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Updated about 15 years ago, 12/20/2009
smells like smoke
RE:The house I moved into
I had been in this house several times before, and never smelled any cigarette odors, no smoke odors. I had it painted, and that day, I did, but thought the painters had probably been smoking. even a few months later, (The house has been empty, and generally closed up, for about 6 months, painted about 4 months ago, with no /low VOC paint.
When I went to bed the night I moved in was the first time I smelled smoke. I've been smelling it almost ever since, and it's affecting my health.
I've been reading various remedies.
Installing box fans on one side of the house, opening the windows on the other side to blow it out.
set out barbeque charcoal to absorb the odor (would have to be chemical free)
seal them with Kilz
wash the walls with baking soda.
More extreme: Wash the walls with household cleaner. Let dry then seal the walls with a pigmented shellac (e.g., Kilz, Bins or XTM). Cover the walls with drywall, wallpaper or paint.
For ceilings, scrape off texturing compound, then wash and seal.
Remove the textured ceiling
Most extreme: the above plus covering the existing walls and ceiling with 1/4" wallboard.
Will any of this this work?
What is the lowest level you have used that was effective? It has been a rental for 8 years. There was to be no smoking...
Ofgift