Often times apartment dwellers fall into deals that seem to work out great for everyone involved.  A quick-fix, discounted compromise of a place to live.  While inexpensive is a major advantage a home may possess, these cheaper alternatives usually come at a price to our safety.  Situations like these arise through casual conversations with friends, through “friends of friends”, in advertisements, and on bulletin boards at work or school.  In some cases it’s a matter of honest ignorance, but the circumstances can also be the result of intentional misrepresentation and greed.  Whatever the cause, the worst outcome is the same, an injury or death caused by people living in a space that was not properly designed for that purpose.

Imagine a basement apartment somewhere with only one exit, and no fire protection systems in place.  This domicile may have windows, but no grown person could fit through them, (except maybe the rubber wrestler!) and most children would have a lot of trouble getting up to them.  Between the ceiling and the floor above there is no fire proof material as the contractor was not aware this would be an apartment.  The wiring for the stove and kitchen was done on a weekend by the home-owner’s buddy who isn’t a licenced electrician.  Bricks above the main entrance door were never secured with a lintel, and could fall one day this spring while walking under them.  The furnace room is located downstairs, along with an old hot water heater that also runs on natural gas, and neither one has been inspected for five years which means both could be leaking carbon monoxide gas.  The most concerning issues are those not easily seen, even the water supply travels through a long section of lead pipe and is potentially contaminating every drink.  No wonder it’s so inexpensive!

These important issues must be dealt with.  The exits should be clear and accessible, without clutter.  Window wells can be made deep enough to accomodate larger windows in basements, and an egress to safety outside will solve the basement access problem.  Here is an example, however I do not endorse any particular brand.  As with any home, sm0ke and carbon monoxide alarms must be present, and it is both the home owner and the tennants’ responsibility to maintain them.  An inconvenient truth is that most multiple unit dwellings are not separated by fireproof materials.  If no permit was opened to establish code conformance, other corners were likely cut to save money and time.  This however comes at cost to the mutual protection from eachother.  If one apartment has a fire, both will surely suffer damage.

Turning a basement into a finished space is often a challege as there are elements of the home’s various systems that are often run under the first floor, or in the ceiling, if you’re downstairs.  Also the necessary facilities need to be run under the floor (usually concrete) in the basement.  If renovations are not carried out by qualified professionals important components can be ignored, or covered-up creating problems in the future.  For instance, spray foam is often used in basements behind walls as a thermal break and moisture barrier in one.  If this insulation is then covered with panelling, there is nothing stopping deadly gases from being released to the air in the event of a fire in that wall cavity.  Spray foam must be fire-proofed, or covered with drywall (or fire-proof substrate).  Wiring must be done correctly too as most homes’ electrical panels were designed to handle loads from a single family.  When renovations occur, the building standards used must be current ones, and deficiencies found from previous construction must be updated.

Sometimes the best part of these deals is that the utilities are included, because there is no separate meter or service for the apartment.  This is a good indicator that the home is not registered as a rental unit.  Not that it should really be a problem, but it can be when we’re talking about climate controls, and accessibility to necessities such as hot water and laundry areas.  Ideally, each place would have separate utils and equipment, but that almost never happens.  To cope, we can communicate our needs to fellow house-mates, compromise when necessary, and keep a steady schedule so there is a level of predictability when it comes to other’s habits.  Benefits are many, as it may be less expensive to share bills, and when vacation time comes, someone will watch your stuff for you.

I can only hope your great apartment find is a great one,  it’s up to you to ask the right questions before you get into a sticky situation.  If you think you already may be in one, be proactive.  Seek out a water test kit, what are you drinking?  Have the CO sniffer go around and find out what you’re breathing.  A Radon test kit is a click away, and well worth the 57.75 for peace of mind,  maybe the landlord will foot the bill.  It’s a tough topic to breach, but you can break the ice with this;

According to a 2007 study by B.C. Center of Disease Control, 40.3 per cent of the 50 homes tested in Clearwater had radon levels above 200 Bq/cubic meter on the main floor – the highest of any community tested. Barriere was in number two spot in the study with 30 per cent of 38 homes tested.

Another BCCDC study found that four of 10 schools in the North Thompson had radon levels above 200 Bq/cubic meter, with a maximum concentration of 422 Bq/cubic meter. The highest concentration in any school in the study was in Creston, with 3,237 Bq/cubic meter.

Being a non-smoker exposed to 200 Bq/cubic meter of radon is about as dangerous as being a bush pilot, and even more dangerous than climbing Mount Everest.

The good news about radon is that it can be easily measured and, usually, controlled without too much expense.  The first step is to test for it, so what are you waiting for?