Poison gas and illegal lease

[porkboy]

I live in a loft above an auto repair garage. The building is not maintained well and there is no insulation or air tight barrier between our living room floor and the garage below. Sometimes when they are working on cars the exhaust fumes become quite thick upstairs. We have a carbon monoxide detector that goes off all the time.

We have complained and asked that they use venting pipes that would bring the gasses outside, but they just ignore us.

The building is zoned as a garage and there does not appear to be a certificate allowing our lease.

What is the best course of action that would 1- make them stop poisoning us 2- keep us from getting evicted.

I look forward to your responses.

[jot0n0]

If you're living in an illegally converted commercial space, your pretty much have no legal protection. Reporting this would only have you evicted and if LL and/or garage is uncooperative in your request for proper venting, you will have no recourse. I assume you want to continue living there for the cheap rent, but is your life worth the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning? Even small exposure over prolong period of time builds up in your blood and is not good for your health. Starting look for another place, preferrable one that's legal.

[NYCkid]

Originally posted by FairSpectator:
i am not sure but i do not think carbon monoxide causes any chronic health problems. carbon monoxide is lethal because it displaces oxygen molecules within red blood cells and stays there. but after time, the oxygen molecules eventually displace the carbon monoxide once a person is exposed to clean air.

I cannot believe you. Each time you outdo yourself. Last time you could not understand why a leaky ceiling in an apartment should be of any concern to a tenant. Now you dont think that carbon monoxide causes health problems?

If you are trying to say that limited, non-lethal exposure is not that bad, you are still out of your mind. Is it a risk you would want to take?

To the poster, you sound like you are in a bad situation. Look for a new place where your life is not in danger and it is zoned for residential use.

[Cranky Tenant]

Originally posted by me again:
only if you don't count 'death' as a chronic illness.

Ditto.
And even if oxygen deprivation doesn't kill you, it can cause damage to the brain and other organs.

Tony should find a safer place to live as soon as possible.

[jot0n0]

The chronic illnesses I'm referring to include: Dizziness, Fatigue, Headache, Nausea and Irregular breathing. Some people are not aware they are experiencing CO poisoning and dismiss these symptoms to the flu and goes undiagnosed. These symptoms will go away when you go outside to be exposed to fresh air, but will reappear once you're back inside.