Quick Fixes to Reduce Secondhand Smoke in Your Unit
These Quick Fixes are things you can try immediately to reduce the level of secondhand smoke you are experiencing in your apartment. Keep a record of when and where in your unit you attempt these strategies. For suggestions on how to completely eliminate secondhand smoke from your unit, read the strategies included in the Enjoying Smoke-Free Air in Your Apartment brochure published by Live Smoke Free.
IMPORTANT: Some of these temporary fixes require modifications to your unit. Do not attempt any major repair work to the unit without first getting written permission or help from the property manager. Your lease may tell you what kinds of repair work you are allowed to do on your unit.
Pads and Seals
Smoke can travel through all kinds of spaces, including: around electrical outlets, power switches, baseboards, vents, and other small openings. Hardware stores often sell outlet seals and other ways to temporarily patch openings. You can also try blocking the openings with heavy padding.
Doors and Windows
Gaps under doorways or around door and window frames can allow smoke into your unit. You can buy special door sweeps and window weather stripping to help reduce smoke transfer.
Fans and Air Cleaners
Running a fan may help move the smoke outdoors or move outdoor air into your unit. The success of running a fan may depend on other factors like the direction of the wind outside or the direction of a draft inside. Air cleaners often mask the smoke odor but do not rid a unit of smoke itself. Be aware that the problem may seem better, but you have not necessarily stopped the source of the problem.
Fill Openings
There are many cracks and gaps in apartment floors and walls. Remember that an apartment is one building divided into many units. This means that air can travel throughout the entire building by means of gaps made for wiring, plumbing, vents, and other structural necessities. Tape, caulk, and latex foam may be used to fill some holes and seal around pipes. You may not be able to see or access all of the gaps in a unit or building, but filling some of the gaps may help reduce smoke in your unit.
Repair Vents
Vents in kitchens and bathrooms may have vent check valves to stop odors from moving from one unit to another. These valves may have to be repaired or replaced.
Heating and Air Systems
Problems with heating and air systems may allow smoke to travel to other units. These systems may have to be inspected and repaired.
The only way to completely stop secondhand smoke is to live in a smokefree building. In 2006 the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report titled “The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke” and warned that there is no risk-free level of secondhand smoke. The only way to protect people from the dangers of secondhand smoke is to eliminate the smoke exposure.
Icon Credits | Icons on this page from The Noun Project: Furnace by Andrew Searles. Floor by Claire Jones. Airvent by Arthur Shlain. Outlet by Blaise Sewell. Window by Dusan Popovic. Fan by Ricardo Moreira.