I'm looking for some solid advice on how to seal off my HVAC room in my townhome because the smell of my neighbors' weed smoke keeps getting into my house. Although there are no shared ducts, I've discovered that the smell is coming from an unfinished room in my basement that houses the HVAC and water heater. When I run the HVAC system, it circulates the smell throughout my home. I've thought about talking to them but want to find a more permanent solution. Any tips on how to effectively seal or finish this room would be super helpful!
3 Answers
You should definitely check your HVAC setup. A typical system should be closed off and not pulling air from that basement. Check if there are any leaks or fresh air intakes that might be allowing the smell to travel. If sealing the room, make sure to cover any cracks with spray foam or similar material. Drywall is an option too, but I'd recommend making sure it’s tightly fitted since that area is cramped with the HVAC unit and water heater.
One suggestion is to create positive air pressure in that HVAC room. This way, air will be pushed out instead of being drawn in from your neighbors’ place. You could do this by ensuring that the room has an adequate air supply and by not running exhaust fans that might create negative pressure. It's definitely worth exploring!
That's a really interesting idea! Do you have any tips on how I could actually set that up?
Before you bring up the issue with your neighbors, having some solutions ready might help. If your HVAC units are similar, suggesting they install a continuous ventilation fan could be beneficial for both of you. Just a thought!
That's a solid approach—I like it! I recently had my HVAC redone, so I’ll definitely consider suggesting a better air filter system to them too. But the smell is still a problem in my basement.
Thanks for the tips! Even when the HVAC is off, the smell still seeps through the shared wall. I suspect it’s their unfinished laundry room on the other side. I'll definitely look into sealing those cracks. Any specific products you'd recommend for that?