Neighbor upset with my smoke dragon

[NJ_Burner08002]

I for one would just laugh.

 

[rudysmallfry]

OP, you are doing the right thing by trying to make this right. Some of these responses are a tad over the line. I'm really hoping you guys are making attempts at humor. If I have her age pegged right, her window is open at night for a biological reason. When the female thermostat decides to go haywire, you feel like you're about to burst into flames when under the covers at night. It's absolute torture. I also had my window cracked open on the coldest of nights to keep cool during the worst of it. I live alone too and would also be complaining if someone's smoke was coming directly into my house. We all have a right to clean air. I can't even be around a cigarette smoker without gagging since I have respiratory problems. It sounds like she's asked politely enough and you've responded as nicely as you can. Hopefully it works out for both of you.

 

[fespo]

My neighbor, she is probably late 60s. I look at it as I don't want to be a jerk, I had one those at my last house.neighbor was a drunken fool, a bunch of trash. I just have to laugh because in the 12 years we have been here window are closed 24/7 air or heat, Never any fresh air. I was good friends with her late husband and want to be left alone .

 

[JTRock]

I am fortunate to have my house set back from all the other neighbors. And about an acre of land in my back yard. . I definitely pulled permits on my pellet and woodstove. It's the best way to protect yourself from the town and maintain insurability.

 

[bassJAM]

If she complains again, get a dog that barks all night. Maybe then she'll shut the window to keep the noise down??

 

[semipro]

fespo,
Could you use block or brick to build a masonry mass wall around the stove and operate it like a masonry heater; light a hot fire early in the day, burn hard all day, put the fire out before bedtime?
The stored heat may maintain temps in the greenhouse overnight. I'm not sure how your stove is built but perhaps you could even put some bricks on top of it absorb the heat?
Maybe this combined with some added greenhouse insulation, maybe something you could put up at night? If the north side is not insulated perhaps you reduce heat loss there with some foam board.
Drums of water surrounding the stove rather than masonry might be easier.You can stack those if you have the room.

Edit: Hmm., I just looked up your stove (furnace) and realized just stacking mass around it might not help much. I was wondering if you could direct the hot air output from the furnace through a low but long wall of concrete block or some other high mass structure. The block could be stacked in such a way that the holes align for airflow and sealed with foam or caulk if needed. The block stack might also work well as a table for placing frost especially sensitive plants on or for starting seeds.

 

[moey]

We got our neighbors a better stove. I just have to teach him to stop burning wet wood now.

 

[ironpony]

your intentions are honorable.

 

[ddahlgren]

The more I read this the more I get it. You have an old smoke dragon. You seem to declare the right to avoid zoning laws of any sort. You sound like it is your right to pollute the air for all around you. Do you actually expect all to think this a reasonable plan? If a chicken or pig farm was upwind of you and you had to smell that 24/7 would you say nothing? For 5 to 700 for a simple new or better used stove can make this all go away along with well seasoned wood. So just do it is my thought.

 

[bassJAM]

The more I read this the more I get it. You have an old smoke dragon. You seem to declare the right to avoid zoning laws of any sort. You sound like it is your right to pollute the air for all around you. Do you actually expect all to think this a reasonable plan? If a chicken or pig farm was upwind of you and you had to smell that 24/7 would you say nothing? For 5 to 700 for a simple new or better used stove can make this all go away along with well seasoned wood. So just do it is my thought.

I used to know a pig farmer who had neighbors move out from the city and then complain about his farm. There's a few bad things that come with the good of living in the country, if you can't take it, move back to the city! Either way, I'm a big fan of personal property rights. You should have the right to do just about anything within reason on your property. If someone complains and you want to be a nice guy, try work it out (which the OP is doing). But a whiny neighbor shouldn't demand that you upgrade your heating system so it smokes less.

 

[Jags]

But a whiny neighbor shouldn't demand that you upgrade your heating system so it smokes less.

If you are infringing on their property rights, I disagree.

 

[ironpony]

Based on some comments, this is why the Govt. has to get involved in our lives. Hence the complaints and the Govt. involvement in wood burning.
In a couple more years the EPA will have wood burning completely shut down, so this will not be an issue.

 

[bassJAM]

If you are infringing on their property rights, I disagree.

And that argument has taken things so far that some HOAs demand that cars must be hidden inside a garage because cars parked on the street or in the driveway lowers property values. I think there's a line between what is really infringing other's rights and not. A neighbor complaining because she can smell smoke when she opens her window in the winter doesn't count. A neighbors who's house is turned black because so much smoke hits it is another story.

 

[firefighterjake]

Looks like this one is going downhill . . . to what would have been the Ash Can . . . as it seems to be going towards the issue of property rights.

I've always tried to take a middle ground. It doesn't matter to me what my neighbors are doing with their property as long as it doesn't affect my health and well-being . . . in the community I moved into there are some homes with junk cars out front, another guy down the road has a menagerie of animals and for some reason he now has a huge collection of concrete statues out front, neighbor's house looks like a single wide plopped on top of a double wide trailer, another neighbor has three or four boats, Amish neighbor used to raise goats across from us . . . again, hasn't affected my health or well being so it's no concern of mine.

 

[Jags]

I think there's a line between what is really infringing other's rights and not.

Infringing on the persons right to open a window in their own home without smoke infiltration (at any time) is infringing on property rights. I don't think that is even arguable.

And FFJ is probably spot on, I see this thread starting to swirl around the drain.

 

[ddahlgren]

Yes it is swirling around the drain but some things need saying. I am all for life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A card carrying member of the NRA and as conservative as they come. Break into my house and you will meet Mr. Mossberg or Mr. Ruger with no regrets on my part. I don't care what anyone does or has their choice as long as does not infringe on my rights. Everyone has the right to breath air that does not make them cough. Having a window cracked while sleeping is common with breathing problems. If you had breathing problems and trouble sleeping because of a neighbor blowing smoke at you is that life liberty and the pursuit of happiness? 5 or 600 now or face town officials and possibly tearing it all out and fines. The low cost choice is obvious sometimes it is not all about you. Moderator please flush this thread!1

 

[Jags]

And with that said....Done.