Odd smells

[mojay]

I live in a ground floor flat and the bathroom is central to the layout and therefore has no window or natural ventilation but an electric extractor system. I get strange smells like air freshener and nicotine etc in my flat and I'm not imagining this as on a recent visit my daughter asked me if I'd taken up smoking again!

I'm in a sheltered housing complex and when I asked the site manager this morning if she thought these smells might be coming via the extractor system from the upstairs flat she looked horrified and said that'd be impossible.
I'll ask the site maintenance guy when I see him around but meanwhile I wondered if any one in AB could offer any theories.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[mojay]

how interesting ZebUK. The first comment that the site manager made was- perhaps you have a window open. I said nothing but thought - I might be in sheltered housing but I'm not yet senile :)

[The Builder]

If it's a combined system Mojay, I can see this happening. Ideally, extractors should have their own sole outlet. I guess your block has them all connected to a single common duct. No problem when the fans are running, but when they're not, residual air in the system (from neighbours) can hang around.
A possibility is that the outlet isn't properly protected from wind and downdraught ........... rather like chimney smoke coming back into a room.

All guesswork I'm afraid, without knowing the layout.
I would guess a simple solution would be to fit a kind of non-return valve in your section. Is yours a simple 110mm pipe with a square grill?

[mojay]

Oh I was so hoping you'd come along and give me a helpful answer.

The Builder, I can't answer your question - BUT - I can print this out and let the maintenance man realise that I am looking for answers and remedies !!

Hope this helps you too ZebUK.

I'll be back and let you know what happens here.