I’m trying to help a friend with a big problem with one of her neighbors.

[femurphy77]

Common Walls are the problem. The Smoke may be infiltrating through the Electrical Switches and Outlets on those walls. You stated it was worse when the Heat /AC runs. I'd start by sealing all the protrusions on the Common walls. Calk or Spray Foam (Great Stuff) all the Electrical Boxes where the wires enter and around any Plumbing Pipes. If there is a Duct in the Attic for make up air it may be the source of infiltration.

To take this a step further it may be advantageous to talk to an insulation contractor. They can foam the entire common wall which would definitely inhibit odors through the wall. If there is a wall separating the attic space it would need to be foamed as well.

 

[Ark]

To take this a step further it may be advantageous to talk to an insulation contractor. They can foam the entire common wall which would definitely inhibit odors through the wall. If there is a wall separating the attic space it would need to be foamed as well.

Getting rid of the neighbor who is behaving illegally is a lot cheaper and more effective than ripping the home apart.

 

[wingrider1800]

We're back to

 

[Lpherr]

Find where the smell is entering, and get a product like this. Use it at all hours, at the point the smell enters, and add a fan to blow it through. No one likes the smell of at all hours.

 

[printcraft]

 

[BE Mike]

I have a dear friend that lives in a nice condo complex on the west side of Indy. About a year and a half ago a problem began to develop with her neighbor in the attached condo next door. My friend has several autoimmune diseases due to exposure to farm chemicals as a child. Life is difficult for her, even under the best of circumstances.

Her neighbor is a heavy pot smoker; almost nightly (usually between about 3 and 5 AM). She’s in some sort of a relationship with a wealthy sugar daddy who seems to supply her all the weed (and anything else) she needs, as long as her door is open for him to stop by and get whatever he needs from her whenever he needs it.

I’m not sure where it’s getting in, but the odor of the weed is so strong that my friend can’t sleep, and often has to leave to spend nights at her daughter’s house, because it bothers her respiration so badly. She’s resorted to turning off her furnace and air conditioner at times because it seems to come in through the ducts faster when those are running. She’s even gotten up and opened all the doors and windows in the middle of the night to try to get through ‘til the morning. It’s so hard on her that she’s considering putting in a whole-house roof ventilation fan, even though the covenants prohibit it (more on the HOA board there in a bit).

When she’s exposed to it, she usually has nausea and dizziness in the morning for two hours or more the day after. Her unit is a two-story. Stairs and dizziness aren’t a good combination. She’s not exactly a spring chicken. I’m fearful she’s going to fall and hurt herself.

She contacted her HOA board about it, and the board’s attorney has been sending letters to her since last Fall, but nothing has come of them. It certainly hasn’t stopped her from continuing to smoke.

She called the nonemergency police number, but they told her they can’t do anything unless they actually see her neighbor smoking. That won’t happen. She keeps it indoors.

This is a very serious health and quality of life issue for her. She would be happy to live and let live if everything stayed inside and didn’t bother her, but the relationship between her and her neighbor has deteriorated because her neighbor is unwilling to make any lifestyle changes (or do anything else) to stop it from wafting next door.

I feel the same way, live and let live, but in this case, I think it’s an extremely cruel and selfish act on her neighbor’s part that this problem is still going on a year and a half later. She’s tried to address the issue by reasonable means.

Have any of you been in a similar situation? Does anyone have any thoughts on how to move toward a resolution? Her daughter lives in the same complex and doesn’t want to move, and her daughter helps take care of her, so moving isn’t really a viable option.

She needs verification from a doctor(s) regarding her health and how the pot smoke adversely affects her health. There may be a chance that the sugar daddy has political pull. I've heard rumors of head coaches having similar relationships in this area. Having said all of this, I doubt that your older friend will find any relief. It may be time to consider moving into a senior living facility or similar accommodations.

 

[Shadow01]

I’m curious what a call to police with a complaint that many people have been entering and leaving shortly afterwards and it appears that drugs may be trafficked there. Then a large amount of pot is found at the doorstep by the police when they arrive?

 

[KMaC]

I've lived in apartments and a condo with common walls my whole adult life and know how irritating neighbors can be. I've known neighbors who moved because of their neighbors' pot smell, spicy food odor and strong cleaning products smell. None of them were successful with their pleadings or complaints to authorities. Noise complaints are about the only thing that can be enforced.
Your elderly friend may have to accept that common wall housing isn't compatible with her needs/wants.
I didn't see any comment that the neighbor actually admitted to smoking pot or doing anything illegal. I doubt that the legal system (HOA, police or small claims court) is going to be successful without proof of illegal activity.
Even if she does get this neighbor to move it doesn't mean that future occupants aren't also going to do something that she finds offensive but is entirely legal and within their rights to do such as cooking and cleaning.
I think she is just too sensitive to live in housing where she doesn't control the whole environment. Does she really want to spend her remaining time being stressed over things beyond her control?

 

[Twangbanger]

Getting rid of the neighbor who is behaving illegally is a lot cheaper and more effective than ripping the home apart.

 

[Libertarian01]

Take pictures of sugar daddy.

Take pictures of sugar daddy's car, with license plate. Document everything.

If sugar daddy married have a respectful conversation with sugar daddy trying to convince him to move his "niece."

Probably need a PI to assist.

Depending on info gathered maybe during conversation with sugar daddy ask how his employer would like to hear about this.

Always follow the money.

Good luck!

Regards,

Doug

 

[HoughMade]

View attachment 331717

But I'm pretty sure there will forever exist a record of your Siri inquiries.

 

[Mij]

Take pictures of sugar daddy.

Take pictures of sugar daddy's car, with license plate. Document everything.

If sugar daddy married have a respectful conversation with sugar daddy trying to convince him to move his "niece."

Probably need a PI to assist.

Depending on info gathered maybe during conversation with sugar daddy ask how his employer would like to hear about this.

Always follow the money.

Good luck!

Regards,

Doug

And you city folk wonder why their are so many shootings In your neck of the woods…..

 

[Born2vette]

What‘s her daughters unit like? Any chance they could swap units?

 

[Brandon]

Could be common walls, but I believe building codes for common walls require fire board between units and insulation on each side. What’s more likely is the smell gettin in through the furnace inlet. Furnaces have an air inlet and exhaust vent right by each other, one pointed up and one pointed down. It’s getting sucked up through that and I don’t think there’s anything she can do to filter that air.

That is a flue pipe and intake for combustion.

If air is getting in that way you need a new heat exchanger...or something is messed up.


Could always try the aeroseal stuff. Seals small holes/cracks in ductwork.

 

[Libertarian01]

And you city folk wonder why their are so many shootings In your neck of the woods…..

I just wonder why more don't shoot back...?

 

[Libertarian01]

On an alternative thought you may want to encourage your friend to move out into the country with greater distance between her and fumes.

While the current source of problems is an uncooperative and obnoxious neighbor, there may well be other instigations caused by friendly neighbors doing something entirely benign.

My friends father developed from 20th Century Syndrome. Simply put, he was allergic to anything containing petrochemical products. Imagine! Newspaper ink, plastic, household cleaners, etc etc etc! Fortunately for him he was a metallurgical engineer and reworked everything in his house. He created his own cleaning products based upon pre 20th century formulas. He encased his TV (with plastic in it) in a glass sealed container with a small fan and exhaust going to the outside of his home to watch TV.

When he visited Fort Wayne I was asked not to use soap or shampoo or aftershave before coming over to visit. I was happy to comply and shower with just lots of water. No antiperspirant either. He and his wife would drive around in a van where he had pulled out everything made of plastic and replaced with handmade wooden products, again sealed with non oil based materials.

I heard the story that one time his yard was accidentally sprayed with weedkiller and fertilizer due to a mistaken address. The company was forced to infuse his yard with charcoal to neutralize the chemicals AND turn the yard over to bury what was sprayed. It still caused him trouble for monthes. After that they installed a locked fence around the entire front yard so that would never happen again. All of this was in Texas.

In his case he was fortunate to be relatively well off. Not rich but good income as a metallurgical engineer for him and his wife the infectious control nurse in charge of a local hospital. They could afford fencing and tools to modify their home along with threatening swift legal action against the lawn care company. I am guessing your friend doesn't have that flexibility.

If she cannot move into the country perhaps consider moving into a suburb in a stand alone home with great yard distance between her and the neighbors? Given her condition problems could well persist even if the current cause is neutralized. Walls alone in her case are not enough.

Regards,

Doug

 

[dudley0]

I have a few townhouse style duplexes.

Over the years I have had complaints about one side smoking weed and the smell getting in the other side.

Lots of ways this can happen. From open windows, doors opening to the outside at the proper times, infiltration from the dividing walls and so on.

The one thing that I found to be most common was the smoker would go into the bathroom, turn on the exhaust fan and have at it. Then the smoke was sucked out of the apartment. Once outside it was sucked back in the next apartment thru the exhaust fan duct and filled the neighbor's bathroom with the smell.

I don't care if people want to smoke, but they need to realize it is still illegal in this state and they should be more mindful.

 

[K9Luvn]

I wonder if an air purifier could help. I had an Ecoquest Air purifier and loved it. I will probably get one again. Took all smells out of the house. Also although no one likes moving... but is is possible for her and her daughter to change condo's?

 

[indyk]

I wonder if an air purifier could help. I had an Ecoquest Air purifier and loved it. I will probably get one again. Took all smells out of the house. Also although no one likes moving... but is is possible for her and her daughter to change condo's?

Thats a plus 1
If the friend is this prone to illness over smells,voc’s etc, Perhaps it was loooong overdue that her doctor/insurance required her to purchase a quality air scrubber?

 

[JTKelly]

Thats a plus 1
If the friend is this prone to illness over smells,voc’s etc, Perhaps it was loooong overdue that her doctor/insurance required her to purchase a quality air scrubber?

Why would her doctor or insurance REQUIRE her to purchase it?