Should you buy a smoker's house?

Basically, anything in the house that is slightly porous could contain toxins from thirdhand smoke, and rectifying the damage is not only costly but also time-consuming. Buyers should be aware that buying a house with thirdhand smoke damage, while mostly fixable, could come with some potential long-term problems.

Is it worth buying a home that is smoked in?

except for that ashtray smell permeating every single room. Is this a deal breaker? If the smell of cigarette smoke makes you recoil, you're not alone: One study found that smoking in a home can reduce its resale value by up to 29%.

Does cigarette smoke devalue a house?

Most real estate investors know that a “smoking home” can be a bear to clean up. However, the issue may go far beyond the cost of smoke and stain removal. According to a new report from Realtor.com, smoking in a home can reduce property value by up to 29 percent.

How much does it cost to get cigarette smoke out of a house?

Angie's List estimates the average cost of cigarette smoke remediation at about $4,100. What you pay depends on the distribution of smoke throughout the house. It's possible that every room will need to be treated if you want to get rid of cigarette smoke damage entirely.

Does smoking in a house damage it?

Cigarette smoke damage is difficult to remove, even harder than the soot from a fire. That's because the acidic smoke contains tiny particles and gasses that get soaked up by both hard and soft surfaces, leaving resin and tar behind. Nicotine can even contaminate dust.

Understanding Thirdhand Smoke | Ask This Old House

Is it hard to sell a smokers home?

Third, it is very difficult and expensive to remove the underlying toxic thirdhand smoke that causes the smell and physical symptoms that many people experience. The lower selling price is partly a consequence of fewer people being willing to consider buying a home that smells like stale tobacco smoke.

How do you clean a smoker's house?

Use a spray bottle and a rag to wipe down all hard surfaces with a 50 / 50 solution of white vinegar and hot water. You may also wash the walls and ceiling with a mixture of 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup baking soda and a gallon of hot water.

How long does smoke linger in a house?

This makes it almost impossible to direct smoke away from those around you. If you only smoke in one area of your home the harmful chemicals will spread rapidly from room to room and can linger for up to 5 hours.

How long does it take to get cigarette smell out of house?

To reduce the smoke smell in a room or vehicle, fill several small bowls with white vinegar, set them around the space, and let them sit overnight. To speed up the deodorizing process, simmer a saucepan of vinegar on the stove for an hour or two.

How do you renovate a smoker's home?

Most experts recommend simply replacing highly porous items, such as fabrics, carpets, or furniture that come with the house. Depending on the damage, you may also need to replace harder but still-porous items like floors, trim, and doors. And some smoker's houses will need to be stripped down to the studs.

How do I deal with a smoker in my house?

Open windows as much as possible, especially while people are smoking. Empty ashtrays and wash them every day (or better yet encourage the smokers to do this), and sprinkle a layer of bicarbonate of soda on the bottom to absorb odors. Use an air purifier or an anti-allergy filter in your heaters.

How do you tell if a house has been smoked in?

Usually, tenant smoking is easy to detect by the distinctive smell on walls, in carpeting and furniture, signs of ash or cigarette butts, and yellow or brown discoloration on walls, counters, cabinets, doors and trim. Even with camouflage, you can usually find enough signs to prove indoor smoking.

What is the best cleaner to use to remove nicotine from walls?

The best cleaner for nicotine on walls from a commercial standpoint is a product containing trisodium phosphate, or TSP. TSP is a general-purpose cleaner found in most home improvement stores. Before cleaning the wall, put a tarp down on the floor to protect it from drips.

How do you get the smoke smell out of your house professionally?

White vinegar cuts through odors naturally. Try wiping down furniture, washable walls, floors, etc. with white vinegar. Also, try placing several bowls of vinegar around the room with the smoke damage, leaving them there for several days.

How far does cigarette smoke travel in a house?

Secondhand smoke odor is detectable at 23 feet from the source and irritation levels began 13 feet from the source. Furthermore, anyone positioned downwind from an outdoor source of secondhand smoke will be exposed, even at significant distances from the source.

What does cigarette smoke do to walls?

Tar and nicotine create a yellowish discoloration on your walls, especially toward or on the ceiling (since smoke rises — thanks, science). Not only is this smoke residue unsightly, it's also potentially dangerous, as thirdhand smoke on surfaces like walls can cause serious health problems.

Does smoke smell eventually disappear?

Tobacco smoke can even circulate through the entire house via the ventilation system. But there is no need to panic, as the smell will dissipate over time.

Can you paint over smoke walls?

Applying paint directly over top of the remaining stains or odor will not cover them up. You'll need to apply a good, solvent-based stain-blocking primer to prevent them from bleeding through the paint. You may be able to get by with a product such as Zinsser's Cover Stain, which is an oil-based stain-blocking primer.

Does painting walls get rid of smoke smell?

Painting may camouflage some or even all of the stains (if you use a dark enough color). BUT, it will NOT take care of the odor. Paint is porous, so the nicotine smell will permeate through the paint. Instead, you need to remove the surface odor and then seal in the remaining odor with a primer.

Can nicotine on walls make you sick?

When you smoke in a room or car, toxic chemicals like nicotine cling to walls, clothing, upholstery and other surfaces, as well as your skin. Results of a study published in 2010 found that when this nicotine reacts with nitrous acid in the air, it forms carcinogens, which are compounds that can cause cancer.

Can I paint over nicotine stained walls?

According to the Dulux Decorator Centre blog, you can't just paint over nicotine walls. Nicotine and tar seep into the walls and leave a stain that will bleed into the coats of paint. You need to clean and prime the walls before you paint them, otherwise, the stains will persist.

How do you get smoke off walls?

Will Magic Eraser remove nicotine?

Clean Magic Eraser, all you need is the sponge and some water to remove crayon from walls or to eliminate nicotine or other stains. The scrubbers on these sponges are activated by the water and power through any cigarette stain on your drywall, but also clean glass, doors, baseboards, and more.

Is it safe to live in a house that has been smoked in?

This residue can build up on home surfaces, including walls, countertops, and even ordinary household dust. It's not just unsightly but also contains carcinogens, as well as toxic heavy metals such as lead and arsenic. Some research indicates that thirdhand smoke may contribute to lung cancer and can damage DNA.