health & safety

Fire escape on brick apartment building in NYC
Troubleshooting
A fire safety checklist for your NYC apartment building
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

… the DOB to create gas detector rules in 2016 through Local Law 157 which followed two highprofile gas explosions in …

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

… Protection Agency Portable air cleaners filter air using highefficiency particulate air HEPA filters which do … a fan built after 2012 and to keep it clean and away from curtains to avoid fire hazards according to air quality … While these symptoms should go away when the air quality improves make sure to contact your doctor if youre …

By Celia Young |July 11, 2023 - 12:30PM
Aerial view of Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges in New York City.
Affordable Housing
The Brick Underground Podcast: Office Hours with Sam Himmelstein
By Emily Myers |May 2, 2023 - 2:30PM