health & safety

Fire escape on brick apartment building in NYC

… work … Your landlord is required to provide at least one smoke detector in your apartment but you must maintain … to fill out a request form Regarding fire extinguishers NYC fire code doesnt require them except for where fuelburning equipment is installed like a hot water heater Why FDNY advice to leave the building during a …

By Brick Underground |October 8, 2025 - 9:30AM

faucet with hand of woman in kitchen for cleaning, drinking and washing dishes. Interior, steel and household plumbing with sink and tap at home for stream, flowing and splash

Troubleshooting

I used NYC’s free program to test my apartment’s drinking water for lead. Here’s how you can too

By Celia Young |March 5, 2025 - 3:30PM

Flowering pink-purpleish tree in front of Park Slope Brownstones

Products + Test-drives

5 ways to allergy-proof your NYC apartment

By Celia Young |April 29, 2024 - 12:30PM

In New York City, United States this older residential building viewed from the High Line has old fashioned fire escapes visible on its exterior.

Troubleshooting

How can I check if my NYC apartment building is fire-code compliant?

By Celia Young |March 6, 2024 - 11:34AM

Exterior view of old New York City style architecture apartment building with windows and fire escapes

Roommates + Landlords

Most NYC residential buildings must install natural gas detectors by 2025

By Celia Young |February 26, 2024 - 10:40AM

Troubleshooting

How can I make a neighboring building owner take down scaffolding that's been up for years?

By Celia Young |January 16, 2024 - 5:30PM

Woman feel cold in home with no heating stock photo

Roommates + Landlords

Can my landlord give me a space heater instead of fixing the heat?

By Celia Young |October 16, 2023 - 1:00PM

Smoke from wildfires obscures the Triborough Bridge.

Small Projects + DIY

5 ways to improve the air quality inside your NYC apartment

… to stay inside when air quality conditions are bad and to know how to keep the air inside your apartment safe from smoke as well as other pollutants Wildfire smoke … to a guide from the University of CaliforniaDavis Its best to use a fan built after 2012 and to keep it clean and …

By Celia Young |July 11, 2023 - 12:30PM