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Laundry detergent fumes coming from my vents, dangerous?

daveybrat

daveybrat

Elite Member
Super Moderator
I live in a 2 story condo. I am on the second floor and my neighbors below me. When my neighbors below do their laundry, i can smell a strong hot odor coming up through my vents. It smells like laundry detergent or fabric softener sheets.

I'm sensitive to smells and i cannot stand the smell. I close my vents but can still smell it seep through.

I'm also worried that the fumes might be harmful or hazardous.

Anyone here have a suggestion?

thanks!

 
This could be a few different things... If their dryer is vented inside the condo or building (which I believe is illegal) then your furnace/AC may be picking it up and recirculating the smell, assuming you have Central Air. I'd check on this, as if its actually vented inside its a huge fire risk. The other thing that could be happening is that its vented outside, but your air intake is located nearby, and is picking up the fumes. This could possibly be fixed by relocating the vent. I'd do some investigating...

Either way, once you have more information, talk to your condo board. In MA, courts have repeatedly upheld a condo owners right to clean air in there unit. However, you'd have to demonstrate that the board didn't attempt to resolve it after you brought it to their attention. Hopefully you have a nice condo board.
 
Thanks guys, i've brought it up with my association manager, and he told me there was nothing he could do. I guess i'm going to hire someone to come evaluate it.

Who do i hire, a heating and cooling guy?

I also read online that the fumes from fabric softener sheets are dangerous (hence venting outside).

Can they cause health problems?
 
Originally posted by: loki8481
that's like the best smell in the world. :heart:
Click to expand...

agreed. I love the smell of freshly washed clothes. What the hell is wrong with you OP? Maybe break into their apartment and swap their detergent with some of your own choosing.
 
It sounds like a broken dryer vent pipe. The smell is probably not coming right out of your heat duct, but right around the floor penetration for the heat duct. In either case, they need to fix it.
 
Originally posted by: daveybrat
Thanks guys, i've brought it up with my association manager, and he told me there was nothing he could do. I guess i'm going to hire someone to come evaluate it.

Who do i hire, a heating and cooling guy?

I also read online that the fumes from fabric softener sheets are dangerous (hence venting outside).

Can they cause health problems?
Click to expand...
Chronic exposure might. Who knows what's in them, either. Some of the ingredient lists simply say, "Fabric softening agents." Well gee, that clears it right up.

Maybe there's nothing he "could" do because he already knows about the problem, and it'd be expensive to fix.
 
Originally posted by: daveybrat
Thanks guys, i've brought it up with my association manager, and he told me there was nothing he could do. I guess i'm going to hire someone to come evaluate it.

Who do i hire, a heating and cooling guy?

I also read online that the fumes from fabric softener sheets are dangerous (hence venting outside).

Can they cause health problems?
Click to expand...

That's jumping the gun there. You should talk to the neighbor.
 
Exhaust coming from a dryer is vented outside for a reason. The warm, moist air is great for mold growth. Not a huge problem in the winter (as the air is dryer anyway) but in the summer it could be a huge mess....say nothing of the constant odor.
 
Originally posted by: Chryso
Originally posted by: sdifox
get your super to fix it, dryer exhust should not be connected to your heating vents!
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good way to save on heating costs.
Click to expand...

very bad idea... doubly so if it is a gas dryer. Those dryer sheets are dangerous to start with. Carcinogen + air blowing on it = bad combination.
 
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