Condo air and water quality

[probey]

Does anyone know if all air ducts in the condo are connected together?

I've heard stories like when your neighbours are cooking or smoking, you can actually smell food or cigarettes, is that true?

And do condos come with water softeners? Because without it, it will be very hard to replace clogged or polluted pipes once the building gets built.

 

[lead82]

cooking smells dont come in through the tents but rather from the hallways if neighbours open their door to vent. As for water, I think most buildings have softeners.

 

[AKS]

People aren't allowed to smoke inside buildings. So you shouldn't be able to smell cigs. If they did, that's probably when the fire alarms keep firing off and the fire dept has to come check.

As for food smells, I usually smell them from the hallway.

 

[probey]

Thanks for the info! Its really good to know things like that before I move in couple years later.

Thanks guys!

 

[BobBob]

While smoking is prohibited in hallways and elevators, it certainly isn't inside people's homes.

 

[AKS]

While smoking is prohibited in hallways and elevators, it certainly isn't inside people's homes.

I think there's a by-law restricting smoking inside buildings that was passed a few years ago? Not sure. Anyhow, if you smoke in your building and the smoke detectors go off, the firemen would have to come. I'm not quite sure if there's a fine for a false alarm. It's almost same as pulling the fire alarm. I notice people smoking in the balcony though. I find cigarette butts on my balcony thrown from the smokers living above me. There's a note on the elevator not to throw stuff down their balcony but some don't seem to care.

 

[Jin-N-Juice]

I think there's a by-law restricting smoking inside buildings that was passed a few years ago? Not sure. Anyhow, if you smoke in your building and the smoke detectors go off, the firemen would have to come. I'm not quite sure if there's a fine for a false alarm. It's almost same as pulling the fire alarm. I notice people smoking in the balcony though. I find cigarette butts on my balcony thrown from the smokers living above me. There's a note on the elevator not to throw stuff down their balcony but some don't seem to care.

My condominium documents (Ultra @ Herons Hill) only has 3 mentions of smoking:

• Smoking is prohibited in all non-exclusive use common element areas.
• Smoking is strictly prohibited in the elevators, and each Resident is responsible to ensure that their Guests abide by this rule.
• Smoking in the Guest Suite Units is strictly prohibited.

So its safe to assume smoking is allowed in your own unit.

 

[AKS]

Lawyers and politicians aren’t always necessary to bring about social change, Smitherman said, citing the example of hotels that have gone entirely smoke-free. Private developers and landlords in British Columbia, Manitoba and south of the border in Michigan have also banned smoking in some of their apartment buildings and condominiums.

Smoking is currently prohibited in elevators, hallways and other common areas in Ontario, but not in apartment residences.

Whether Ontario wants to change that is “open for debate,†Smitherman said

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/196459

I suppose Ontario hasn't implemented the ban. Only in common areas. I wonder though if the smoke will activate the fire alarms anyhow. Someone was cooking and burned something and the alarm went off even.

 

[AGTO]

if you smoke in your building and the smoke detectors go off,

no they don't.

 

[Wooba]

if you smoke in your building and the smoke detectors go off

Smoke detectors are only in the hallways and stairwells. In the suite it's a heat detector. Otherwise the fire department would be coming when somebody burns their toast. Before you point out that there are smoke detectors in units, they are personal devices that are not attached to the fire alarm system.

I can remember reading an article several years ago about a building trying to stop a resident smoking in his unit and it went to court and was determined that an owner has the right to smoke in their unit and therefore could not be stopped.

 

[DSC]

It all depends on your building! Where I live the Unit air conditioning ducts are all within each Unit - with a separate system for the hallways. The hallways are also supplied with air from the Make-up Air Unit which brings in outside air (heated/cooled) to 'make-up" for the air lost from fans etc. This makee-up air keeps the halls with a slight positive pressure that helps keep smells (smoke, cooking) inside Units. The exhaust ducts for the kitchen/bathroom/laundry fans are shared so one CAN sometimes get smells from other units - though turning on one's own fan soon stops that. In our building there ARE smoke (and heat) detectors inside each Unit and, yes, they do smetimes go off due to burnt toast!

 

[Wooba]

The exhaust ducts for the kitchen/bathroom/laundry fans are shared so one CAN sometimes get smells from other units - though turning on one's own fan soon stops that. In our building there ARE smoke (and heat) detectors inside each Unit and, yes, they do smetimes go off due to burnt toast!

I think it's safe to say that pretty much any new construction will have their own exhaust fan system for the stove/bathroom/laundry. I cannot comment on older buildings. As I stated above, you will have a smoke detector in your unit as required by law, but it is NOT part of the fire alarm system. A very important distinction.

 

[AGTO]

you will have a smoke detector in your unit as required by law, but it is NOT part of the fire alarm system

In modern buildings, smoke and heat detectors are tied to the buildings fire alarm system. Smoke detectors will only sound locally if triggered, after a certain time, if still triggered, they will then trigger the buildings fire alarm system. The time delay is to compensate for "burnt toast".

 

[Wooba]

In modern buildings, smoke and heat detectors are tied to the buildings fire alarm system. Smoke detectors will only sound locally if triggered, after a certain time, if still triggered, they will then trigger the buildings fire alarm system. The time delay is to compensate for "burnt toast".

With all due respect, you don't have any idea what you're talking about. I install fire alarm systems for a living.

 

[BobBob]

Cigarette smoke doesn't set off smoke detectors or fire alarms.