If you smell cigarette, vape, or marijuana smoke in your home, even though you don’t smoke, that odor may be entering through walls, floors, or ceilings from a neighboring unit. Along with the smell, the air can bring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fine particles that affect indoor air quality and health.
At Volunteer PPE Environmental, we help homeowners and residents understand where smoke is entering, how to measure the exposure, and how to fix it.
How Does Smoke Enter Your Home?
Smoke doesn’t just pass under doors. It can move through:
- Wall cavities
- Gaps around electrical outlets and switches
- Plumbing penetrations
- Cracks in baseboards and trim
- Shared ceiling and floor spaces
Even in separate HVAC systems, air pressure differences between units can draw smoke indoors.
What’s in Secondhand Smoke?
Secondhand smoke contains hundreds of chemicals, including:
- VOC gases such as formaldehyde and benzene and other potential carcinogen’s
- PM2.5 fine particles that can enter and lodge in the lungs
- Odor compounds that cling to surfaces and bond
Authoritative organizations including the EPA, CDC, and American Cancer Society confirm there is no safe level of exposure to passive (second hand smoke).
Health Impacts
Exposure may contribute to:
- Headaches
- Irritated eyes, nose, and throat
- Coughing or breathing difficulty
- Flare-ups of asthma and allergies
- Long-term risks to heart and lung health
Children, seniors, and those with medical conditions may be especially sensitive.
How We Measure Exposure
We use advanced SIFT-MS laboratory testing, capable of detecting VOCs at extremely low levels. This technology helps us:
- Identify specific smoke-related chemicals
- Compare indoor conditions to normal background levels
- Provide trusted, science-based data
Testing results can support discussions with:
- Building management
- HOAs or condo boards
- Landlords or property owners
- Attorneys and Public Adjuster’s
Our Inspection Process
A typical evaluation includes:
- Site inspection
- Locating likely pathways of smoke entry
- VOC & particle testing
- Sampling for airborne contaminants
- Recommendations
- Lab analysis, reporting and consultation
- Recommendations to further testing as required
- Guidance for discussions with management
Our goal is to help provide with true science to help return your home to good health.
Why Choose Volunteer PPE Environmental?
- Science-based indoor air quality testing
- Clear, professional reporting
- Practical recommendations
- Friendly and responsive service
We work with homeowners, renters, property managers and HOAs who want healthier living environments.
Contact Us Today
If you’re noticing persistent smoke or odors, we’re here to help.
Volunteer PPE Environmental, LLC
Contact: Bob Byrne: Indoor Air Quality Specialist
865-369-3575
[email protected]
Final Thought
You don’t have to live with secondhand smoke.
With the right testing and a practical plan, you can take back your indoor environment.