Need Extractor Fan to Get Rid of Downstairs's Smoke

RealGem

Hi,

My new neighbour moved in downstairs in May, and he smokes - a LOT! It seaps into my flat day and night. He doesn't work and stays up very late. And my flat smells like an ashtray all the time.

I now have permanent catarrah and a sore throat. My clothes, hair and dog all stink of smoke, even when we are outside.

I have tried to block all the gaps in the walls, and under doors etc, but mostly the smoke comes through the floorboards and carpet.

I plan to get a carpet-fitter to lift the carpet and put waterproof membrane underneath, then have the carpets cleaned, although all that will cost a small fortune, no doubt.

But my other concern is that my neighbour never opens his windows. I have asked him to, but he takes no notice.

He has nearly an inch gap under his flat door into the communal stairwell (just the two flats).

So I was thinking I could get an extracter fan fitted on the outside wall of the stairwell, and have a tube or square tunnel going from next to the bottom of his door to the fan on the outside wall.

It is a house converted into two council flats. Do you think the council will pay for it - on account that it is affecting my health?

If they put one in his flat, I know for certain he won't use it, as it will cost him money. And he won't even open his windows which is free!

Also, I have to have a huge floor fan (like they have in gyms) on at night to drown him out downstairs, when he's talking in his damn sleep!

The fan faces out of my bedroom (or I'd freeze!) but that must surely mean that air is being "lifted" by the fan? So the fan is possibly contributing to the problem by pulling more smoke through the carpet!

(I have tried sleep machines that play white noise and they are not "Bass" enough to drown out his loud mumbling. And having a stereo on is not suitable either, because they pick up local taxis and wake me up with a heart attack!)

Has anyone got any advice please? I am getting quite desperate.

thanks a lot

Norman_Castle

Check for gaps or holes in his ceiling plaster. Far more effective than plastic under carpets. Check vents from his flat are connected properly and venting outside. I had similar from a neighbors flat. The bathroom vent fan had been fitted without pipework. The fan was forcing air into my flat rather than outside. Contact your landlord or enviromental health.

http://cantonbecker.com/music/white-noise-sleep-sounds/mp3s.php

Ralph-y

if fumes are entering your house then that becomes a fire/smoke risk in the event of him having a fire. He sounds like a high risk occupant from a fire prevention point of view.

Use this argument when you speak to your landlord , and even consider trying your local Fire Brigade for advice.

Using fans as you do will help the smoke to enter your house ......... to stop it you would need to force air into your property (to create high pressure) to keep the smoke out ......... yes I know this would not be practical as it would affect your heating :-(

Ralph:cool:

GwylimT

Your flat should be sealed, you should not have an open floor that is a huge fire risk, your flat should have been made firesafe before anyone moved in.

thescouselander

To be honest I would report this to the council as a nuisance and a smoke control issue. This is no different to your neighbour burning tyres or similar in his garden and the smoke going in your house.

shaun_from_Africa

I don't know if it would work for a flat (but I don't see why not), but instead of an extractor fan taking air out, why not consider a small fan bringing clean air in.

If the air pressure in your flat is even a tiny bit higher than that of the flat below, you shouldn't get smoke coming into your place.
This is basically the theory behind many clean workshops

He has nearly an inch gap under his flat door into the communal stairwell (just the two flats).

It is a house converted into two council flats

I would definitely contact the council about this as a communal stairwell may well fall under one of the categories of a public place with regards to the public smoking ban.
Even if the legislation doesn't cover it, once you have officially informed the council that you think that your health is suffering because of the smoke, they should hopefully try to get something done.

RealGem

Thanks a lot guys! - They were very helpful and encouraging replies.

I will contact the Council, Environmental Health and Fire Brigade on Monday.


UPDATE:
I actually rang Health and Safety, and was told they only do "H&S at WORK" - I forgot about the Environmental Health Dept. Just been to their website and they say their functions include:
"investigating problems relating to smoke, dust and odour"

Sounds promising!

cheers

RealGem

This afternoon I pulled up one end of the tiny hallway carpet inside my flat, and there were those old 60 vinyl tiles (like all high rise flats have).

They seem to be over the top of thin hardboard instead of actual floor boards in some places, so they have cracked where there is a lot of stress (bit like me lol!) So I put duct tape along the cracks.

I also put rolled and scrunched up cling-film into the tiny thin cracks where skirting boards meet, and used a knife to push it through. That works a treat if you use enough!

I also used door-frame-draught-excluder, and had to use two and three layers of it in places - the gap was so wide. Now I can only just shut the door, so I guess that's a good sign. Won't be able to tell til tonight, when I close my windows.


BTW, does anyone know where I can get one of those old 70s bathroom extractor fans that fitted directly onto the glass, and did not require electricity?

(Even the correct name for one would be helpful, as searching for "non-electric" only returns electric ones!)

Thanks a lot

stef73

Try searching for vent a matic

googler

If you bring clean air IN to your flat, and increase the pressure to be higher than that in the neighbour's, then, as was pointed out earlier, air will flow from yours toward his, preventing the smoke from entering yours.

If you extract from yours, it reduces the pressure, which will make it suck air in from anywhere around with higher pressure, such as the flat below.

RealGem

stef73 wrote: »

Try searching for vent a matic

Brilliant! - Thanks a lot!

googler wrote: »

If you bring clean air IN to your flat, and increase the pressure to be higher than that in the neighbour's, then, as was pointed out earlier, air will flow from yours toward his, preventing the smoke from entering yours.

If you extract from yours, it reduces the pressure, which will make it suck air in from anywhere around with higher pressure, such as the flat below.

Thanks, yes two other people said the same, but it is not a viable option, as I will be wasting heat in winter. I also need the flat to be warm as I have joint pain.

The extractor fan will be going in the stairwell, not in my flat, thanks.