Neighbor's Lighter fluid fumes

[Charlie S.]

Live in the city, where the houses are close, but not on top of each other. Everyone has a small yard.

A couple times last year one of the neighbors prepared their charcoal BBQ using what 'I thought' was an excessive amount of lighter fluid. I say, 'I thought', only because the fumes from the pre-light were quite powerful. Didn't say anything about it and at this point I'm not sure who the culprit is. However, it started up again today and I'm not in the mood to put up with it for another summer.

Outside of lighting my neighbor's house on fire, which approach might be best.

1. Tell him/her to stop it all together as it poses a heath risk and is quite annoying? If he refuses call the fire department.
2. Ask how much fluid he is using. If his response seems excessive, then tell him to cut back. Again, if the odors seem excessive, then call the fire or health department.

I get the feeling he's using about a quarter of a can. I'm only judging by the strength of the fumes.

[Larry Bud]

So you have to "put up" with it for, what, 10 minutes?

[Charlie S.]

Don't I wish. It's much longer than that. He must wait an hour before lighting the stupid thing. Can't say for sure about the time, but I know it's much longer than 10 minutes.

>

[Abe]

Both approaches are unneighborly. Be a good neighbor. Tell him the fumes bother you, and at the same time give him a gift of a Weber charcoal starter. You can also explain how the food will taste better, and that he'll be ingesting fewer carcinogens.

The best 11.99 plus a few bucks for shipping you'll ever spend in the pursuit of good neighbor relations. You might even get invited over for some grilled yummies.

[m Ransley]

I will bet you complain about everything, you should move.

[Charlie S.]

I checked out the reviews. (see link below) They are all very positive. May be the route to go. May get one myself. Will talk to the neighbor beforehand. It could be that he's letting the fluid sit too long before igniting.

Curious though, do you cook on it too? Or, do you pour the charcoals to a regular grill after they get lit.

Do the newspapers go on the bottom or along the sides?

Thanks for the idea. I had been thinking of buying a new gas grill or revamping the old one. This seems like a better solution.

[I Love Lucy]

I wouldn't want to alienate my neighbor over that, but I hate the smell of those fumes. I start my charcoal fires the hard way, using twigs and newspaper for tinder, takes longer but I just like to do it that way.

Some nights it seems the whole neighborhood is permeated with those fumes; the houses are kind of close together, too, but not that close. They do dissipate after a short while unless. Unless what? Whatever causes airborne molecules to stay near the ground and not be carried off by a breeze.

[Phisherman]

I like the idea to buy him a charcoal starter and (tactfully) mention the fumes are annoying. I use a propane torch to start my charcoal--no fumes.

I must confess... I did call the fire department on a neighbor. He had a bon fire going with 30-foot flames that was a little too close to some trees on my property. But I'd never think about calling the FD about a smelly BBQ.

[Charlie S.]

You are wrong. I get along well with my neighbors. We shovel each other out and watch each other's houses when we go away. We also help if there is major project going on.

It's just that this odor is excessive and suffocating. Can't sleep in my room when it's on. My room faces the back of my house. Thus, I think it is one of the neighbors behind me that making a stink.

>

[Abe]

You pour the coals into the grill after they get going. The chimney can sit in the grill while the coals are getting ready, so there's no need for a chimney stand or bricks to set the chimney on. Never set the chimney on anything that might burn or melt, like wood or plastic.

2 sheets (4 pages) of loosely crumpled newspaper in the bottom is all it takes.

You are most welcome.

[zxcvbob]

I've got one (I don't think it's a Weber) You loosely stuff a full sheet of newspaper in the bottom, fill the top with charcoal, and light the bottom. The paper burns up. The charcoals light and turn gray quite rapidly. When the top coals look about ready, you pick up the chimney and all the charcoal falls out the bottom onto your grate.

Best regards, Bob

[Sacramento Dave]

I would go knock on his door tell him he is stinking up the whole neigborhood. But I bet that leads nowhere, So call a layer and sue him it's your only hope. Or maybe your feelings are hurt because he never invites you over, oh I bet you can taste that stake right now . But then you could just close your window. But then I can't believe how many people don't know there neighbors', now if you new your neighbors you would not have to post something like you did.

[Charlie S.]

"But I'd never think about calling the FD about a smelly BBQ."

Good point. Didn't really even think of calling the FD until I wrote this post. Plus, it wouldn't be a good idea as I may need to go onto their property this fall. I have a few overhanging trees that need trimming.

[Seymour Bigby-Heinz]

Excellent suggestion. I bought one of those bbq chimneys from Amazon back in 2002, and have been very happy with it. I wrote one of the earlier reviews forthat itemt on Amazon, and am amazed to see over 180 total reviews there now. It speaks well for basic ingenuity when such a simple and inexpensive device elicits such accolades from so many different people.

Sy

[Charlie S.]

Getting to know one's neighbors in back of this house is not so easy. There isn't a conduit to their properties. We get along with the neighbors directly behind us. But, it's difficult to get to know them. The owner doesn't speak English and isn't very sociable. The other properties are even more difficult to talk with your neighbor. Fences and yards put distance between us. We know all the neighbors in the front of the house and get along well with them.

>

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

I'm not the one who suggested it-- but they spoke my mind perfectly. Pour the briquettes into your grill after they're lit.

In the bottom.

Way better. My son talked me into a charcoal grill a few years ago after I'd cussed at gas grills for 15 yrs. I built one of those starts out of a piece of stovepipe I had laying around. Last year I replaced it with a $10 one from Lowe's. I'll never use fluid again. \\ Jim

[Steve Kraus]

What are they using as lighter fluid? Normal charcoal lighter fluid isn't that volatile to create the fumes you describe. It's only a little lighter (no pun) a petroleum fraction than kerosene. Something in the naptha family I think. That's why when you light it the flames spread gradually at first and it doesn't go "poof" like a more volatile fluid would.

[Steve Kraus]

There's also the electric starter. My family used those for years. They eventually fail because inevitably one doesn't remove them from the now- very-hot charcoal fast enough but they're cheap. We always got several years use out of each. Needing a cord is the only drawback.

[Joshua Putnam]

Call the fire department and tell them what? You don't like the smell of your neighbor's barbecue? Is that a fire code violation?

Call the health department and tell them what? You don't like the smell of your neighbor's barbecue? Is that a health code violation?

What exactly would you report him for, and what outcome do you expect? Do you have any reason to believe he's doing anything illegal?

[Jim McLaughlin]

MYOFB