Last weekend on Saturday a new family moved in the apartment next door. Unfortunately our neighbors are heavy smokers and the smoke started pouring into our apartment through the poorly sealed adjoining walls. Tobacco smoke can cause/aggravate: cancer, heart disease, bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, periodontal disease (loose your teeth), to name a few. I have a one and a half year old son not to mention my wife and I to protect from breathing in the cancer causing chemicals every day and night. This would be a big deal to almost any non-smoker but especially for me because I am obsessive compulsive about clean air anyway. I have spent a long time doing research on how to maintain clean air. There is some good information on the air quality tips blog and the EPA website dedicated to indoor air quality.
We found that most of the smoke smell was coming from our downstairs bathroom. I decided to try to seal off the source of the airflow between the two apartments. I used cardboard, tinfoil, duct-tape, and plastic to secure our bathroom fan which we can no longer use. I bought caulking and sealed any open cracks between the walls, light fixtures, electrical outlets, pipes, etc. I found a major source of airflow was underneath the bathroom cabinets there was smoky air coming in and where the pipes came out of the wall. I used caulking where I could to seal it off. Over the next few days the smoke smell greatly diminished. I learned a few tips for any of you who may be facing this problem.
Tips on sealing off an apartment from smokers:
- Use your nose to find where the smoke is coming from
- Use non-odor acrylic based caulk; don’t just replace one toxic odor with another: the 100% silicone has a strong odor which can’t be healthy.
- Do not rely on candles or any other form of air freshener to “hide” or “cover-up” the smoke smell. God gave us a nose for a reason: to enjoy good smells and to know when to get away from bad smells. Eliminate the source of the bad smell don’t just cover it up. Candles and air fresheners also have risks of toxicity; not only does the smoke from a candle flame produce carbon-monoxide and carbon dioxide but it also can have lead in the wicks which is carried into the air when a candle burns.
- Be careful when applying caulking or the foam stuff. It sticks to your arm hair and hurts to remove so wear an old long sleeve shirt, gloves (I prefer disposables), N95 respirator, and eye protection. Also the foam sealer is flammable, sticky, and does not defy gravity.
General tips on improving indoor air quality:
- Check online if the air quality is good/moderate outside and the weather is nice then open your windows! This is the best way to quickly and effectively improve indoor air quality.
- Purchase a good air filter for your furnace/ Air conditioner and change it regularly: The filters rated MERV 12 are the best currently on the market; make sure you get a good tight fit to avoid air leaking around the filter.
- They do have good indoor air purifiers with HEPA filters that supposedly work well but they are a very expensive proposition. I think as long as you are not sensitive to minor air impurities then you can get along just fine with less expensive methods.
- Ventilate your house well when painting or using any type of cleaner with volatile substances
- Have your home tested for Radon: the 2nd leading cause of lung cancer in the
- Some houseplants are good at removing toxins but one study showed that the soil that the plant is in and the microorganisms in the soil that live with certain species of plants are also beneficial. The study also mentions having activated carbon mixed in the soil to absorb toxic chemicals. While the benefit of houseplants is controversial because the benefit may be negligible or very slight; it still may be a good idea if done properly especially when outdoor air quality is bad making it unwise to ventilate with the outside world or it is too hot or cold to open a window.
This is what I would use as a recipe for a houseplant “air purifier”:
- Use the Janet Craig Dracaena plant for its various qualities: good at removing toxins, low maintenance, low light needed, non-toxic (or less toxic than other houseplants for pets & kids)
- Add carbon, Perlite, and Shultz’s Soil Conditioner to the soil
- Trim the lower branches to avoid covering the soil
- Use a pond basket, or strainer type of pot to allow a lot of air flow to the soil and roots
- Use a tray to catch the excess water
- Place several of these plants throughout the house; the more the better.
- Make sure to not over-water the plant to avoid mold
- Place a fan behind or near the plants and blow air on them to facilitate faster air exchange.\
This weekend when I posted this article the strong smoke smell came back again and we realized that our neighbors probably smoke more at home during the weekends. So I started looking for air leaks and found a major one in the kitchen where the wires and pipes come through the wall. I just have to move the dishwasher to get to it. For additional air quality tips take a look at the air quality tips blog: http://www.airqualitytips.com/97/9-ways-to-keep-your-indoor-air-healthy/
