apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We are in the same situation! It drives us absolutely crazy. Consumer Reports seems fairly negative on the efficacy of air purifiers in general, so I have been reluctant to plunk down the money. Also, does anyone have any suggestions for figuring out where these cracks are and how to seal them, or how to find a company that can do all this? The smoke just seems to seep through the walls!

Do you own or rent? If you own, is it a coop or condo? There have been precendents recently regarding the level to which one shareholders actions are entitled to affect another's...

Per the NY Times this past weekend answering a similar question:smoke can seep in from adjoining apartments in a building through central air vents/ducts, radiators, and even electrical outlets (basically any opening that would be present in your apartment as well as others in the building). You can use those babyproofing plastic plugs in outlets you don't use and use carbon filter pads in air ducts.
I'm also a fan of my Honeywell air purifier with the extra carbon pad filter.
Good luck.

Sharper Image Ionic Breeze. As weary as I am of their endless infomercials, I bought one (after a freind lent me his for a week to test its effectiveness) and am amazed at how effective it's been at eleminating all kinds of odors (including smoke).

Yikes, my very first comment posting and it's full of typos! But I think you get my drift.....

I've heard a lot of bad stuff about Sharper Image's Ionic Breeze, something about the ozone it gives off. I just picked up a Sharp Plasmacluster air purifier from Sears. It's fairly good looking and it filters through 3 or 4 different ways plus it uses positive and negative ions to allegedly kill off germs and bacteria in the air. I don't know if that really works but it is the only air purifier backed up by the asthma association of Canada. It definately does the job when it comes to smells, dust, etc. I think I paid about $179cdn though.

D-

I've had moderate success with both hunter and ionic breeze air filters. Nothing I've found completely eliminates smoke. I was in a similar situation for a year--a tenant in my apt building would smoke on her balcony (which was below my apartment). As a Californian living in New York, I had the necessary audacity infused in me to talk to my new neighbor and improve the situation. While I didn't get the person to stop smoking completely, I got a better understanding of her schedule (so I could open the windows when I knew she wouldn't be smoking), and she actually cut back a little to be considerate. Therefore, I would take a multi-pronged approach and try to block all connecting cracks with whatever you can, obtain a filter, and perhaps reach some kind of compromise. Good Luck!

I feel your pain.

The worst part, is that for me, it's not a neighbor, it's the super! He sits in the basement right underneath my first floor rental and chain smokes cigarettes and other smokables (legal and otherwise) for hours.

Not only is it destroying all of my furniture and clothes, it's making my apartment virtually unlivable, since the smoke hovers. I've woken up every morning for the past few weeks with red eyes, a sore throat, and reeking of cigarettes, to the point where I am concerned that my coworkers and boss are suspicious of my home-habits.

I can't wait to get an air-filter. Thanks for the suggestions!

I had the same problem for a long time, and sad to say, an air purifier only made it slightly better but not by much. What you need to do is figure out where the smoke is coming in, and then have your super (or yourself) caulk up the floorboards and any other cracks it may be permeating. My super did that in both my apartment and the offender's, and it's been much better.

I'm now left with a large air purifier taking up space and I rarely use it.

Barbara, I confess: I smoke. And were I your neighbor I'd feel that it's my responsibility, not yours, to keep my smoke from seeping into your apartment. My experience with air purifiers has been an unqualified... failure. Most purifiers seem to respond to humidity more than smoke. And even though I smoke, I cannot abide the stale cigarette odor. So I smoke outside instead. If I had a terrace, I'd smoke there, but the climb downstairs to the sidewalk is easy, and it regulates (i.e., curtails) my smoking. Unless your neighbor is hellbent on killing you both, perhaps she'd agree to take the initiative and the responsibility.

Look up the Austin brand healthmate. I bought one for an art room at a school I work in. It's the size of a small end table and is loud only if it is put on the highest setting, but it really cleans the air.

Barbara,
I also confess, I smoke. Because I don't like the smell either, and don't want the smoke going out in the hall, and don't want to upset any neighbors, I bought the Health Mate Jr. online at www.air-purifiers-america.com with the specific smoke filter. It's silent on the low setting, but quite noisy on the high setting, but it works, in that people visiting my apartment don't know I smoke - or have even less nasal ability than I do. It was around $250 I think and the filters are also expensive (around $30) but I think it's worth it. I'm not sure it's your neighbor's responsibility to pay for it...it would be nice, but it's still legal to smoke in your own apartment....I hope this helps

it seems like the only air purifier you need is a strong grip, to strangle your new neighbor

We have an Austin HealthMate air purifier - at nearly $500 it's pretty pricey, but we decided it was worth it as our windows face a very busy street with lots of diesel truck traffic. Website is austinair dot com. I cannot personally vouch for whether or not it will work for removing cigarette smoke, but I'd say if any home air purifier can, it would be this one.

And I do recall in Maxwell's AT book that one of his smoking clients bought a purifier to eliminate odors in her apartment so it seems like a solution is possible! I haven't had the exact same problem but I use a low-end Hamilton air purifier ($50) for my dust allergies so I did do some research and you should too.

http://www.allergybuyersclubshopping.com/airpurifiers.html is a good starting point. Dwell magazine also did a review of some high-end ($300-500 ). air filters this past year so that could be another starting point.

I would avoid ozone generating purifiers too, like another poster mentioned.

Does anyone have any additional information on carbon filters for Honeywell air purifiers or the carbon filters for air ducts? I live in an old building over a coffee shop/bar that allows smoking, and the smell isn't terrible (I have my own central air), but I definitely get a smoky odor. I have a Honeywell air purifier in one room, so if there are carbon filters that can be added, that would be great. Are the filters for air ducts just the carbon a/c intake filters cut to fit?

In a previous apartment I had a terrible smoke problem. It took me a while to realise that it was coming from the apartment below. The neighbour didn't want to smell up her own apartment so she did all her smoking out the window. When the smoke rose, the wind blew it into my living room. The smell was so strong I kept thinking there was someone in my apartment. At any rate, I asked her politely to stop smoking by the window and she did. Why don't you ask, as a first step, if your neighbour is willing to do anything to help.

Good luck!

Just to reiteraite Smile's post... have you tried talking to your neighbor or your landlord?

At my old apartment there was a girl who would sit out in our courtyard and smoke, pretty much under my bedroom window. It drove me crazy, and being all "minnesota nice" I didn't say anything, until one day I totally had it and went outside and explained to her that she was making my bedroom stink and could she smoke some where else. She apoligized and told me that she didn't realize and she stopped smoking under my bedroom window.

Anyway, at my new apartment (where I'm the onsite caretaker) we have to deal with a guy who, thankfully, just moved out, but smoked, I swear to god, a carton a day! It even smells like nicotine in the entrance hallway! Horray for Kilz!

We have the Austin Air Health Mate and it is a very good air purifier. While the filters are a bit expensive (as is the machine) they do last five years, so on a per-day basis it is not too expensive.


But definitely 1) talk to the neighbor and 2) if that is unsuccessful, talk to your landlord or Board of Directors. There are standard provisions in most rental and proprietary leases that prohibit any tenant from making noises or odors that interfere with others' enjoyment of their premises. In a rental, your landlord might have to pay for whatever abatement steps you have to take.

Start by talking to your neighbor (to see if s/he'll stop) and your landlord. I'm not positive what the precedent is in NYC, but your neighbors are not permitted to interfere with your quiet enjoyment of your apartment -- same way they aren't allowed to blast music that disturbs you. And your landlord IS allowed to regulate smoking on the premises.

You should not have to spend big bucks - or any bucks, really - to fix this problem. If you're renting, and it isn't fixed, you should be able to get out of your lease.

Barbara here. Many thanks for the tips and advice. I have spoken to my neighbor. She politely but firmly said the problem was mine, not hers. Sigh. (I have a feeling she's been through this before. She really smokes a lot.)

Next steps: go to the co-op board, insulate the electrical outlets on our shared wall. Pull up the baseboard molding and caulk. (I wanted to replace the molding anyway.) Keep the kitchen windows closed when she's home.

I'm not too optimistic about an air filter sucking up all the smoke, but I'm going to get one for my bedroom anyway. It can't hurt. (Except my wallet and at this point, I don't care.)

I'm wondering about "smokeless" ashtrays. Perhaps she'd be willing to use one. Maybe it would help.
I'll keep trying for a solution and if I find one, I'll let you all know.

Again, many thanks. --Barbara

Maybe calling 311 might help.

Hello All,

We've been in this NYC apartment for ages ... so has our "friend" below us. We are friendly but my husband and I can't stand the smoke. Every room is compromised. We've called her AND the landlord to no avail. It is November now and far too cold to keep the windows open. She should be the one to pay for an air filter. Or the landlord should buy one for her and anyone else who'd like one ... or they could simply fix the problem by sealing up her apartment. The Health Department is coming for an inspection.