They got a new fire pit and are using it a lot, esp. during vacation and with guests as a way to get them out of the kitchen.

They’ll get tired of it soon and only use it occasionally.

Where I grew up, there was little in the way of central heating. People used open fires and wood burners a lot in winter. Thermal inversions (a temperature phenomenon) made conditions worse. I tried to take my kids out for a walk one winter when I was back and we lasted one block before we rushed back because of the smoke. The air pollution was horrendous and the government has had to take action to ban open fires and old wood/coal burners.

I live in Arlington now, and the air is noticeably better in winter than back home because people rely on their central heating.

I imagine these new neighbors believe there is something romantic about open fires at Christmas. It is not harmless, and I can understand your annoyance.

Anonymous wrote:I actually truly love that campfire smell! When one of our neighbors has a campfire, I love to go outside and take a big whiff - not kidding.

Me too! Until I read this thread I thought just about everyone loved the smell of a campfire!

Some furnaces use outside air for combustion.

It’s super interesting how some people are really bothered by the smell and others enjoy it.

Anonymous wrote:We have new neighbors and they burn wood every night...so far for 4 weeks straight. If we are in our backyard playing with our dog, we all smell like a campfire when we come in. We've lived in the neighborhood for over 10 years, and have never experienced this. We like to spend a ton of time in our screened porch/patio area in the spring/fall/summer but I'm not sure how we'll stomach this. Anyone else have neighbors that do this? This is an affluent higher density area and not as if they are burning wood for heat. I don't think its kind/fair for me to bring it up with the neighbor but its hard not to be annoyed. Don't their clothes smell too?

Install powerful sprinkler system and fan, constant mist on them sitting around the fire might diminish their neighbors enjoyment.

Anonymous wrote:My house has two furnaces. The bedroom wing furnace is in a closet the opens to the outside towards the neighbors—who use their indoor fireplace a lot. The furnace pulls in the smoky air; consequently, our bedroom wing smells of woodsmoke.

No idea what to do about it. I can’t very well ask them not to use their fireplace, and there’s nowhere else to put our furnace.

How is your furnace “pulling in smoky air”? Furnaces don’t draw from outside the home. There’s not even a means for them to do that. They draw their combustion air from inside the home, and vent it through the chimney. The heating air comes in from the recirculation side of your HVAC, it’s also inside air, being re-heated.

My house has two furnaces. The bedroom wing furnace is in a closet the opens to the outside towards the neighbors—who use their indoor fireplace a lot. The furnace pulls in the smoky air; consequently, our bedroom wing smells of woodsmoke.

No idea what to do about it. I can’t very well ask them not to use their fireplace, and there’s nowhere else to put our furnace.

Anonymous wrote:Oh Arlington. Never change

Uhh, you ever been in SE DC? All the corners have barrels burning on them.

Oh Arlington. Never change

I actually truly love that campfire smell! When one of our neighbors has a campfire, I love to go outside and take a big whiff - not kidding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. These responses. OP, I’d be kind of annoyed too. You might need to get some outdoor fans or something to blow the smoke away. How close is your house to theirs?

OP hasn't answered if it's chimney smoke or fire pit smoke. That makes a difference.

Fire pit. Every night!

I don’t mind the responses, DCUM is DCUM.

How DARE they! Won't someone please think of the birds!!!

Anonymous wrote:If it's an indoor fireplace and you can smell
the smoke that badly, it's probably wet firewood. Can you see where they store it?

Nevermind just saw it's outdoors.

If it's an indoor fireplace and you can smell
the smoke that badly, it's probably wet firewood. Can you see where they store it?

Yeah it smells so bad. Not to mention its horrible for their health. I don't know what you can do about it though...