Unwanted Smoker Below

[Scott Tiger]

About a month ago I had someone move into the apartment beneath mine that smokes. Unfortunately I there are no non-smoking apartments in my building and the person beneath me is not likely to quit or go outside to smoke.

I think I already know the answer to this question but is there a cheap way to keep the second hand smoke out of my apartment? If there are any cheap air cleaners on the market that would get a good deal of it out of my apartment I would be willing to get one. I'd also be willing to sprinkle whatever necessary (so long as it's cat friendly) on the carpet to help out matters. Fortunately I spend much of my time in my bedroom so that's the room I'm most concerned about. It's roughly 11x15 so it's not a huge space to clear.

I'm also training for a marathon that will take place on March 20, 2004 so anything that will help keep the air clear would be much appreciated. My lease expires in Feb of next year so the solution doesn't have to be a long term one.

Thanks for your suggestions,
Scott

[M_Six]

Might I suggest you have a talk with the smoker? Let him know the smoke bothers you in your own apartment and would he mind...nah, that'd be a waste of time. Just cut to the chase and start stomping around in boots everytime he smokes. Maybe he'll get the message. Smokers don't seem to understand that their right to commit suicide ends when it overruns your right to breathe clean air.

It's the whole passive/active rights thing. Same with noise. People who play their stereos loud enough for the neighbors to hear don't care that they're stomping all over their another person's right to quiet in their own home.

Apartments and condos seem to attract more than their share of inconsiderate morons.

[thekingofpain]

If you can slightly pressurize the room with a blower (from a clean area) the outside air cant penetrate...

[Angela]

I think people should be allowed to smoke in their homes without being hassled.

I am sure there are stores in your area that sell a variety of air cleaners. I'd just go to some of those stores and check out what they've got--some are a lot nosier than others! The cost varies quite a bit as well.

TKOP has a good idea!

[M_Six]

I think people should be allowed to smoke in their homes without being hassled.

That's the crux of the passive/active rights thing. You have the right to smoke or listen to loud music or throw parties or whatever (active). But your neighbor, especially in an apartment situation, has the right to clean air and quiet in their homes (passive). So whose rights take priority? My wife once had an apartment where the downstairs neighbor smoked dope all the time and blew it out the window. It would come right up and into my wife's apartment (this is before we were married, obviously). So my wife had to keep her windows closed even though it was warm. So whose rights took precedence there (ignoring the obvious point that the bozo downstairs was breaking laws)?

[Annisa]

Just my opinion.


I agree to a point that people should be allowed to do whatever they want in their own homes until it directly affects someone else as it is doing in this case. You shouldn't have to be the one to pay the cost for air cleaners/sprays or whatever it will take to get rid of the smoke smell. He should, if for no other reason than to be neighborly and respect those around him. It's an apartment building not a separate home. He should get something for his apartment to catch at least most of the smoke before it comes to your apartment.

I hope you get something worked out.

[EvilRick]

I would say if smoke from the apartment below yours is getting into your apartment, there's something seriously wrong.

Your landlord is the one that should be responsible, not you, not the dude/dudette below you. Write a letter, being sure to keep a copy for yourself, get it notarized and at least have it on file in their office. You have a valid complaint and you are at least owed your health.

[Siliconjunkie]

Nope, you choose to live there. You don't like the conditions, move. That is exactly what I would tell you if you came to me with this complaint.

I am generally the most polite smoker you could hope to meet. I don't smoke around non-smokers even in my own home and car.

And as for the stomping around, that would work. I would complain to the point that you had no choice to move, problem solved for both of us.

M_Six, your situation is not a good example because what they were doing was illegal in the first place. Perhaps she should have called the police. Same applies for loud music.

Basically, the whole "second hand smoke" thing has gotten out of hand. The anti-smoking natzis have forgotten that smokers have rights too and their bitching and whining may be infiringing on ours.

So, in a nutshell my advice is to either deal with it, buy air fresheners/filters, or move.

[jmebonner]

No, M_Six's analogy is dead on. I have the right to stand on the sidewalk and swing a hammer around all day....until someone else wants to use the sidewalk, at which point I'm interfering with their rights. To me, this seems to be much the same situation.

Same goes for shooting off fireworks in the country. It is not illegal, however, when the neighbors need to get some sleep, you should stop.

[Siliconjunkie]

WTF does swinging a hammer have to do with me smoking in my apartment? ZILCH

And, there are laws that prohibit loud noises after a certain hour and smoking pot.

Keep trying.