How To Deal With Your Neighbor’s Cigarette Smoke

Nonsmokers typically hate the smell of cigarette smoke, especially when they’re trying to catch some fresh air. However, many nonsmokers must deal with their neighbors’ second-hand smoke, and it can be quite irritating. You’re not alone if you aren’t sure how to deal with your neighbor’s cigarette smoke. 

The best way to deal with your neighbor’s cigarette smoke is to run fans and burn citronella candles to mask the smell when you’re outside. Close your windows and seal your doors to keep second-hand smoke and its odors out of your house. You can also talk to your neighbors and see if they’re willing to smoke further away. 

You can involve your landlord if you live in a rental property, and they can take care of the situation. After all, most landlords strictly prohibit smoking, at least if it’s indoors. Follow along as we explore how to deal with your neighbor’s cigarette smoke. 

What To Do If You Smell Your Neighbor’s Cigarette Smoke

As long as your neighbor smokes cigarettes, you’ll likely smell them a little bit if you’re close enough to them. However, you can take a few simple steps to reduce or avoid the odor altogether, such as:

1. Close Your Windows

Sadly, the best way to keep your neighbor’s cigarette smoke out of your house is to close the windows. This can be a bummer if you want to enjoy some fresh air when the weather is nice. However, you must weigh the pros and cons to see if it’s worth experiencing the second-hand smoke. 

On one hand, your neighbor won’t likely smoke cigarettes all day and night. You can probably enjoy some nice, fresh air and close your windows when they stop smoking. On the other hand, the second-hand smoke smell may linger in your house even if you air it out. 

Second-hand smoke is not only dangerous for your health, but removing the odor is difficult and takes a long time in some cases. It’s worth closing your windows to deal with your neighbor’s second-hand smoke if you don’t want to talk to them about it. This may be necessary if your house is quite close to your neighbor’s. 

2. Use Citronella Candles

Does your neighbor’s cigarette smoke ruin the vibe when you chill in your yard? If so, you can kill two birds with one stone if you light citronella candles in your yard. Citronella candles can help mask the smoke and keep bugs, like flies and mosquitoes, out of your yard.  

The lemony and citrus smell is quite pleasant, relaxing, and strong enough to mask the smell of cigarette smoke, at least temporarily. Place some citronella candles on the side of your home closest to your neighbor who smokes. You can also place some citronella sticks throughout your garden to combat the smell.

However, you must be careful with where you place citronella sticks and candles. Keep your candles and sticks at least a foot away from anything flammable. You should only light outdoor candles on days when it isn’t too windy, to reduce the fire hazard. 

3. Contact Your Neighbor

Of course, you can’t control your neighbor and decide what they can and cannot do on their property. However, you can try to appeal to their empathy and see if you can get them to consider you when they smoke. For example, you can politely mention that the cigarette smoke seeps into your house and offer a solution.

Remember that smokers in neighborhoods with little space between houses don’t have many options. They cannot easily find a private spot to smoke where their neighbors won’t smell it. In that case, you may be out of luck, as they aren’t legally prohibited from smoking on private property. 

However, you may be able to reach a compromise if your neighbor has a big yard with plenty of places to smoke. Politely ask if there’s any chance they could smoke in a part of their yard that isn’t as close to your yard and home. You can even email them or send a letter to avoid an uncomfortable conversation with your neighbor if you don’t know them well. 

4. Talk To Your Landlord

Do you live in an apartment complex or a neighborhood with many rental houses? If so, you may want to contact your landlord about your neighbor’s cigarette smoke. Most leases stipulate whether or not smoking is allowed and may dictate where it’s permitted.

For example, apartment complexes sometimes have designated areas where tenants can smoke cigarettes. However, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an apartment complex that allows smoking indoors. Your neighbor may face fines and other penalties if they smoke indoors in a nearby unit.

While it’s a bummer that you must smell the second-hand smoke for now, it will surely stop if you talk to your landlord. However, your landlord cannot likely help you if you and your neighbor both live in rental houses. If your neighbor smokes outside, they won’t likely violate the lease, so the landlord cannot intervene. 

5. Use Outdoor Fans

Avoiding second-hand smoke is tough when your neighbor smokes outdoors and your yards are close. However, you can help dissipate the smell by running some outdoor fans while you hang outside. Some people even install ceiling fans under their decks, which is cheap and easy. 

You can expect to spend between $130 and $360 to install a ceiling fan beneath your deck. The cost varies based on the type of fan and the labor rate if you hire help. You must pick a ceiling fan that’s rated for outdoor use, or else it won’t withstand the moisture and temperature changes.  

Otherwise, you can find small box fans, tower fans, and floor fans to help you deal with your neighbor’s cigarette smoke. Plus, the fan can help you stay cool on a hot summer day and even deter some flying insects. 

6. Install A Sturdy Fence

Installing a fence to avoid cigarette smoke may seem like a drastic, expensive solution, however, a fence has many benefits, such as privacy, security, and in some cases, boosting home value. A tall, strong fence can help keep second-hand smoke out of your house. 

That said, a fence cannot necessarily block all of your neighbor’s second-hand smoke. After all, some of the smoke may rise and spread throughout the air. However, a sturdy fence can serve as a barrier between you and your neighbor. 

If anything, the fence can help diffuse the smoke, so it doesn’t smell nearly as strong. You can expect to spend between $1,600 and $4,000 to install a fence, but it can cost up to $10,000. However, you won’t likely need to spend much more than $2,500 to install a fence in a moderately-sized yard. 

7. Patch Cracks And Holes

Does the smell of smoke infiltrate your home even when you close the windows? If so, it may be because you have several air leaks in your windows, doors, and exterior walls. Walk around your house and check the exterior walls for small holes, cracks, and gaps.

Do the same thing with your windows and doors to see if you need to patch them. Carefully inspect your air vents that lead outside to see if you must patch or replace them. In some cases, you may even need to put a filter on your vents to keep odors out. 

Luckily, you can easily patch many gaps and cracks in your walls and windows with silicone caulk. However, you may want to hire someone to replace your doors and windows if they seem to be beyond repair. Otherwise, simply place draft stoppers and weatherstripping beneath your entry doors to keep out cigarette smoke and bugs. 

Summing It Up

Close your windows and put weatherstripping at the bottom of your entry doors to keep second-hand smoke out of your house. Patch the gaps, holes, and cracks in your windows, doors, and exterior walls if your neighbor smokes cigarettes. It’s also a great idea to run outdoor fans, install a sturdy fence, and burn citronella candles outside. 

Related Guides:

• How To Be A Good Neighbor In An Apartment Complex
• Eight Duplex Etiquette Tips