An insightful article on Ridding Your Home of Tobacco smells. Some very handy tips to pass along.  Being an ex-smoker myself I can relate...

Now I will notice the smell of smoke in every home I go into and am very aware of it upon entering a home if a smoker lives or has lived there in the past.

Enjoy and a special thanks to:

Christopher Salviano
Foresight Consulting Home Inspectors


Tobacco smoke creates an odor that is notorious for its ability to saturate living spaces and persist long after its source is gone. Inspectors may be asked by clients who recently purchased a smoke-infused home, or by sellers before their house goes on the market, about how to remedy the situation.

Facts About Tobacco Smoke and its Residue

• Smoke particles can be as small as .001% of the width of a human hair, which allows them to penetrate almost any part of a house. Tobacco smoke can easily circulate through a building's ventilation system or come up through apartment floors. Tenant/tenant and tenant/landlord disputes commonly arise when smoke odors penetrate adjacent housing units.
  
• It is not clear whether tobacco smoke odor is dangerous or if it is merely a nuisance. While tobacco smoke is a known carcinogen, little is known about the health effects of the particles that are left in the air after you can no longer see the smoke. The American Cancer Society states of cigarette odors, "Though unknown, the cancer-causing effects would likely be very small compared with direct secondhand smoke exposure, such as living in a household that has a smoker."

Odor-Absorbing Materials

The following materials are believed to be capable of absorbing or neutralizing tobacco smoke odors, at least temporarily:

• Vinegar. Place a bowl of vinegar in each affected room overnight.
  
• Citrus. Leave a large amount of citrus peels in your home for several days or until they have become desiccated.
  
• Baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda over the smoke-affected area and let it sit for a few hours before vacuuming it up. Be sure to test the baking soda on a small part of the surface to ensure that the surface or fabric doesn't react unfavorably to the baking soda.
  
• Coffee grounds. Pour coffee grounds into several coffee filters and tie them closed,
  leaving them in affected areas.
  
  
   
  
  
  
• Charcoal. As you would with vinegar, place charcoal into bowls and leave them in smoke-infused rooms overnight.

Removal Strategies for Smoke Odor

• Open all windows and turn on fans. Ventilation is probably the best way to remove any odor.
  
• Clean light bulbs. Just as some scent-diffusers rely on heat from light bulbs to disperse the aroma of the scented oil, it's possible that the oily residue from nicotine and other cigarette byproducts is dispersed throughout the living area the same way.  Anecdotal reports suggest that light bulbs attract smoke residue.  It has also been claimed that bulbs will release smoke odors when they are turned on.  Perhaps replacing incandescent bulbs with higher-efficiency bulbs that do not get as hot would help alleviate this problem. 
  
• Thoroughly clean all hard surfaces, preferably with cleaners that contain ammonia, although woodwork requires cleaners that are not as acidic.
  
• Surfaces may be painted to trap odor, although it may be possible for odors to gradually seep through paint barriers.
  
• Remove carpeting, as it is nearly impossible to remove smoke particles from carpet. Thoroughly scrub the flooring beneath before installing new carpet. If the carpet cannot be replaced, have it professionally cleaned.
  
• Soak blinds in a bathtub full of all-purpose cleaner, scrub them thoroughly, and hang them to dry.
  
• Send curtains out to be professionally cleaned or replace them.
  
• Purchase a chemical sponge to remove smoke residue from lampshades, books and other materials.
  
• Use an ozone generator. Ozone, as it has three oxygen atoms, is highly unstable and will oxidize easily. When it is introduced into an area, ozone attaches itself to the odor molecules and oxidizes them into their basic elements--carbon dioxide and hydrogen, which have no odor. Beware that ozone is dangerous and ozone generators should only be used in unoccupied spaces. Be sure to read our article on the subject before purchasing an ozone generator.
  
• Use a HEPA filter.
  
• Burn "smoker candles." Candles that contain enzymes to help neutralize and remove smoke odors are widely available. They may also be used to remove cooking and pet odors.
  
• Replace all heating and air filters regularly, as they tend to harbor cigarette odors and other irritants.

All good tlps to follow if your home has any tobacco smells in it when you want to sell your home.

Thanks again to Christopher Salviano
Foresight Consulting
www.foresighthomeinspections.com

If you or someone you know is planning a Move or Sale of their home in the near future, call your Bergen County, NJ experts, Lisa & Bob Hammerstein at (201)218-6802 or visit us on our website at www.HammersTeam.com.  We'll be able to help you if you're Moving or Selling in any of the towns located in Bergen County New Jersey.


For more Local Information about the Pascack Valley area of Bergen County, New Jersey, call Bob & Lisa at (201)218-6802or visit us online at www.HammersTeam.com.

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We often hear people (including myself) drone on at how the system is broken and how good guys end up in jail and bad guys are released on good behavior. The criminal justice system is far from fair. Too often bad people are let out only to re-offend and sometimes do worse the second or third time around. Securing your home is crucial way of protecting your home and family.

The Seattle PI reports “a man who police say beat an elderly woman and burglarized her home has schizoid-affective disorder, was released from jail three days before the attack and had to be placed in seclusion multiple times at Western State hospital.

The 81-year-old victim told police she thought he would have killed her if other elderly neighbors who police say he also assaulted didn’t come to her aid.”

That is likely someone’s mom and grandmother. Imagine this happening to a loved one.

“The man, who is on Department of Corrections supervision, has a lengthy criminal history including a conviction for custodial assault, second-degree robbery, theft, assault, negligent driving, domestic violence harassment and domestic violence assault.”

This is obviously a bad, bad man. He’s been diagnosed with mental illness and he has extreme tendencies towards violence. The frustrating part of this story is that it is evident in his current state of mind and in his history that he will do this again and again until he commits a heinous enough crime that gets him a life or death sentence.

The courts can only work within the confines of the law. Citizens can only hope the law is sufficient enough to guarantee their safety. What this ultimately means is a citizen’s right to safety is only guaranteed by what he or she does to protect themselves. The ultimate responsibility to protect yourself is on you. The justice system doesn’t necessarily provide justice. It is simply a guide.

By coming to terms with this and realizing the responsibility you have, you develop a higher sense of awareness and begin to put systems in place to prevent such atrocities from happening in your life or to someone you love.

Fundamentals include locking your doors, having a home security plan, investing in home security alarms and home security cameras. The worst thing you can do is nothing. The best thing you can do is be proactive.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home invasions on the Gordon Elliot Show. Disclosures

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Let me provide a short update for those that haven’t visited this blog previously. I am not a wine expert by any means. My lovely wife is the reason I started this section on wines. She, being the wonderful partner she is, provided me with a membership to the Virginia Wine of the Month Club this past Fathers Day. That started the adventure of relating my tasting experience each month. Over the past three months I have been having a lot of fun with it. For past articles go to the drop down menu on the right that says Select Topic then choose Wineries or Wine & Travel to read where we have been so far.

Now let’s get to this months’ selection. I always like to say a little about the vineyard. August previews the CHRYSALIS VINEYARDS in Middleburg, Virginia, Loudoun County founded in 1997 by Jennifer McCloud, the winemaker is Alan Kinne. This Winery has the largest planting of the Native American grape the Norton east of the Mississippi. Therefore, the selection that I received is a bottle of the 2006 NORTON.

The first thing that caught my eye was the beautiful label. If you were buying wine based on the label you would definitely purchase this one. I found it fantastic. Maybe a little whimsical, but tastefully done.

 

After seeing this label I am thinking for the first time about getting one of those label saving kits and starting a scrapbook.

You are probably saying by now, enough about the bottle, what about the wine. Well without tasting it I am going to provide you with a little of what the Virginia Wine Club says in its newsletter. (In Parenthesis are my words.)

Like I said before I am not a wine expert I only pretend to be one on the weekends. Now I quote “In the glass, the 2006 vintage is opaque filled rim to rim with a deep shimmering garnet. ……”open in the glass a few minutes, or better yet decanting,” “….opens up the wine’s jammy licorice and plum filled nose.” (I guess there are some that decant their wines. If you do please let me know if it makes a difference. I may try it with this one.)

“The attack is fairly sharp leading to a robust mid palate” (as opposed to front or rear palate I guess) “that has layers of dark stone (?) fruit flavors.” “The full bodied dark cherry finish lingers nicely and features a minimalist rounded tannic structure.” (Next stop Barnes and Nobles for a wine dictionary)

“The round tannic structure and bold mid palate makes this an excellent pairing for traditional Italian dishes.” (So I guess it goes well with pizza.)

Later this week ,I will post in my words, what I think of this wine. I may wait until the weekend so I can take my time with it. You wouldn’t want me to rush this would you? Based on the label it has to be good so taking my time is important.

If you don't want to miss the next wine post you can subscribe and be notified via email on my main blog at CharlottesvillebyDave

Also, if you would like information on homes for sale near a vineyard just let me know. I am a REALTOR® "Licensed to Sell Real Estate in Virginia"