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This is happening to me as I type. We are not overreacting. Today, i went out and purchased a $300 air filter that detects smoke in the air. It has been cranking on Turbo mode since my neighbors lit their nightly toxin pile.
After reading a lot of the posts. I'm thinking they may be burning wet wood. Whatever it is, it fills my street with smoke!
You may have missed the point that there may be a problem with YOUR HOUSE in that the smoke is getting in more than it should be. The problem could be with your neighbor's smoke, or it could be on your end. Probably ought to figure out how all that smoke is getting inside your house before you assume the problem is on their end.
I am just a renter, but one of my neighbors (don't know which one) is using their wood fireplace a lot, and I can smell the smoke in my house, even though all the windows are closed. If I open the front door the smell is really strong. After doing some research on this it turns out that wood fireplace smoke is toxic and can lead to a bunch of respiratory illnesses. I am worried about my family and my animals, as they are also breathing in this crap.
Have other people had problems with this? This is the first time I've ever had this problem. My husband and I are thinking about buying our first house this summer and I am worried about buying a house near neighbors who use their fireplaces. Can anything be done about this?
I imagine this is a pretty common problem.
You are correct, paranoia and hand-wringing are very common problems in America today!
Obviously, the choice would be to move to a neighborhood that doesn't have many wood burning fireplaces. There are many subdivisions where the houses are all the same and you'd have a pretty safe bet that people haven't installed fireplaces; these neighborhoods often have HOAs that help ensure nobody will do anything to upset your delicate sensibilities. Better door/window insulation including storm windows and doors would also help. Or, you could move to a rural area far from other houses, although someone worried about fireplace smoke probably doesn't have the right constitution for country life.
Or, you could do the old fashioned thing and, if someone's fire is bothering you, go knock on their door and talk to them about it. However, this would require you to be civil, describing their fires as toxic crap probably won't get you too far.
You are correct, paranoia and hand-wringing are very common problems in America today!
Obviously, the choice would be to move to a neighborhood that doesn't have many wood burning fireplaces. There are many subdivisions where the houses are all the same and you'd have a pretty safe bet that people haven't installed fireplaces; these neighborhoods often have HOAs that help ensure nobody will do anything to upset your delicate sensibilities. Better door/window insulation including storm windows and doors would also help. Or, you could move to a rural area far from other houses, although someone worried about fireplace smoke probably doesn't have the right constitution for country life.
Or, you could do the old fashioned thing and, if someone's fire is bothering you, go knock on their door and talk to them about it. However, this would require you to be civil, describing their fires as toxic crap probably won't get you too far.
Good luck!
I think y'all have said it all......
If you're that sensitive to smoke, fix the problem with your house or move....
bbbbbbb
Fireplace smoke is major source of winter time air pollution
Jan 22, 2009
SACRAMENTO: Today, the Air Resources Board heard the results of several studies that show smoke from wood fires aggravates lung and heart disease and increases the number of hospital admissions.
"Today's report to the Board underscores the need for air districts throughout the state to curtail fireplace burning when air quality is suffering," said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. "This starkly illustrates our need to continue reducing particulate matter emissions."
At this morning's hearing, board members heard a presentation of research results that indicate exposure to wood smoke may reduce lung function and reduce the blood's ability to clot properly. In addition, wood smoke exposure may also increase substances in the body that lead to cardio-vascular and pulmonary inflammation. These health threats could be particularly dangerous to those with preexisting heart or lung disease.
ARB research staff reviewed four recent national toxicological studies in presenting today's findings to the Board.
The findings support fireplace ordinances that many local air districts throughout California are implementing.
The research found that wood smoke can cause a 10 percent increase of hospital admissions for respiratory problems among children. ARB estimates that between 20 to 80 percent of ambient wintertime particulate matter is due to wood smoke. Studies have found up to 70 percent of smoke from chimneys can re-enter a home or neighboring residences.
Wood smoke consists of several pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and other irritating and toxic components. California's wood smoke problem and its pollution problem in general, are compounded by the state's geography and weather. The many valleys and calm air cause the pollutants to remain at ground level rather than be swept away.
In several areas throughout California, air quality officials are restricting residential wood burning on days when particulate matter pollution is expected to be high. These and other strategies are substantially reducing winter time peak particulate matter levels and therefore should reduce the risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations and premature deaths.
The Air Resources Board is a department of the California Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air pollution control
efforts in California to attain and maintain health based air quality standards.
source
Press Release: 2009-01-22 Wood smoke is a serious threat to public health (http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr012209.htm - broken link) Posted by Breathe Healthy Air at [URL="http://breathehealthyair.blogspot.com/2009/01/wood-smoke-is-serious-threat-to-public.html"]5:29 PM[/URL] [URL="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5203073408656006154&postID=507959738 2277847086"] http://www.blogger.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif [/URL]
Labels: [URL="http://breathehealthyair.blogspot.com/search/label/breathing"]breathing[/URL], [URL="http://breathehealthyair.blogspot.com/search/label/health%20concern"]health concern[/URL], [URL="http://breathehealthyair.blogspot.com/search/label/medical%20illness"]medical illness[/URL], [URL="http://breathehealthyair.blogspot.com/search/label/wood%20smoke"]wood smoke[/URL]
You may have missed the point that there may be a problem with YOUR HOUSE in that the smoke is getting in more than it should be. The problem could be with your neighbor's smoke, or it could be on your end. Probably ought to figure out how all that smoke is getting inside your house before you assume the problem is on their end.
I think you posted on the first page that if wood smoke were toxic, then the OP would not be here because all of her ancestors would be dead. LOL Funny, but almost all of our ancestors got married and had kids at like 12, before the dangers in their environment could kill them off.
Breathing smoke isn't good for your health. It's sad that the "clean" fuels have gotten so expensive that more people are resorting to things like burning wood for heat. I personally am not sensitive to noise and smells, but I guess the OP is. I can also understand that she feels worried about her kids.
If I were her, I would take someone else's advice and move to an area where wood fireplaces aren't allowed, or she's far enough away from her neighbors not to have her kids breathe the stuff. If her neighbors aren't nice and are having money problems, they may not be able to fix their chimney or whatever is causing the strong smell. So if she complains, they may just be nasty or try to retaliate. I am saying that based on some of the comments posted here, which seem a little scary.
In the "good old days" more people had respiratory problems and many people died at younger ages. They survived by having women pop out the babies as soon as we reached puberty. Unless you were rich, of course. Some queens got married at older ages, but most people gave their daughters away to some old man as soon as she "developed."
People walked around with their faces and clothing stained with soot from the wood fires. I hope that the people who have started burning wood to save money (I know some) can afford the maintenance that comes along with a fireplace, as well...
I think you posted on the first page that if wood smoke were toxic, then the OP would not be here because all of her ancestors would be dead. LOL Funny, but almost all of our ancestors got married and had kids at like 12, before the dangers in their environment could kill them off.
Breathing smoke isn't good for your health. It's sad that the "clean" fuels have gotten so expensive that more people are resorting to things like burning wood for heat. I personally am not sensitive to noise and smells, but I guess the OP is. I can also understand that she feels worried about her kids.
If I were her, I would take someone else's advice and move to an area where wood fireplaces aren't allowed, or she's far enough away from her neighbors not to have her kids breathe the stuff. If her neighbors aren't nice and are having money problems, they may not be able to fix their chimney or whatever is causing the strong smell. So if she complains, they may just be nasty or try to retaliate. I am saying that based on some of the comments posted here, which seem a little scary.
In the "good old days" more people had respiratory problems and many people died at younger ages. They survived by having women pop out the babies as soon as we reached puberty. Unless you were rich, of course. Some queens got married at older ages, but most people gave their daughters away to some old man as soon as she "developed."
People walked around with their faces and clothing stained with soot from the wood fires. I hope that the people who have started burning wood to save money (I know some) can afford the maintenance that comes along with a fireplace, as well...
If you did genealogy, like I do, and studied history, you'd learn that many women died young, but more from childbirth (after having numerous babies, birth control being iffy if available at all) and measles, of all things, than anything more environmental. That many people lived to a ripe old age (70's, 80's, 90's) in centuries past, contrary to your claim above. However, in those days, it really was a matter of survival of the fittest, so a lot of people also died before the age of two.
If you did genealogy, like I do, and studied history, you'd learn that many women died young, but more from childbirth (after having numerous babies, birth control being iffy if available at all) and measles, of all things, than anything more environmental. That many people lived to a ripe old age (70's, 80's, 90's) in centuries past, contrary to your claim above. However, in those days, it really was a matter of survival of the fittest, so a lot of people also died before the age of two.
I did and do study history. I'm sure the statistical methods for collection of death records was really accurate in 1000AD, btw Statistics aren't even accurate these days, and they're a lot easier to collect!
In addition to survival of the fittest (which I personally believe applies more to animals than people), survival of the "rich and powerful" was as much an influence in civilizations in America, Europe, Africa as it is today. Selection of mates based on backside size, skin whiteness or family-connection does not make sense "survival-wise" without LOTSA creative explaining-away, but human beings pick their mates this way and can go to retarded extremes when they consider a trait attractive.
The secret about the human “animal” is that we can survive under pretty much any circumstances. Apart from anomalies, our brains allow us to adapt to anything. The only barrier to our expansion IMO is infertility, but we have found ways to cheat that, too.
So on-topic, right? J
Dangers
--------
Based on my studies of European, African, American and Middle-eastern and Asian history, life a few thousand years ago was more dangerous. Period. Nowadays we have blood transfusions, antibiotics and sanitation that save thousands of lives every day.
Childbirth
---------
I will also assume that even if the women died in childbirth, our ancestors were not fools, and they learned from experience that a woman should be encouraged to breed before she could die from anything else.
Environmental
-------------
If we move to more modern times (or even during the Middle Ages in Europe before the black plague) you will see environmental pollution causing sickness and death. Imagine being able to die from a fever? People in cold climates can and DID die often from infectious fevers. Probably ultimately as a result of inadequate medical care. But a good way to get sick is to breathe respiratory irritants--like the those found in wood SMOKE--for a few months in the winter. The smoke may not have directly killed people, but complications from breathing pollutants probably contributed to thousands of deaths.
Clean-burning fuels allow us to live with fewer carcinogens, drink clean water and live healthier lives. I want to say “Put that in your wood stove and smoke it” but only to be witty, not mean. Please respond as I am enjoying our debate.
Last edited by kinkytoes; 02-07-2009 at 01:52 PM..
I find it interesting that since the Donora incident in 1948 and the subsequent passing of the first Clean Air Act in 1963 air quality has generally improved. Sometimes by small increments to be sure, but overall it has been improved even with expanding industry. Our standards of what constitutes air pollution are consistently raised (= levels allowed are lowered) at every review and more pollutants (or sources) are added to the "what must be controlled list". What used to comprise a very small percentage of overall ambient pollution (i.e. smoke from wood burning fireplaces as opposed to coal and peat burning i.e. London 1952) now makes up a larger portion of ambient pollution. Consistent with our cracking down on more and more types of pollution, It appears folks are aiming the big guns at wood smoke pollution now.
...and once they've accomplished that they'll turn their sights on unregulated farting.
You think you're joking. But observation has shown that whenever something outrageous is proposed as the next civil liberty the "we're never going to die if we just do everything right and force everyone else to do as WE think" police will point their guns at, it turns out that, not as far down the road as might be thought, sure enough, there they are.
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you are right
