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April 25, 2008
Exhaust smell on Sackett St
We live on the south side of Sackett Street between Smith and Hoyt (closer to Hoyt)and I was wondering if anyone nearby has noticed a strange exhaust smell coming in through your open windows.
We first noticed the fumes last spring and we just can’t seem to pinpoint the origin. When I mentioned it to a neighbor last night, she said that she has also noticed a fumy smell and had even called someone in to check their gas stove connection.
It seems to come in from the back of the house (through our south-facing windows) and our living room quickly fills up with the very noticeable smell of exhaust. It doesn’t seem to happen every day and the only thing that I can sure of is that it started last spring and we didn’t notice it all winter with the windows closed.
Does anyone have any theories for me?
I briefly wondered if it had anything to do with all of the construction on Bond St but that feels too far away.
Comments
That's weird I had that experience just last night. It was like a mix of paint and exhaust. I live on 3rd ave and state street a ways away.
Posted by: guest at April 25, 2008 1:53 PM
I live in the area, and I believe there are two garages on the west side of Hoyt between Sackett & Union. If those are still active garages, could it be that someone is idling their car inside? Just a thought....
Posted by: guest at April 25, 2008 2:19 PM
Could it be either boats on the canal or trucks/buses that seem to be lined up in one of those lots along its eastern shore?
Posted by: guest at April 25, 2008 2:54 PM
I'd be willing to bet that one of the buildings near you has a boiler that is in need of service. We lived next to a building with a bad oil boiler, and our apt filled with an awful smell every time the thing fired.
Posted by: guest at April 25, 2008 4:58 PM
Bingo 4:58 PM! I totally agree with you... same thing happened to us, and it turned out
to be a building with a dirty oil burning boiler... awful...
We spoke directly to the owner... the owner of the house had the boiler serviced and the problem ended.
Posted by: bren at April 25, 2008 5:33 PM
I live on 1st btw hoyt and bond and noticed that smell I think yesterday morning. I think that sad to say it is probably the Gowanus - maybe with the droughty weather we're having the water level is going down and making it stink more? It is disturbing though and makes me feel like we're all going to die of cancer (although all my neighbors on the street are about 90 and in great health - so I guess that's a good sign).
I don't think it's a boiler because the weather was too warm for a boiler to be on - plus if we're all smelling it in the gowanus area it's got to be a pretty big source.
Posted by: guest at April 25, 2008 5:48 PM
It's been awfully warm for anyone's boiler to be on.
Posted by: guest at April 25, 2008 5:49 PM
If it is an old boiler that provides both heat and hot water, then it will be on all year. (There are still some of them around - not everyone has switched to having a separate hot water heater.) So it could be an old boiler.
Posted by: guest at April 25, 2008 11:27 PM
I live on North side of Sackett St between SMith and Hoyt (closer to Hoyt). Windows have been open all week and haven't noticed anything unusual. I buy the bad boiler theory.
Posted by: guest at April 26, 2008 7:54 PM
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