that it was a non smoking building. Then I was later told, oh the tenants are allowed to smoke in their own apartments and right outside the building. Well, how is that a non smoking building???? I am so mad. And very sick. And now I have to put up with my bedroom now stinking of this crap. And there's really nothing I can do about it. They barely do anything here when you complain. It's just awful.

 

[Tia]

Oh MAN!

Let me tell you of my experience with this 3 year long HELL I've ben fighting and WON:

I moved here a coupal of years ago andthe neighbours downstairs smoked ALL the tie and of course both inside the apartment and outside in their garden. :Retro mad: I slammed the windows every time to give them a clue that it bothered me, but they didn't care. So; I complained to the landlord who didn't o anything about it, so: I went to the healthdepartment in town, who actually took it upon them and contacted the landlord who told them off. It stopped and started again and stopped and started, so i kept complaining and finally they must have gotten the message because they came up here and I told them how disturbing it really was and sinse then: nothing. And it's SO liberating to be able to have the balconydoor open whenever I want without getting the disguisting smoke in all of the apartment, because it IS the most foul odor ever when u don't smoke yourself. If you stand near a cigarette it smells kind of good, but from a distanse? Holy hell! It REEKS. It really gets one one nerves, especially for us with ME since we're sensitive with smells. So my advice is to keep fighting and do what u have to, to make them stop because it is NOT ok! :Retro mad:

Btw; the advice I can give besides phoning the health department (don't know how that works in your country) is to buy an airpurifier. I got mine, it's a "Bionaire" and really good! I start it up against odors all the time and within a dayr or two it's gone. Great if you have a pet that leaves "treats" for you here and there sometimes. (Even if you clean it up right away the smell is there for some time afterwards.) I actually just bought it to get rid of ONE particula odor after an old vacumcleaner i had but it turned out to be one of the most used machines I have. :|

 

[Esther12]

Could you try to have a friendly word with the neighbour, and ask if there's any possibility that they could avoid smoking in the room right next to yours?

It's a bit of a favour to ask them the day after moving in, but I'm sure they didn't want to cause you trouble. Smokers do tend to be addicts though, and can react badly to being asked to change their habit. If asked, they might feel under attack in the same way you do now, even though neither of you wanted to annoy the other.

Good luck with it.

 

[Carrigon]

I don't think this is the kind of neighbor to be having a friendly chat with. More like the kind that will just punch you in the head.

 

[Min]

take a bottle of wine or something to soften the request

you may want to invest in a portable air filter, although check them out first as they can be noisy

 

[maryb]

Yes its important to check noise levels if you do think about getting one, I have a super one that is whisper quiet and can be left on all night, bought in the uk though.

 

[outofstep]

air purifier recommendation

My neighbors on both sides smoke, so am in the exact same situation. I use this air purifier:
Honeywell HHT-011 Compact Air Purifier with Permanent HEPA Filter

It's amazingly good, inexpensive (around $40 new) plus you don't have to buy filters for it. Mine's from amazon (free shipping).

 

[floydguy]

Sorry to hear that Carrigon. I have a very low tolerance of cigarette smoke. I can only suggest what others have and that is a good air purifier. Good luck!

 

[lancelot]

You can move, buy a hepa filter, or better yet complain to management that second hand smoke is making your illness worse and that you can sue for that or report them to the health department.

 

[Tia]

My neighbors on both sides smoke, so am in the exact same situation. I use this air purifier:
Honeywell HHT-011 Compact Air Purifier with Permanent HEPA Filter

It's amazingly good, inexpensive (around $40 new) plus you don't have to buy filters for it. Mine's from amazon (free shipping).

Wow! 40 bux is really cheap, I payed 140$ for mine.

 

[Tammie]

just wanted to tell you that yet again, I can totally relate....I have a ton of neighbors who smoke and we also have fireplaces here and neighbors who use grills in the summer....and even with the VERY poorly insulated sliding glass doors closed, the smoke gets in, and of course it comes through the vents, too (as do the cleaning products, lawn pesticides, etc, etc, etc)....

..none of that stuff bothered me when I moved in (except the smoke a little but I could tolerate it better then), but now it is terrible for my ME and MCS.....but I can't afford to move and another apt would likely have the same issues (& might have problems like new paint, new carpet, etc)....and no way can I afford to live in a house (rent or purchase), so I am stuck here

anyway, sorry no solutions, but just wanted you to know that I understand completely

 

[Tammie]

oh and I have two good air purifiers and it still bothers me

 

[lancelot]

Tobacco is so nasty and is the most addictive drug on earth. It is also the #1 cause of death worldwide with 5M deaths/year. 5 million innocent people die every year as a direct result of tobacco smoking!!! horrible!! tobacco has killed more than any wars combined or any worldwide pandemic including the plaque. The sad thing is that it is 100% preventable. So why is it still legal and why do people choose to continue to smoke? boogles the mind!

 

[Tia]

Tip: Buy silicone and try to get the isolation better with that, I would.

 

[Tia]

just wanted to tell you that yet again, I can totally relate....I have a ton of neighbors who smoke and we also have fireplaces here and neighbors who use grills in the summer....and even with the VERY poorly insulated sliding glass doors closed, the smoke gets in, and of course it comes through the vents, too (as do the cleaning products, lawn pesticides, etc, etc, etc)....

..none of that stuff bothered me when I moved in (except the smoke a little but I could tolerate it better then), but now it is terrible for my ME and MCS.....but I can't afford to move and another apt would likely have the same issues (& might have problems like new paint, new carpet, etc)....and no way can I afford to live in a house (rent or purchase), so I am stuck here

anyway, sorry no solutions, but just wanted you to know that I understand completely

Tip: Buy silicone and try to get it better isolated with that, and remember..when all else fails: beat the crap out of the smokers. ;D

 

[L'engle]

Cigarette smoke is sooooooo awful. I visited some relatives and their downstairs neighbour smoked. I really couldn't stand it. Do you have it in writing anywhere like apartment lease that it is a no-smoking building? That could help if you need proof. Good luck. I hate hate hate cigarette smoke!

 

[Snow Leopard]

Is it possible for you to tape up the vents? Seriously..

 

[Tammie]

Tip: Buy silicone and try to get it better isolated with that, and remember..when all else fails: beat the crap out of the smokers. ;D

probably an obvious answer, but I am really foggy rt now.......so could you please explain more about what you mean re the silicon?

 

[lancelot]

are your AC/Heater ducts and vents all centralized?

 

[Carrigon]

That's the problem right there. They are going to put in new central air this Spring. And our heating already has a central duct in here. There is no way to close it and we aren't allowed. It has to do with some law about venting. So we get hit with everyone's smoke in the building. It's horrible.