So you are looking at a property and you noticed the distinct smell of cigarette smoke. What do you do next? Should you get the property? Here’s a few important things to remember while looking.

1 Look for physical signs of smoke – Do you see yellow dots coming through the paint? That’s nicotine weeping through the paint. A regular pant job won’t cut it to fix it. You are going to need to go through with a new paint job/primer and a TSP ( trisodium phosphate) treatment.

2 Check the insulation. Particularly in the attic space. If there’s clear smoke damage to the insulation you are looking at serious smoke damage and may need to replace the drywall and the insulation that’s going to drive your refurb costs up.

3 Vent system The ventilation system carries all the air around the house so it makes sense this would be one of the first places you should look for smoke damage while inspecting a property. Cleaning the vents and replacing filters should help with most instances of smoke odor in a property.

4 Carpets, drapes, and blinds This should be the first thing you check when considering if items should be replaced or kept. Keep in mind that blinds and drapes with strong smoke damage are hard to clean. You may be better off getting new ones. For carpets, there are several factors to consider. First, is there other damage like rips, stains, or excessive wear? The carpets may have damage that’s not smoke related. In this case, replacement may be the best option.

5 Cleaning. Besides elbow grease you are going to need to clean all exterior surfaces with industrial cleaner. Remember cabinet surfaces and wall outlets! Using charcoal odor absorbers and ozone treatment is an effective way to get odors out of properties.

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