Will I smoke out my neighbors?


 
V

Vince Basehart

New member
Hello All,

Brand new to the board, and though I am an experienced home cook and griller, I have never BBQ'd. I will be moving to a two bedroom apartment with a patio and will be getting an 18" WSM. One of my New Year's goals is to learn how to BBQ. Question: how much smoke comes out of one of these during the cooking process? Will I be smoking out my neighbors and getting complaints? Anyone else with experience in smoking in close quarters?

Thanks!
 
I used to live in a condo with a restriction on grills.........the unwritten rule was as long as nobody complained, no worries. However, if someone complained to the board (me), we forced the poor soul to cease operations.

My WSM generates a lot of smoke if I've added wood to the charcaol. Using straight charcoal, not so much, after the initial lighting process.

My experience was the colder weather cooks worked out good, since for the most part, everyone has their windows shut and heat on. Hopefully, your neighbors are A/C kind of people in the summertime as well.
 
Generally the most offensive smoke comes from Kingsford Blue when it's lighting. You could try lighting your charcoal away from the windows, or try a different heat source such as lump charcoal. After lighting, the smoke is milder, and will be scented with your smoke wood or with the smell of cooking meat, which many people enjoy.
 
Where I live there is a city ordinance to use all grills at least ten feet from any building. Even without the ordinance I believe that would be a common courtsey smoke ten or fifteen feet from neighbors windows. I smoke off my patio about ten to twelve feet from the building at my two bedroom apt. My upstairs neighbors has three smokers so he wouldnt complain either way. Still you dont want to start off on the wrong foot with new neighbors.
 
If the apartment rules allow charcoal cooking, and if you're reasonably considerate, as Dwayne discussed, you should be fine
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Vince Basehart:
Hello All,

Brand new to the board, and though I am an experienced home cook and griller, I have never BBQ'd. I will be moving to a two bedroom apartment with a patio and will be getting an 18" WSM. One of my New Year's goals is to learn how to BBQ. Question: how much smoke comes out of one of these during the cooking process? Will I be smoking out my neighbors and getting complaints? Anyone else with experience in smoking in close quarters?

Thanks! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm in a similar living situation and I find the chimney the biggest smoke issue. But once that subsides, the WSM smoker is quite alright for smoke bellowing out of it. So to reduce the balcony smoke, I light my chimney by adding pieces of lump , piece by piece instead of filling it up right from the start. It has worked. Takes a little longer to get the chimney process going, but well worth it.
 
Thanks for the feedback, all. I will just be kind and try to keep the smoke out of peoples' way as much as possible. And bribe them with ribs if they get out of hand
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Robert's right. You might mention to them before hand that you're a Q'er, and apologize, but promise them some tasties. I have a close neighbour but it's a saw off: I don't complain about his motorcycle and he doesn't complain about my Q'ing.
 
I think when they smell the Q, you will have alot of new friends! I don't live in an apartment, but I love watching the people drive cars by my house and jam on there brakes lookin out there windows when they are driving through my BBQ smoke
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. I should set up a Q stand, I could make enough money to buy another Weber!

Jamie
 
Hey Vince, As metioned by other members, the majority of the smoke comes from start up. What I would suggest is an electric fan to blow the smoke away from the neighbors window.
 
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