What To Do About Second-Hand Smoke In My Apartment

It’s no secret that second-hand smoke is dangerous, especially in tight quarters. The last thing a non-smoker wants is to smell cigarette smoke in their apartment. That’s why so many people struggle with what to do about second-hand smoke in their apartments.

Tell your landlord that you notice cigarette smoke in your apartment, so they can rectify the problem. Otherwise, it’s worth telling your neighbors that you are concerned about second-hand smoke. You can also request that your landlord make your apartment complex a smoke-free environment. It’s worth breaking your lease if your landlord does nothing to fix the problem.

Close your windows to keep smoke out if your apartment complex has a designated outdoor smoking area. Second-hand smoke has killed millions of people, and it isn’t worth the risk. Follow along as we explore what to do about second-hand smoke in an apartment.

Can Cigarette Smoke Travel Through Apartment Walls?

Cigarette smoke can travel through apartment walls and doors. Countless tenants notice the smell of cigarette smoke through vents and door cracks. That is why many building managers and landlords prohibit vaping and smoking tobacco and nicotine products.

Not only is second-hand smoke inconvenient, but it is also deadly. Exposure to second-hand smoke in an apartment building can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. Naturally, prolonged second-hand smoke exposure can also cause respiratory problems, such as lung cancer.

How To Protect Yourself From Second-Hand Smoke

1. Speak To Your Landlord

Landlords typically take their tenants’ concerns seriously, especially regarding health risk factors. That includes second-hand smoke exposure, so it’s worth telling them when you notice cigarette smoke. Many landlords strictly prohibit smoking unless it’s in a designated area.

First, it’s important to identify where the cigarette smoke is coming from before you call your landlord. Trust your sense of smell to help you discover where the smoke is coming from, such as a vent or door crack. However, you may not have a case to make if the second-hand smoke is coming from an open window.

That may imply that your neighbor is smoking outside in a designated area where smoking is permitted. In that case, the best way to protect yourself from second-hand smoke is to close your window. However, it’s worth calling your landlord right away if you discover your neighbor smoking indoors.

2. Talk To Your Neighbor

You may understandably want to avoid getting your neighbor in trouble, especially if you have a good relationship. In that case, it’s worth talking to your neighbor and expressing your concerns about second-hand smoke exposure. Let them know that you smell the smoke strongly and that you’re worried about the health implications.

Of course, you can do this anonymously via a letter if you’re worried about repercussions. For example, you can post a letter in a common area at your apartment complex that your neighbors will see. Otherwise, you can put the letter on their door or near their mail slot.

Keep in mind that they may not respond well if you come across as judgmental. Remember, your goal isn’t to get them to stop smoking, it’s to prevent your exposure to second-hand smoke. There’s no need to tell them that smoking is dangerous, as that is common knowledge. Instead, simply clarify that you are worried about cigarette smoke traveling into your apartment.

3. Close Your Windows

There’s not much you can do besides close your windows if they are the source of the smoke entering your apartment. This often indicates that your neighbors are smoking outside in the designated smoking area on the property. Unless you live in a smoke-free complex, this is typically allowed.

However, you can help keep second-hand smoke out of your apartment if you close your windows. Close them at times when you typically notice cigarette smoke. This may weaken the airflow in your apartment, but it’s better than second-hand smoke.

4. Explain The Rules To Visitors

Do you have friends and family members who smoke cigarettes? If so, it’s worth explaining the rules to them when they visit about smoking at your apartment complex. That way, you can protect yourself and your neighbors from second-hand smoke.

Tell your friends who smoke about the designated smoking areas at your apartment complex. You may even want to suggest they go further away from your apartment than that. That’s especially true if you can still smell cigarette smoke coming from the designated smoking area.

5. Request A Smoke-Free Environment

Have your efforts failed to reduce the second-hand smoke you smell at your apartment? If so, then it may be worth appealing to your landlord to establish new rules altogether. For example, you can request that your landlord establish your apartment complex as a smoke-free environment.

Explain the many benefits of managing a smoke-free apartment complex. That includes reducing fire risks and saving time and money when turning over units. It naturally takes much less time to clean a vacated apartment if the previous tenant didn’t smoke inside.

In some areas, building managers can even save money on their insurance rates if they switch to a smoke-free environment. You can make your case to your landlord anonymously if you want to avoid awkward encounters. However, there is nothing to lose from simply asking that your complex be made a smoke-free environment.

6. Move Out

Sadly, you cannot control anybody else’s decision to smoke cigarettes. You also cannot control how well your landlord responds to your second-hand smoke concerns. In that case, you may simply want to consider moving out of your apartment.

After all, second-hand smoke is dangerous, and it isn’t worth the many health risks that come along with it. However, it’s worth trying a few of the aforementioned methods to protect yourself from second-hand smoke before moving out. How much time you give your landlord and neighbors to take your concerns before moving out is up to you.

Can I Break My Lease Due To Secondhand Smoke?

You can break your lease due to second-hand smoke if your agreement specifies that smoking is prohibited. However, it isn’t as simple as that, and you must first take several steps, such as documenting the problem. For example, you must keep track of any communication with your landlord.

That way, you can prove that you alerted your landlord to the problem. Breaking a lease is often permitted without penalties if you notify them of a problem that they fail to fix. Keep in mind that it’s better to break a lease than get evicted, so avoid breaking any rules during the process.

Give your landlord up to a few weeks to fix the problem before you break your lease, if you can wait that long. However, your landlord shouldn’t give you any trouble if you provide evidence that they failed to fix the problem. The worst-case scenario is that you may have to pay a fine for breaking your lease.

Summing It Up

Talk to your landlord and neighbors if you consistently notice second-hand smoke in your apartment. Close your windows if the second-hand smoke is coming from an outdoor smoking area. Tell your friends and family members about the smoking rules at your apartment complex, so you don’t risk smoke exposure.

Related Guides:

• Why Does My House Smell Like Cigarette Smoke? (We Don't Smoke)
• My Neighbors' Smells Are Entering My Apartment. What Can I Do?