Post # 1
Member
6741 posts
Bee Keeper
So Fiance and I live on the 3rd floor in an apt with a balcony. Our 1st floor neighbors like to sit outside on their balcony/patio and smoke cigarettes. I know this because if I leave my balcony door open, which opens into my living room, but I’m sitting in one of the bedrooms (which we converted into a “game room”) I can SMELL IT. Literally, 2 floors up and several feet away from the open door.
Clearly, I can just SHUT my balcony door and I won’t have to smell it anymore. However, I won’t be able to use my balcony when the weather is nice! And I won’t be able to leave the door open when the weather is nice to get some fresh air into the apartment (OR THE WINDOWS for that matter!).
I’m hoping some of you guys have some suggestions for me – maybe someone has been in a similar situation. The smell is so bad that it literally burns my eyes and makes me cough (I am asthmatic). I’m hoping the suggestions are something other than move or close the door lol..
Post # 3
Member
3692 posts
Sugar bee
Put a box fan in front of the open door, facing out? Maybe it will blow the smoke away.
Post # 4
Member
4582 posts
Honey bee
Send them a passive agressive note. 😉
Post # 5
Member
5984 posts
Bee Keeper
@futuremrsk18: I think I’m going to have a similiar problem this spring/summer with the neighbors below me too! I like the fan idea that strawbabies recommended. I’m going to have to try that. Sorry, I don’t have any suggestions myself.
Post # 6
Member
2253 posts
Buzzing bee
Yeeesh this sounds horrible. I think strawbabies probably has the best suggestion. I’d doubt that asking the neighbors quit or cut back on the smoking would have any effect.
Post # 7
Member
559 posts
Busy bee
Box fan and air purifiers are all you can do. They’re entitled to smoke on their balcony, unless there are local ordinances or clauses in the lease that prohibit it. It sucks, and as a fellow asthmatic, I sympathise, but there’s not a lot you can do, short of trying to get them to quit smoking. Fans help, it’s about the best I can recommend.
Post # 8
Member
1583 posts
Bumble bee
randomly pour water off your balcony when they are there so they can understand that what one does in an apartment affects others. Plants would give you an excuse of “watering them”. Also a muddy tea cup pig would be an excuse. Or a dolphin.
Post # 9
Member
6741 posts
Bee Keeper
LOL Ok, I’m going to start making brochures about the bad effects of smoking and putting it under their door. Then, I’m going to get plants and water the crap out of them. And then I’m going to get an air purifier and a box fan. LOL
Actually, the box fan is a great idea – but I suppose that would defeat the purpose of having the door open, wouldn’t it?
I do have an air purifier, I completely forgot about it. I can put it by the door and see if that helps.
And yes – it’s completely legal for them to smoke on their balcony, I already asked. I am a lawyer, though – maybe I can figure out a way to pass a new ordinance. Honestly, the rule should be that you can only smoke if you’re on the 3rd floor – helloooo that stuff rises!
Thanks guys, I knew I wasn’t thinking of something!
Post # 10
Member
396 posts
Helper bee
Can you talk to your landlord/rental office? In my complex, you have to be a certain number of feet from the front door/windows to smoke.
Post # 11
Member
973 posts
Busy bee
Unfortuatetly if it’s legal and the complex doesn’t have any rules against it, there’s nothing you can really do. And in all honestly you probably wouldn’t want someone trying to curb your rights to do what you want either!
I get apartments are handy and nice. I get you’re unhappy cause I’m REALLY picky about where I live, but it’s up to you to pick where you live based on your needs. If being around a lot of other people and what they do annoys you, you should plan to move as soon as you reasonably can to somewhere that fits your needs/wants. Some apartments have no smoking rules.
Personally, I’ve never lived in an apartment. I’ve lived in duplexes (with yardwork provided) and one town house on the end of the small complex, so it was really like living in a duplex. My reasons were I like peace and quiet, I’m allergic to chemical scents (pretty much everything these days is fake scented), I must have a washer and dryer in my living space, I loathe yardwork, and I have always had a cat (which some apartments do allow but it’s been easier to find duplexes).
I get it’s me… it really is. 🙂 I knew this moving out of my parents house when I moved 800 miles away. It was an old but clean and in good shape duplex, with 70s shag carpet of multiple indeterminate colors that I could barely afford and eat at the same time. But I was a lot happier than if I lived in an apartment! And I’ve only had a few annoyances in duplexes in almost 20 years.
Oh and that town house I mentioned. Just across the fence was a fire station, which blared the emergency city siren every Wednesday at 10am. I worked nights and was asleep then, didn’t know it for 8 months until I went to breakfast with folks from work (across the street). We got back as it was going off and I asked “What IS that noise?”. They were like “you live 15 feet away, what do you mean what is it?” lol. I sleep like the dead unless it’s bass music, people fighting, or something IN my house… for some working nights that siren would have been a reason to move lol.
