Just curious if anyone else has this problem

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appwsmsmkr1

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jan 4, 2013
272
25
New Jersey
I live in a house that has a yard with 2 grills, one charcoal, one gas and my wsm. I don't use them every week but I try to get out there. Our houses are next to each other and our lots are 50x100 just to give you an idea. I know the chimney creates a lot of smoke in the beginning so my question is do people complain about it by you? Is like to have your thoughts bc where I live people complain about everything.
 
I would find out what the HOA rules are and follow them. If people complain and you are within the rules you should be fine. I had a couple neighbors that got a little nosey when I first started in a new neighborhood. I had already made sure I was within the rules, so I invited them back and showed them what I was doing, even let them try a bit. After that everytime I fired up they would ask what was on the menu this time. I would also offer up space in the smoker ahead of time if I saw them before hand. It did help that the first time I met them I was in my Chef uniform, but a little education and samples go a long way.

Now we live on 20 acres and my only issue is my neighbors are the in laws and ask when do we eat.....
 
I left NJ in 1987......
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I worry about this same thing!  Our lot is the same size as yours. My BGE can smoke for about 10 minutes.  I've only had it since July, but I worry about our neighbors.  Luckily, they are renters!  They have never complained though.  I had thought maybe one day I should bring them over some samples... That's a good idea.  

My BGE is also under a lanai area with a white ceiling.  My ceiling fans are now black around the edges from the smoke.  I'm worried in time my ceiling will turn black!  Don't know what to do about that though!
 
Jarjar you are sooo lucky!! I do not have a homeowners association. All of us are neighbors but homeowners. I basically can do as I please but I try to be respectful. I've just had it with the nosey Whiney neighbors. It really is a turn off when they are constantly poking around every time you turn your smoker on. Much less feed them. I'm getting discouraged bc I have a 22"
Smokey mountain that has a ton of capacity and every time I use it I have some one poking around. I'm up to the point that I may have to take it to our local county park and do my smoking over there. Just so that no one bothers me.
*believe me I would load the thing up and give out to the neighbors but we all know meat isn't cheap. Sorry for venting
 
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I am of the school that if you are not breaking any rules or laws, then carry on.
I get the poking and all can get annoying, but I am sure they do things that bug you. As for feeding them. I only gave small samples here and there. I would add to my cooks if they provided the meat.

I say smoke on...... just keep it as thin and blue as you can....
 
We live on a 7,000 sqft lot. Smoke all the time. Neighbors never complain. No HOA. I deal with that at work more than I care to so I will never live anywhere that has one.

Never have had a complaint about the smoking. We'll I guess one, last year the neighbors family smelled our turkey smoking on thanksgiving and his was store bought cooked. He complained that I didn't offer some room in the smoker for him too. I told him this year he could put a turkey in there too if he'd like!
 
 
I am just worried about my neighbors smelling it, and stealing the meat.
                                       
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Thats your answer, Take a smoked turkey over to the neighbor. 15.00, and all they'll want is more...... they'll not want to shutdown the source of such goodness!

I am from the south, but I always figure that the "lets sit down and get to know each other" method is the best. Open communications lets you both know where you stand. Seriously I have had some of the worse neighbors, when listening to other neighbors, and we got along fine. I respected their space and they understood mine. We reached common ground.

I have learned that offering to share the bounty ocassionally, nearly always greases the way to slid in and get your way. Just smoke 2 turkeys, knock and the neighbors door and tell 'em you'd like to meet them. AND you come bearing gifts of culinary delight!
 
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Got some grief over the wood fired oven but it settled down . The MES hasn't bothered anybody yet.I am a live & let live sort of guy.
The Italians in my 'hood are very tolerant about anything involving food.
 
I live in the county so that is not an issue for me. However my neighbor knows as soon as I fire up a smoker. That is a good thing. I am thinking if I ever need any help on a project all's I have to do is fire up a smoker and they will be here soon. I also heat with wood so when it is cold I have smoke in the air. They can tell the difference and still come running. As said above give them a taste and they will come running then roll over like a puppy.

Happy smoken.

David
 
 
I live in the county so that is not an issue for me. However my neighbor knows as soon as I fire up a smoker. That is a good thing. I am thinking if I ever need any help on a project all's I have to do is fire up a smoker and they will be here soon. I also heat with wood so when it is cold I have smoke in the air. They can tell the difference and still come running. As said above give them a taste and they will come running then roll over like a puppy.

Happy smoken.

David
I have to agree with David on the "Give Them a Taste"---Can't hurt.

The only neighbor I have within about a quarter mile is my Son, and he often has his Big Green Egg going & doesn't even smell my MES 40.
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Bear
 
I just take my immediate neighbors round some of the produce from time to time. They have never complained.
 
HAHA.

Glad I stumbled across this thread.

When I light my charcoal in the chimney, it puts off a bunch of nasty smoke for about 7-10 minutes.  A couple months ago our neighbors nextdoor complained that the smoke got in their bedroom windows since they leave them open.  On the one hand it really pissed me off, but on the other hand I can understand.  It would aggravate me too if my neighbors got smoke into my house while my windows were down.  We live in the city and our lot is less than 3,000 square ft.  People are really close by...  Now I will go knock on their door and let them know if I am about to crank up my smoker.  If no one comes to the door - not my fault.
 
Hey all

I'm really lucky. We live on 10 acres we bought from an old friend (since the teen years--lord help me, that's 50 years now). They live about a quarter mile away, and he's building a smoke house on his homestead. So no problems there at all.

Gary
 
Well, some will complain if getting hung with a new rope as an OLD pal used to say. Lots nowadays are very small so hard to do anything without a neighbor knowing about it. Luckily, I'm on a half acre now but do remember in my 'younger' days dealing with neighbors....of course, back in those days it was loud music pissing people off and the only smoke they were smelling was.....well, won't go there <grin>. Might I suggest a cheap box fan on high to blow any initial heavy smoke away quickly? I mean, even charcoal to me has a pleasant scent about it when it's starting to catch on but not some old bags cuppa tea maybe. And, I'm thinking.....people with boring lives perhaps find what you're doing VERY interesting...something they can't do or are afraid to try and wonder just what in the hell are you doing over there? and what smells so damn good after a few hours as they look for something in the freezer to heat up for dinner and here you are with a 7 pound hunk of pork to shred up. It's jealousy perhaps..... 
 
I feel your pain. I live in an apartment thus have to do all my smoking in a public park. Its getting more annoying every time I go out there, people keep askinge what I'm doing, why I'm doing it etc... I haven't had complaints, just rampant curiosity. I'm a pretty social person but sometimes I just want to enjoy an evening outside with my wife without having 15 separate people coming up to me and quizzing me. It's gotten a lot worse over the past couple years since most of the buildings surrounding the park have started allowing pets, so everyone is out walking their dog in the evening.
 
I live in three acres in the woods and I have three to five acres between me and each of my neighbors do doubt have to worry about cry babies. When I did live next to people I never worried about it either. You aren't breaking the law. I think most people like the smoke smell from a smoker. Don't worry about it keep doing what you're doing.
 
So far all my neighbors have been cool with my smoking. One couple actually gave me bbq set they had (tongs, spatula etc) that they don't use and the family next to me got interested enough in what I was doing that they bought a pellet grill. Have not heard anything out of the other neighbors at all.
 
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