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IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
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join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

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Neighbor smoking in basement

Our duplex has a no-smoking clause in the lease. But out neighbor smokes in the basement and the scent is creeping into our basement (which is sealed off by a firewall).

I would like to know how to completely seal it off to keep the smoke on their side of the duplex.

I don't want to rock the boat as the tenant there is much better than the previous tenant.

John97
Over The Hills And Far Away
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join:2000-11-14
Spring Hill, FL

John97

Premium Member

I'd try to talk to him about it before getting carried away trying to seal things up... Just reasonably explain that you're getting the smoke/smell in your house and see what his reaction is.

I'm all for people doing what they want in their own home, but if you are a smoker you shouldn't have rented a place with a no-smoking stipulation in the lease.

Bamafan2277
Premium Member
join:2008-09-20
Jeffersonville, IN

1 recommendation

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maybe add a air exchanger or something to create positive air pressure on your side. That way the smoke will not filter to your side.
TheMG
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join:2007-09-04
Canada
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Have you tried talking to him?

Trying to seal up any cracks that the smoke smell is coming through is going to be extremely difficult.
said by IowaCowboy:

I don't want to rock the boat as the tenant there is much better than the previous tenant.

And what makes you think the next tenants are going to be bad?

Anyways, maybe he can come to a compromise such as smoking under the kitchen exhaust hood whenever he smokes inside. My grandmother does this as my grandfather doesn't smoke and doesn't like smoke filling up the house. The fan keeps 90% of the smoke out of the house, you can barely tell someone has been smoking in the house.

OldCableGuy
@planetcr.net

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Pressurize your side so that the air does not migrate from his to yours.

Pacrat
Old and Cranky
MVM
join:2001-03-10
Cortland, OH

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I'm curious... how do you know your neighbor is smoking in the basement? The odor may be coming from anywhere in the adjoining unit.

LazMan
Premium Member
join:2003-03-26
Beverly Hills, CA

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If the odour of smoke is coming through a firewall, you've got bigger issues then cigarette smoke.

What's the dividing wall made of? The solution is the same, though... Seal all penetrations and joints with suitable firestop materials... Small cracks, and seams can be caulked; larger gaps are filled with firestop putty, pillows, etc...
GusHerb
join:2011-11-04
Chicago, IL

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Cigarette smoke can make it's way through just about anything. Only way to keep it out is to create a positive pressure on your side, like others said.

StillLearn
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join:2002-03-21
Streamwood, IL

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It probably won't help, but here is a test that could help. Wait for a dark night, or darken your basement windows. Let your eyes dark adapt for many minutes. Get the neighbor to put bright lights on. Look for light.

jack b
Gone Fishing
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join:2000-09-08
Cape Cod

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Remind them that smoking indoors is in violation of their lease and they could be evicted.

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

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I would think the first step is to talk to the neighbors. For all you know they may have a visitor/family whatever and possibly not aware of the smoke, being less sensitive or the air goes to your side of the basement leaving their side free. See how open they are with resolving the problem. Even if aware, a reminder of the clause in the lease couldn't hurt though would probably make them upset with you however between that or smoke in your basement may be the only choice. I would pick disgruntled neighbors. The smoke that is now in your basement will eventually move up.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

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Install a smoke detector in your basement near where the smoke smell is strongest. Hopefully the detector will go off. Let it beep until it stops by itself. I am sure your neighbor will get the message. Smoking causes beeping, stop smoking no beeping.

Jack_in_VA
Premium Member
join:2007-11-26
North, VA

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said by Mr Matt:

Install a smoke detector in your basement near where the smoke smell is strongest. Hopefully the detector will go off. Let it beep until it stops by itself. I am sure your neighbor will get the message. Smoking causes beeping, stop smoking no beeping.

Not likely to be at a level to set off a smoke detector.

Just because OP can smell the smoke does not mean it's at any harmful level. He probably has more exposure to harmful fumes the minute he walks out his door.

Instead of worrying about it he he should just pressurize his basement a little and eliminate it. I doubt if it would take much to accomplish. I would be more worried about the ineffective fire wall.

Bink63
Namedrop THIS
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join:2002-10-06
Everywhere

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said by IowaCowboy:

Our duplex has a no-smoking clause in the lease.

How would you know what your neighbor's lease says?

gozer9
Premium Member
join:2010-08-09
Rochester, NY

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Presure or a vacuum is the way to go you can make your own vacuum system with a good box fan and just card board and or plastic even garbage bags and tape to seal the basement off to create a presure differencial do the vacuum first and use a incence stick to find the leaks and seal with caulk or for larger ones get a can of fire rated foam. Just a guess here but if the fire wall is just a stick frame with sheet rock the general building codes say any gap or protrusion through it of x/ size must be filled or sealed but may not require the wall where it meats the block wall to be sealed or caulked and may not be air tight. The vacuum smoke test will find the air leaks quite well. I also agree to talk with your neighbor and ask if he would consider a fan offer to pay for it.

A few more thoughts and if theres any switch or outlets in the wall you can try this »www.homedepot.com/p/Fros ··· 00184290

and also just a guess but you get the smell when your doing laundry? so a small fan that brings more fresh outside air in that the dryer or water heater vent out may be all that is needed to stop the smell

Anonymous_
Anonymous
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join:2004-06-21
127.0.0.1

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said by IowaCowboy:

Our duplex has a no-smoking clause in the lease. But out neighbor smokes in the basement and the scent is creeping into our basement (which is sealed off by a firewall).

I would like to know how to completely seal it off to keep the smoke on their side of the duplex.

I don't want to rock the boat as the tenant there is much better than the previous tenant.

some states you can stop paying your rent tell eviction of the other person..
jsbaker
join:2002-07-13
Houston, TX

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said by Mr Matt:

Install a smoke detector in your basement near where the smoke smell is strongest. Hopefully the detector will go off. Let it beep until it stops by itself. I am sure your neighbor will get the message. Smoking causes beeping, stop smoking no beeping.

A household smoke detector is not going to activate from cigarette smoke otherwise you'd have lots of smoke detectors randomly going off around the country. And yes I can tell you that from first hand experience.

DannyZ
Gentoo Fanboy
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join:2003-01-29
united state

DannyZ

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Well I can tell you from first hand experience I set off my living room smoke detector last night by smoking one cigarette in the room, so it is indeed quite possible to do it. That said, I doubt enough smoke is penetrating the OP's unit to trigger an alarm, but it's possible

Jack_in_VA
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join:2007-11-26
North, VA

Jack_in_VA

Premium Member

said by DannyZ:

Well I can tell you from first hand experience I set off my living room smoke detector last night by smoking one cigarette in the room, so it is indeed quite possible to do it. That said, I doubt enough smoke is penetrating the OP's unit to trigger an alarm, but it's possible

Before my wife and I quit smoking we both smoked in the house with 5 smoke detectors and never once set one off. You must have been blowing the smoke directly into the detector. That's how I used to test them when replacing the batteries every 6 months.

DannyZ
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united state

DannyZ

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Nope. detector is mounted on the 10 foot high ceiling. I was sitting on the floor, facing away from the detector, about 12 feet away from the spot directly underneath said detector. It's your standard Kidde ionization alarm, model 0915

Jack_in_VA
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join:2007-11-26
North, VA

1 edit

Jack_in_VA

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said by DannyZ:

Nope. detector is mounted on the 10 foot high ceiling. I was sitting on the floor, facing away from the detector, about 12 feet away from the spot directly underneath said detector. It's your standard Kidde ionization alarm, model 0915

All 5 of mine are dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors. Even with both of us smoking none ever went off. Mine are not even mounted 10 ft high (8 ft ceilings).

The OP should pressurize his basement with a small intake air fan if the smoke is really bothering him also he should be concerned with the ineffective fire wall between the units allowing the smoke to infiltrate his area. It's cigarette smoke now it could be fire later.

vaxvms
ferroequine fan
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join:2005-03-01
Polar Park

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A single cigarette 15 feet away from the detector set it off? Are all the detectors in your home this sensitive?

DannyZ
Gentoo Fanboy
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join:2003-01-29
united state

DannyZ

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I rarely smoke in the house, and when I do the Windows are usually open. Last night they were not. All 7 smoke alarms here are Kidde 0914 or 0915, so I would expect similar performance.
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