Next doors smoke coming through the loft

[JoSchmo]

Hi,

Our loft isn't boarded and we require it boarding up completely and turning in to a room (not a bedroom). Currently struggling to find a builder who can answer the phone, let alone come and give us a quote asap. We have a huge problem with our neighbours who are heavy smokers. They moved in a couple of years ago and this year we have noticed the smell of smoke coming through the loft. We know their house stinks from whenever they open their front door or give us a parcel or card. All our Christmas decs wreaked of it this year from being in the loft.

Our main issue is that both our kids developed very bad asthma in august last year and have both been in and out of hospital since. The loft hatch is in their room. Since we realised the smell coming through to the loft, we seal it up with tape, however we still need to occasionally go in and out of the loft, plus out boiler is up there so we do need to open the hatch.

Is there anything I can do to get my house tested for what could be causing my kids asthma, such as an environment test? Is it possible for the smoke to get through or is it just the smell? Does this mean we have a hole in to their loft somewhere?

I appreciate I may not be in the right forum or website but I don't really know where to start?

 

[just pumps]

Think you need an Asthma clinic or health help forum as to the cause but sure the loft issue can be addressed.

 

[JohnD]

have you had a chimney removed?

the brickwork on old party walls is often very shoddy. because it was going to be hidden by plaster, incompetent workers often laid it to learn the job, and used up any broken or misfired bricks. Also, joist ends and roofing timbers are often built into the brickwork, and will have shrinkage or movement gaps around them.

Even in plastered rooms, these gaps will be present in the bare parts under floors, above ceilings, in chimneys and fireplaces, and behind skirtings. Sometimes behind built-in cupboards. These gaps may be present in the room itselfand you may need to look under the floorboards next to the wall.

it is possible to re-point the walls with appropriate mortar, but much easier to clean out dust, dirt and loose material with a builders canister vac, and inject expanding foam into the gaps (I prefer pink fire foam).

It sticks better if you spray the wall with clean water first.

Blocking the gaps will block smoke, draughts and (to some extent) noise.

look for any holes in the wall or ceiling for pipes or ceiling lamps. you can put door-type draught stripping round the loft hatch.

if you are having a loft conversion, I'd line the walls with insulation before plasterboard, which will also block penetration through gaps.

You can also open the eaves for ventilation, which will usually blow odours out of the loft.

 

[JoSchmo]

have you had a chimney removed?

the brickwork on old party walls is often very shoddy. because it was going to be hidden by plaster, incompetent workers often laid it to learn the job, and used up any broken or misfired bricks. Also, joist ends and roofing timbers are often built into the brickwork, and will have shrinkage or movement gaps around them.

Even in plastered rooms, these gaps will be present in the bare parts under floors, above ceilings, in chimneys and fireplaces, and behind skirtings. Sometimes behind built-in cupboards. These gaps may be present in the room itselfand you may need to look under the floorboards next to the wall.

it is possible to re-point the walls with appropriate mortar, but much easier to clean out dust, dirt and loose material with a builders canister vac, and inject expanding foam into the gaps (I prefer pink fire foam).

It sticks better if you spray the wall with clean water first.

Blocking the gaps will block smoke, draughts and (to some extent) noise.

look for any holes in the wall or ceiling for pipes or ceiling lamps. you can put door-type draught stripping round the loft hatch.

if you are having a loft conversion, I'd line the walls with insulation before plasterboard, which will also block penetration through gaps.

You can also open the eaves for ventilation, which will usually blow odours out of the loft.

Thanks for all of your input. I will raise this with a builder when I get in touch to make sure he isn't just masking what could still eventually come through.

 

[JoSchmo]

Think you need an Asthma clinic or health help forum as to the cause but sure the loft issue can be addressed.

Thanks. We are under a consultant but in terms of the cause we have no conclusion so we are having to address all possibilities and hope one of them stops contributing to the issue.

 

[johnny2007]

It's the smell, i have had the same problem with my neighbour for years.
Fortunately they're out all day, so the smell comes in the evening.
And fortunately it's the stairs sharing a wall with them.
I spent ages closing what I thought could be gaps, but i found out that cigarette smell goes through walls, similarly to some exotic cooking which can make your eyes burn (fortunately we don't have this problem).