What do you do if you find evidence of smoking in a home for sale in Duncan, Ladysmith, Cowichan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Port Alberni, Campbell River, Courtenay, or Comox? Walking into a prospective home and catching even a faint whiff of cigarette smoke can be a red flag for many buyers. While some sellers attempt to mask or remove the evidence of smoking with deep cleaning or renovations, tobacco smoke residue — also called thirdhand smoke — can be stubborn, toxic, and expensive to remediate.
If you’re considering purchasing a home that has been smoked in, either currently or in the past, here are the essential steps to take — including how to uncover clues that may have been missed in a seller’s cleanup effort.
Step 1: Ask Directly — But Don’t Rely on the Answer
Sellers may not always be forthcoming about smoking in the home, especially if they’ve tried to clean or repaint. Still, always ask:
- Has anyone smoked in the home?
- If yes, for how long?
- Were they indoor or outdoor smokers?
- Was it just tobacco, or other substances (e.g., cigars, cannabis)?
While not always legally required to disclose smoking history, some jurisdictions consider it a “material fact” that must be disclosed. Your real estate agent can help you determine disclosure rules in your area.
Step 2: Trust Your Senses
Even a thorough cleaning job can’t always eliminate all signs of smoke exposure. Use your nose and eyes:
- Smell: Cigarette smoke has a distinct, stale odor that lingers in porous materials like carpet, drywall, and HVAC systems.
- Sight: Look for yellowing on ceilings, walls, and around vents. Even if a room was repainted, discoloration may start seeping through again.
Tip: Visit the home at different times of the day. HVAC systems and temperature changes can release hidden odors.
Step 3: Look Beyond the Obvious — Clues in Missed Spots
Many sellers attempt to deep clean or paint over smoking damage. But these are surface-level fixes, and often miss key areas that can give away a home’s smoking history.
Here’s where to look:
- Wall Plates & Outlet Covers: Remove a few and check behind them. If the area behind is significantly cleaner or differently colored, it’s likely the walls were stained from smoke and cleaned or painted only on the surface.
- Light Fixtures & Ceiling Fans: Smoke rises. Fixtures, especially on the ceiling, often trap smoke residue and develop a sticky brown film. Check inside globes and around ceiling fans.
- Closets and Cabinets: These are often missed during quick cleans. Open them up and take a whiff. Smell is usually stronger in enclosed spaces.
- Window Blinds & Curtain Rods: Plastic blinds, in particular, absorb nicotine and may yellow or feel sticky.
- HVAC Vents and Returns: Look inside or remove the vent covers. Discoloration or strong odor inside ducts indicates smoke exposure. The HVAC system can circulate smoke particles throughout the home.
- Behind Appliances: If accessible, pull out the refrigerator, stove, or washer/dryer and inspect the walls and floor for staining or odor buildup.
Step 4: Hire a Home Inspector with Experience in Smoke Damage
An inspector can:
- Use moisture meters or particle detectors to measure residue levels.
- Evaluate the HVAC system for contamination.
- Check insulation in attics or basements where cleaning is rarely done.
Step 5: Get an Air Quality Test
Cigarette smoke leaves behind toxic residue, including carcinogens like nicotine, formaldehyde, and heavy metals. These can linger in dust and surfaces long after smoking has stopped.
Consider hiring an environmental specialist to perform an indoor air quality (IAQ) test. This will detect:
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Nicotine residue
- Particulate matter
- Mold (smoke damage often goes hand in hand with other indoor air issues)
Step 6: Understand the Cost of Remediation
If the home has been smoked in, remediation may be necessary — and it’s not cheap. Cleaning alone often isn’t enough.
Typical remediation steps include:
- Removing and replacing carpet and padding.
- Sealing and repainting walls with odor-blocking primer (e.g., Kilz).
- Replacing or professionally cleaning HVAC systems and ducts.
- Cleaning or replacing insulation in attics or crawl spaces.
- Using ozone treatments or hydroxyl generators for deep deodorization (note: ozone can be dangerous if misused).
Estimated Costs can range from $2,000 to over $50,000, depending on the severity and square footage.
Step 7: Factor it Into Your Offer or Walk Away
If you’re still interested in the home:
- Get estimates for cleaning and remediation.
- Use that information to negotiate the sale price.
- Request a credit or that the seller perform remediation before closing.
Final Thoughts
Purchasing a smoked-in home isn’t always a dealbreaker — but it does require due diligence, honest inspection, and a clear understanding of what it will take to make the home healthy and livable. Many sellers will go the extra mile to mask the smell or stains, but the truth often hides in the places they forget to clean: behind outlet covers, inside ceiling fixtures, or deep within ductwork.
By taking a careful, methodical approach, you can make an informed decision — and avoid any nasty surprises after move-in day.
Pacific Decontamination Services uses the world’s strongest, most effective and safe antimicrobial disinfectant, deodorization and chemical decontaminate. Our professional application will eliminate up to accepted levels of any allergen, germ, bacteria or fungus that it touches. AND as powerful as it is, it is also completely safe.
What do you do next? How do you solve the challenge of mold and associated health hazards?
Call Pacific Decontamination Services at 778-269-0208 or email us at our email address: contact @ pacificdecon dot com
Serving All of Vancouver Island: Victoria, Cowichan, Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River, and Port Alberni.
