Smokers count as open-flame cooking devices under the International Fire Code adopted by Pennsylvania. At apartments they may not be used on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction, but single-family homeowners can use them in the yard at a safe distance. Lehigh County sets no separate rule.
A charcoal or pellet smoker is treated the same as a grill under the PA Uniform Construction Code's adoption of International Fire Code Section 308.1.4 - Lehigh County adds nothing. At multifamily buildings, these open-flame cooking devices may not be operated on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction, unless the building is sprinklered or the device is one- or two-family. Homeowners may use a smoker in their own yard, keeping it clear of the house, fences, and overhangs and following manufacturer instructions. Persistent heavy smoke drifting onto neighbors could separately be addressed under Allentown's nuisance or air-quality provisions.
Using a smoker on a prohibited apartment balcony can be cited under the fire code; excessive smoke affecting neighbors may be handled as a nuisance by the municipality.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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