Apartment Dwellers

[hedgeybaby]

Many of us worry about complaints from our better halves regarding the smell of cigars.

I however am extremely lucky in that regard as my wife generally doesn't have an issue. 

Sadly my neighbors do and I have just had a visit from the building security.

Can anyone help with any recommendations of how to Cigar proof an apartment?

I'm not sure who complained but how can the smell get into other's units? 

[Fosgate]

I don't think there is much you can do once they are on to you. When I lived in apts I tried smokeless ashtrays, spray my jacket with odor eliminator, shower and change clothes after smoking. etc. None of that matters if your neighbors are out on the deck at the same time. I could smell cigarettes when I was out on the deck. Most of it will start with debris (butts, nubs, ash dropped on lower decks etc. and thats easy to not gain attention to you. Odor though, really nothing you can do other than smoke somewhere else like a local lounge, move  or plant cocaine at the neighbors doorstep and call the cops. 

[Bijan]

32 minutes ago, hedgeybaby said:

I'm not sure who complained but how can the smell get into other's units? 

Central heating or AC. If your unit smells then chances are it'll get into others. Some newer buildings have individual HVAC for each unit, I guess in that case your neighbor is just being a jerk.

I smoked by an open window when the wind was blowing in the right direction or outside my apartment (I was on the ground floor) otherwise and never had an issue. As much as I enjoy smoking indoors I can't stand the smell it leaves myself.

[unclepauly25]

I live in an apartment and can’t smoke inside. In the summer I smoke outside in the front or backyard. I live in Chicago so winter sucks here, I go in my car and smoke in the winter. Unfortunately, I think even the high end air purifiers won’t help much. 

[Meklown]

From personal experience (had some complaints in the past but now stopped, touchwood), I think it's similar to how a draft comes in whenever a window is slightly open - something about pressure / how external air flows in (maybe due to temperature differences? 

I added rubber strips between the main door and the frame, something like this - 

 

What also helps is trying to get the smoke out of your apartment as fast as possible. Smoking directly under the kitchen hood helps, or if you normally sit near a window maybe you could try installing an outward facing vent fan, and try to remember to blow your smoke in that direction. 

 

(images picked off google as an example)

[Fuzz]

Cook curries every night, eat loads of Vieux Boulogne cheese and durian, or start growing a Rafflesia Arnoldii AKA the Stinking Corpse Lily. Soon your neighbours will ask you to please smoke your cigars again.

[Chibearsv]

Are you in a no-smoking building or does Toronto have a law that smoking isn't allowed in apartments?  In Illinois, the landlords decide if they want to allow smoking or not.  There isn't a state law that prohibits smoking in your own dwelling even if it's in an apartment building.  If you are in a no-smoking building, I don't think you can smoke-proof it to the extent you would need.  Any whiff will get some neighbor complaining and now that you've been found out, they'll probably be hyper aware.  Maybe it's time to look for a smoke friendly landlord (if possible) or time to buy a home.

[BrightonCorgi]

Is smoking cigars inside against your lease?  If it is, then you are in the wrong unfortunately ?

[Joeysmoke]

8 hours ago, Meklown said:

From personal experience (had some complaints in the past but now stopped, touchwood), I think it's similar to how a draft comes in whenever a window is slightly open - something about pressure / how external air flows in (maybe due to temperature differences? 

I added rubber strips between the main door and the frame, something like this - 

 

What also helps is trying to get the smoke out of your apartment as fast as possible. Smoking directly under the kitchen hood helps, or if you normally sit near a window maybe you could try installing an outward facing vent fan, and try to remember to blow your smoke in that direction. 

 

(images picked off google as an example)

To anyone that does this, be careful! If you're in a building that feeds fresh air into apartment hallways or the elevator shaft, that positive airflow can actually repel leaks in the building envelope (and various smells that would emanate from the apartment). Sealing your door like that - it's possible to invite leaks, which can be legally charged to that tenant's modification of suite. 

[Duxnutz]

In my condo, I use this out on the lanai. I’ve got a 650cfm duct fan pulling through a charcoal filter and ducted outside the tent. Little fan for inlet air and it works well. Have a comfy chair and a table with the charcoal filter on it sitting next to ashtray. 
 

Slight residual smell I cover with an incense stick/use my blue air air filter. 
 

 

 

[cigcars]

      *Light East Indian Incense and have a Smoker's Candle burning at the same time and see if that helps. East Indian incense (Hem, Celestial Seasons, Nature Nature Frankencence, etc.) is usually strong enough to mask most smells...

[Fuzz]

On 2/17/2021 at 6:43 AM, Duxnutz said:

In my condo, I use this out on the lanai. I’ve got a 650cfm duct fan pulling through a charcoal filter and ducted outside the tent. Little fan for inlet air and it works well. Have a comfy chair and a table with the charcoal filter on it sitting next to ashtray. 
 

Slight residual smell I cover with an incense stick/use my blue air air filter. 
 

 

 

Henceforth, you shall be known as, "Bubble Boy"!

[WalterG]

22 hours ago, FrancisK7 said:

I bought a performance air purifier (an IQair Multigas) so I could smoke one in my house office when I feel like it during winter.

My house has central AC so I close down all the vents and block the underside of the door with a towel, essentially cutting off the ventilation of the office from the rest of the house.

With the IQair at speed 5/6 or 6/6, it's sufficiently powerful to filter the smoke and odor and contain it to my office. 

My wife says she's wouldn't even know I'm grilling one unless she walked in the office and opened the door.

I researched purifiers quite a bit and hesitated between the IQair Multigas or the Austin Air HealthMate Plus HM450. I think both would perform well. Don't get a Rabbit Air. 

 

Any reason not to go with Rabbit Air? 

[hedgeybaby]

Thank you for all of your replies.

Six months left on the lease and we are planning on getting a house somewhere outside of Toronto.

Here's some snippets from the letter received:

It poses a very concerning health threat to all of us and is causing headaches and itchy throats. 

The smell is strong enough that it comes from the kitchen as far as our bedrooms and makes the kitchen unusable when the smell is present.

The smoke and toxic smell coming from the vents, fill out our unit every night and it becomes intolerable. We are extremely concerned about it as it can potentially be a health hazard.

 

[Jimmy_jack]

I have a lot of things I want to say, but I will refrain. Buy your house and live in peace. People are very good at creating problems where none exist. This is why I try to avoid people when I can. 
 

would the complain if it was cannabis?

[...]

As others have mentioned already, getting your own house would likely fix the issue ?

[Fuzz]

3 hours ago, hedgeybaby said:

Thank you for all of your replies.

Six months left on the lease and we are planning on getting a house somewhere outside of Toronto.

Here's some snippets from the letter received:

It poses a very concerning health threat to all of us and is causing headaches and itchy throats. 

The smell is strong enough that it comes from the kitchen as far as our bedrooms and makes the kitchen unusable when the smell is present.

The smoke and toxic smell coming from the vents, fill out our unit every night and it becomes intolerable. We are extremely concerned about it as it can potentially be a health hazard.

 

I'm telling you, join the "Aromatic Cheeses of the World" club and get monthly supplies sent to your home.

[Connoisseur Kim]

6 hours ago, hedgeybaby said:

Thank you for all of your replies.

Six months left on the lease and we are planning on getting a house somewhere outside of Toronto.

Here's some snippets from the letter received:

It poses a very concerning health threat to all of us and is causing headaches and itchy throats. 

The smell is strong enough that it comes from the kitchen as far as our bedrooms and makes the kitchen unusable when the smell is present.

The smoke and toxic smell coming from the vents, fill out our unit every night and it becomes intolerable. We are extremely concerned about it as it can potentially be a health hazard.

 

This is the reason why I'm planning to get a house instead of apartment/flat @hedgeybaby. Also, house allows me to have own cigar lounge man cave, which is absolutely impossible in apartment/flat.

[Meklown]

4 hours ago, Fuzz said:

I'm telling you, join the "Aromatic Cheeses of the World" club and get monthly supplies sent to your home.

Cook the strongest Indian curries and that may also help

[Duxnutz]

1 hour ago, Meklown said:

Cook the strongest Indian curries and that may also help

Recipes? 

[Duxnutz]

I thought this tidbit on the subject would make a few people happy.........

On the circle where my condo is there’s a guy that appears to live in his truck, reasonably close to across the street. Guy doesn’t create any mischief and is an older fellow that prob lived somewhere previously I imagine. Knows a lot of folks. 
 

I used to fret about cigar smoke leaking from my place but this guy sits in his truck every day and smokes prob 3-5 cigars throughout the course of a day. Smoke permeating around the neighborhood and nobody seems to care. 
 
I love it .
 

 

[Chibearsv]

12 hours ago, hedgeybaby said:

The smell is strong enough that it comes from the kitchen as far as our bedrooms and makes the kitchen unusable when the smell is present.

The smoke and toxic smell coming from the vents, fill out our unit every night and it becomes intolerable. We are extremely concerned about it as it can potentially be a health hazard.

I might copy this letter and send it to my wife every time she cooks brussels sprouts

[BrightonCorgi]

15 hours ago, hedgeybaby said:

Thank you for all of your replies.

Six months left on the lease and we are planning on getting a house somewhere outside of Toronto.

Here's some snippets from the letter received:

It poses a very concerning health threat to all of us and is causing headaches and itchy throats. 

The smell is strong enough that it comes from the kitchen as far as our bedrooms and makes the kitchen unusable when the smell is present.

The smoke and toxic smell coming from the vents, fill out our unit every night and it becomes intolerable. We are extremely concerned about it as it can potentially be a health hazard.

 

Can you smoke in your rental per the lease or not?  I don't think that was stated in the thread.  I would be more likely to tell them to pound sand if you are legally able to smoke in your unit..  I bet it if were weed, no one would complain or as much...

[baltic445]

So I have a dedicated studio I have rented for a home office, which I also smoke in. It's an old pre-war building so central heat/AC are not an issue--it just has old steam heat. I have proofed the door with several door seals as well as duct tape around possible crevices where smoke could escape. It's not terribly aesthetically pleasing but it works pretty well. I use a RabbitAir on turbo 24/7 and open the windows after smoking, not during, to air it out. Beyond that, I just spray Febreeze in the hallway when I enter the office and when I leave for the night. I have not had any complaints. There is a noticeable faint smell in the hallway but as long as it doesn't get into anyone's unit I don't think there's an issue. Also, the building permits smoking, so I have more leeway than most. Hope these tips help.

[Bijan]

9 hours ago, Duxnutz said:

I used to fret about cigar smoke leaking from my place but this guy sits in his truck every day and smokes prob 3-5 cigars throughout the course of a day. Smoke permeating around the neighborhood and nobody seems to care. 

I mean if the truck is parked outdoors I don't see how anyone could complain. I smoke in my backyard and I could have 20 people smoking and you wouldn't get a whiff of smell 10 feet away. Meanwhile anyone on the street lights a chimney and you can smell it all the way around the block.

My last place was a ground floor condo and I smoked outside my unit. I think technically you're not allowed to smoke within a certain number of feet from the building entrance here but other than that no restrictions. Never had a complaint.