We live in an apartment and our neighbors smokes on their patio and possibly inside their home. We smell smoke in our house multiple times a day, even when the windows are closed, and I am worried about the exposure to me and the baby when she gets here. Aside from complaining to our front office, what can I do to help limit my exposure to these fumes?
Re: Second Hand Smoke
Im not sure about your place but in my house and a lot of places I've lived there are air filters for the main air intake points in the hvac system. Filters are usually cheap but you can spend more to get better filters that catch more. Maybe talk to maintence and see if they have any ideas?
Also you can buy stand alone air filter units, we had one in college because the dorm was stinky. You should be able to find them at most large retailers or home improvement stores.
May '17 labor memes
My guess is that the amount of smoke you get is probably not going to be enough to harm your baby. That said, it is gross and I hope you can come to a solution.
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
There was one situation when we smelled it inside with the windows shut, especially in our only bathroom. Turns out one other unit was getting remodeled and the workers were smoking inside and it was coming into our place through the bathroom vent. It wasn't ongoing though but they stopped as soon we figured it out. They had no idea it would happen in the first place and they were apologetic (plus smoking inside during a remodel seems quite unprofessional). I would at least have a conversation with the other tenants and let them know that its getting into your place. They may be just clueless as well. And hopefully they respomd nicely as a result
1st Baby 5/12/17, Henry
Like others have suggested, you could get an air purifier, talk to maintenance about changing the filters, and you could even talk to your management to see if there are units not around smokers. I'm not sure where you live, but maybe even a different complex could be a solution. I live in NC and there are complexes that have nonsmoking units, and while you can't stop people from smoking outside, it might be better. Like @pshaortao said you could try to talk to some of your neighbors. Good luck and welcome to May 2017!
But my guess is that little if any smoke is actually going to get into your home, at least not enough to be dangerous. Air filters should take care of the issue and a purifier should take care of smell.
Human sons: 11/2015 & 05/2017
*formerly kayemjay*
Human sons: 11/2015 & 05/2017
*formerly kayemjay*
Not looking at you on this one, OP. I forgot to say welcome in my earlier post. I agree with PPs on the secondhand smoke. I'd be annoyed and slightly concerned.
May17 Siggy Challenge
Labor
I also live in a building and generally we're all very nice, clean, friendly people but there's one guy who's door is around the corner and at least 30 feet from mine who smokes inside and it often stinks up the hallway. On Sunday morning I was sure I was smelling smoke inside our apartment and around 10am I went to get some groceries and the hallway was literally a wall of smoke. I have to walk by his door to get outside and there was music blasting (thankfully our apartments are extremely soundproofed) and like 12 pairs of shoes outside his door. I said to SO, "what if we had a baby now and had to walk through that?" He contacted the concierge when we got home. Not sure what has come of it yet but haven't smelled smoke since Sunday.
Also, who is partying with music blasting at 10 am?? I can admit to partying and staying up all the next day but usually by 10am it'd just be me and a few friends lounging or having a sleepy day by the river.