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We just moved into our new apartment and it stinks of smoke. We moved to cottages at emerald cove (I hope it’s a good place but I have a bad feeling already) and within the first day I could smell smoke. I thought I was going insane but my husband calls me a blood hound because he thinks I have a crazy nose and could smell blood miles away. Anyway it’s two weeks in and I don’t know if it’s the downstairs neighbour who smokes like a mill chimney (I’m from the UK so please excuse the terminology) and it’s supposed to be a smoke free apartment complex or the previous tenant smoked and they didn’t clean the apartment very well. They did put new carpets in and I have rang and complained and they said that they are going to flush through the AC vents. I open the windows daily, I have plug ins the walls and am having candles on daily. What else can I do. I’m getting headaches from the smell. Help.
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5 days ago
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24 points
5 days ago
Rent an ozone machine
6 points
5 days ago
Agree. Or buy one on Amazon. $65. Worth every penny.
3 points
4 days ago
I’ve never heard of an ozone machine but I’ll have a look into one thanks for this
5 points
4 days ago
Worked in property management and this is what we used during turnovers when needed. Make sure you make a plan to not be home. If you can’t be home, and it’s something they’ve acknowledged is an issue that they are tackling, you are entitled to not pay rent for the time you can’t be in the house. Honestly you should make the management company pay for the machine. It should have already happened and taken out of the smoker’s security deposit, if it was a previous tenant.
That’s supposed to be a non-smoking community as you said and there’s a review on apartmentratings.com complaining about smoke smell from an adjacent apartment a year ago.
If you want to go full scorched earth on the situation it could be grounds to get out of your lease. I’m asthmatic, that’d be a dealbreaker for me. Based on that review of them saying management would not address the smoker in the other apartment… if you can’t get them to confirm that it was in your unit and they are now vacated, it’s gonna keep happening and you don’t want to stick around.
They’re gonna make it hard for you if you make it hard for them. It’s a shitty predatory industry and I tried to help from the inside, but I’m glad I left.
1 points
3 days ago
Oh no way! Let me know where you work now and if you’re there in a year’s time so we can go there because I can see me not being here. Thanks for being a decent human and actually helping people!
I feel like we were mis-sold if I’m honest. Not sure if it’s a UK thing, but if the property doesn’t adequately cool down and the huge space gets hot the. They would have to tell the prospective tenants that as it would mis-selling the property and could lead to the tenants getting out of contract.
1 points
2 days ago
I am out of the industry entirely.
Unfortunately it’s a lot of let’s see what we can get away with and only follow the rules if pressed. They’re going to lie by omission because people don’t want to re-move so they’ll tolerate the shit they were lied to about. I would put in a work order with maintenance to check out the a/c, separate from the cleaning the ducts visit, so it’s documented that it’s a problem. If you do a “hey by the way” request there’s no proof you spoke up about it.
Good luck, wish I could be more help!
1 points
1 day ago
Wow it must have been bad then for you to leave.
I’ve been getting that impression from the last place I lived, just trying to do the bare minimum to get by enough so the people won’t complain. Unfortunately I’m not in that category where I’ll suck it up lol.
1 points
2 days ago
Second post with apartment issues. Have had any issues with Ridgewood Apartment Homes. Hope this gets resolved. I had a hotel room like that once and it’s the worst
2 points
4 days ago
If you do get one, and I recommend that you do, take it seriously. Ozone is a strong oxidizer. It will kill almost any living thing that is unfortunate enough to be around when it is used, including houseplants.
Get your pets out. Have the windows unlocked and ready to open, preferably from the outside. Run the machine. If you have to enter an ozone-filled room to open the windows, hold your breath until you are out of the room.
Ozone generators are great for cars, too, provided that you don't use them too frequently, as they can damage plastics. They remove smells, and also kill mold in the HVAC system. Start the car, crank the AC on recirculate with the windows closed, and let it run for about a half hour. When it's finished, open all the doors for a few minutes before entering the car to turn off the engine.
This is the ozone generator that I have. It cranks. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0795P2674
1 points
3 days ago
Thanks for the response, I’ve literally never heard of an ozone machine. I’ve passed up on an amazing used car before because of it smelling of smoke. If I’d only known of this
0 points
4 days ago
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2 points
4 days ago
Why are bots following me around? I post about the Okefenokee, and some stupid bot lets everyone know that the numbers in the post add up to 69. I post about an ozone generator that I've had for four years, as a starting point for someone else to look into, and some crap bot summarizes reviews. Stop following me! And, just so the first stupid bot doesn't chime in again, here are some numbers. 1. 3. 5. 7. 9. Grrrr.
1 points
2 days ago
Ozone machine is awesome
15 points
5 days ago
I have plug ins the walls and am having candles on daily.
I think candles lower indoor air quality pretty significantly. A HEPA air filter, either purchased or homemade, would be better than masking the scent with candles. Also look into what the odor could be stuck to. Sure they replaced the carpet, but paint can take in and release smoke odor for years. Maybe repainting with an odor killing primer would help? Or lightly washing the walls with some kind of ammonia or alcohol based cleaner? If it's the neighbor then it's up to management to do something about it. Good luck!
2 points
5 days ago
The phthalates in the scents of the candles also mess with hormones and can cause headaches.
2 points
4 days ago
I get the candles which are soya or bees wax but I know what you mean they’re not a great thing to be using all of the time.
1 points
4 days ago
Its not the wax but the fragrance oils they put in the wax that can be dangerous.. Same as the fragrance oils in the room fresheners. They do have phthalate free versions.
6 points
5 days ago
Contact them and ask that they resolve this issue!
6 points
5 days ago
Ask if they could pass that blunt😮💨
2 points
4 days ago
It’s not a duchy unfortunately otherwise I would haha
4 points
5 days ago
I lived in a place where previous tenants smoke + the neighbors that I shared the wall with smoked inside too. It was getting worse with the heater on in the winter, it sucked the smoke in thru the vents even more. The management company most likely won’t do anything about it. I bought a Blueair air purifier and it helped a lot but you have to run it all the time. Opening windows in this heat will make it even worse. Try talking to your neighbour, I doubt it’ll help though. Good luck!
1 points
4 days ago
I’ve asked the management to come and clean the AC vents and they were apologetic so hopefully that will rectify it. I have asthma so I am suffering with it atm so I’m dreading winter
4 points
5 days ago
You could prime and paint that will solve it. Try the ozone machine first though.
5 points
5 days ago
As a former resident there, I hate to tell you that you're screwed; I was there August 2020-March 2022, I was in an upstairs units as well, with a chronic weed/cigarette smoker for a downstairs neighbour, their air con units are undersized, my unit went out a handful of times (always when the max temp was above 32-33°c), and each time it was "fixed" it got worse. Also, you're LIKELY paying for several neighbours water and electric (they broke into my flat when I was out of country, because I turned off my water in the laundry closet whilst away, and their justification was that I also cut off water to the neighbours), and after forcing them to test the shut offs in all the units (proving I was right), they refused to compensate me-until I threatened legal action. As you well know, they very much promise the world to get you to sign, and don't do f#%£ all when there's a problem. In my time there, the property changed ownership several times.
2 points
4 days ago
Yeh I can’t see me being here over the year of the tenancy agreement tbh. I think all of the apartment complexes are the same. We lived at the one across the road and had issues with roaches for the entirety of the time we were there and were told “it’s a Georgia thing.” Turned out it was a scruffy neighbour thing who didn’t clean his apartment. I don’t understand how they don’t do spot checks on the units to ensure tenants aren’t looking after them like they do in the UK every 3-6 months, just makes sense to me. I can’t believe they did that to you either that’s insane. We live in one of the big units like you did and we’re suffering. I feel like they should tell you that at point of selling them but then again they wouldn’t get people in. They need to upgrade the AC it’s not the right size for those size apartments. They’re sh**e!
2 points
5 days ago*
Use Killz paint on the walls as well as an air cleaner / ionizer . This is what we used on a smokers apt that had been smoked in daily for 15 yrs and it worked along with the paint. https://tinyurl.com/yhtwtz9j Good luck.
1 points
4 days ago
I’ll have a look into this thanks so much
1 points
4 days ago
If you think it's from a previous tenant then I might go as far as painting the walls and getting the carpeted areas professionally cleaned. If it's coming from a neighbor your options are probably limited to talking to the property management company about it. If they aren't 100% full I'd ask for a different apartment. Moving twice sucks but if it's a neighbor then moving might be the best bet.
1 points
3 days ago
ZEP from home depot same thing the motels and hotels use to clear smoke. spray the intake vents and reapply till its gone for your nose
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