[Born2bwire]

I know this has been done before, but thought I'd bring it up again. My neighbor smokes like a chimney and it's getting into my apartment, probably through the ventilation system. Cutting off the vents is not really an option since I use the A/C and heat almost year round. So was wondering what were people's recommendations for an air purifier that deals with smoke on a cheap budget. The total size of my place is 850 ft^2, but I would first like to try out just filtering out the kitchen and living room which would amount to probably around 400 ft^2.

 

[nikongod]

i have heard that the product myrazime works on smoke.

never tried it though.

are you ALLOWED to smoke in your appartments? i can think of an easy method if you are not...

 

[Edwood]

Unfortunately air filters that truly filter smoke are not cheap.

My BlueAir 402 with smoke stop filter does a wonderful job, but at $120/6 months, it ain't cheap.

You mentioned that your landlord claimed that your ventilation is isolated from your chain smoking neighbor. Keep complaining to your landlord. And submit a written complaint, even better, submit it with your rent check.

Otherwise, sniff around for other places of leakage. Honestly, most floors and walls are not sealed. I'm pretty sure the smoke is also seeping in through the walls, through the studs, joists, and where the wall meets the floor. If your floor is carpeted, you can pull it up at the edges, and look for a gap between the wall and floor. If possible, you can get some minimally expanding foam in a can, and squirt some stuff to fill the gaps, then push the carpet back into place. I had to do that in my place.

Another tactic, (rarely successful, as most smokers I've come across in my area are rude f#$4rs) is to ask politely that they smoke outside, go for walk away from the premises, and enjoy the outdoors while they smoke (I had success with one neighbor with this one, but alas he moved). If they refuse (which they probably will), you can find something that will annoy the crap out of your neighbor to perhaps force a kind of "compromise". (Bag pipes for a little Scottish warfare, perhaps?)

Although I'm not sure what you could do that won't get you in trouble with the law. Perhaps if your plumbing is linked, you can flush the toilet every time your neighbor showers? Just throwing out some ideas.

I feel your frustration. Some people just don't give a damn about others health. Why should they? They don't give two craps about their own health.

OK, now the Pro-Smokers can flame away...

-Ed

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Meh, I'm an ex-smoker who is still kinda a pro-smoker if that makes any sense- I feel smokers get more grief than they deserve. If he is entitled to smoke in his own home then it is kinda unlikely he will stop just for you- it is his home after all, and I guess if you can't smoke in your own home when there is nobody else around, where can you? However I feel talking to the landlord about it is a better idea- smells should not be coming straight from one abode into another.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

The SharperImage ionic-breezes do a pretty good job with smoke. Its kinda gross how quickly the grates get covered in black sludge. Its not as good as a true HEPA filter for really small particles, but you dont have to buy filters, and it works real good with smoke.

 

[Born2bwire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod i have heard that the product myrazime works on smoke. never tried it though. are you ALLOWED to smoke in your appartments? i can think of an easy method if you are not...

I can't imagine a reason why you would not be allowed to smoke in your apartment... I really do not know who it is as I have an adjacent neighbor and then there's the unit directly below me. In addition, if it's coming through the ventilation, I know there's another A/C unit above me (I'm top floor) so there's probably somebody else that's got their duct work near mine or sharing the air return. I have not been able to pinpoint where the smoke is coming from. The main room is open and the smell permeates through it quickly so I have not been able to find the source. Then it gets quickly run through the back bedrooms by central air. And however it's getting in, it's pretty quick too, because I can smell the smoke coming and going throughout the day, probably coinciding when they light up. I think that if I can clear out the smell in the kitchen/living room, then that will clear it up for the most part.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock&Roll Ninja The SharperImage ionic-breezes do a pretty good job with smoke. Its kinda gross how quickly the grates get covered in black sludge. Its not as good as a true HEPA filter for really small particles, but you dont have to buy filters, and it works real good with smoke.

Something like that would be ideal I guess. I do not need the HEPA's properties of removing particulates or pollen, just smoke and even then the smell is only generated a few times throughout the day. But I had always heard people should shy away from the Shaper Image one.

 

[firefox360]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Born2bwire Something like that would be ideal I guess. I do not need the HEPA's properties of removing particulates or pollen, just smoke and even then the smell is only generated a few times throughout the day. But I had always heard people should shy away from the Shaper Image one.

Actually according to Consumer Reports magazine, people should in general try to stay away from any sort of ionizing air purifier, due to the potentially harmful effects of the added ionization of the air.

EDIT: Ahh.. here's the Consumer Reports article: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/a...chTerm=Ionizer

According to that, it could expose you to harmful amounts of ozone.

 

[Born2bwire]

Anyone heard about the Friedrich C90B? It's an electrostatic one, but is puts out a lot less ozone than than the Ionic Breeze. It's more than what I want to spend, but has the added bonus of being cheaper long term. I don't mind having some slight ozone production, would rather avoid it, but I do not plan running the thing 24/7, probably just a few times a day when needed.

 

[ken36]

Landlords are extremely insensitive, unless you live in an upscale apartment and pay big time rent, you know, like apartments surrounding Central Park, NYC. That said, these might be some choices you might consider:

In order of bother:

Burn incense.
Ozone spray.
Call a professional and pay money for a consultation.
Live with it, and embody one of life's great lessons.
Move.

 

[mrarroyo]

The ionic breeze does work quite well. Not cheap! The newer versions are supposed to put out less ozone than the oldre units. Good luck.

 

[Laptopia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff Rymer I feel smokers get more grief than they deserve.

WOW. Things must be rather different in OZ from the scene in the US. Here, smokers flick lighted butts out of their car windows; hang around the front of office buildings in groups, filling the air with a cloud of smoke; throw butts on the ground with abandon, as if butts are some benign, biodegradable fertilizer; need I go on?

I'm frankly astonished that smoking is legal, given the dangers to both the smoker, not to mention others. Our medical system here in the US is absolutely chock-full of people with life-threatening, smoking-related illnesses, and most are unable to pay for the medical services they need (smoking is more prevalent among low-earning, uneducated Americans). Just the other day I saw a pregnant woman smoking. If that's not child abuse, I don't know what is.

So, smokers get too much grief? Dunno 'bout that.

 

[Edwood]

Ionic ozone generators are good for one thing, getting rid of smells.

They do NOT actually clean the air, though. And the ozone they emit can be harmful to you.

So if you run one, make sure it's when you're not around. Open the windows up and ventilate the place when you're back, and shut off the device.

-Ed

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob ♫ WOW. Things must be rather different in OZ from the scene in the US. Here, smokers flick lighted butts out of their car windows; hang around the front of office buildings in groups, filling the air with a cloud of smoke; throw butts on the ground with abandon, as if butts are some benign, biodegradable fertilizer; need I go on? I'm frankly astonished that smoking is legal, given the dangers to both the smoker, not to mention others. Our medical system here in the US is absolutely chock-full of people with life-threatening, smoking-related illnesses, and most are unable to pay for the medical services they need (smoking is more prevalent among low-earning, uneducated Americans). Just the other day I saw a pregnant woman smoking. If that's not child abuse, I don't know what is. So, smokers get too much grief? Dunno 'bout that.

Well in Sydney they drop the butts on the floor outside of their office buildings, but that's cos they decided ashtrays/bins were a security risk and removed them all. Sheesh.

Anyhow, the Governments won't make it illegal while they can make so much money out of it...

I don't really want to go any further because I realise my views are contrary to a hell of a lot of people's and it'll just degenerate into flames...

EDITED: For grammer.

 

[nsjong]

There was quite a thread for this. Here you go!

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...hlight=smoking

 

[Born2bwire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsjong There was quite a thread for this. Here you go! http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...hlight=smoking

I'm not interested in removing smoke from an item, I need to regularly remove it from the air.

Another one that I have been looking at is an Austin Air Healthmate. The Junior is $300 and the regular size is $450, but the filters last for 5 years. 15 lbs of activated charcoal might make an impact.