Landlord refuses to replace my heater so I have to use space heaters?

Question

My electric heater smells very bad; like someone spilled marijuana or chemicals in it. In the summer it does not produce these fumes when I use the ac but the heater causes whatever is in there to burn and my smoke alarm goes off. I complained about last year but all they did was clean out this filter. This year they will not replace the unit and so I am forced to use space heaters again. I had two space heaters but my small one now smokes therefore setting off the smoke alarm. I have one heater to heat to seperate areas. My studio is about 450 sq feet with about 150 sq feet for the bedroom area. My bedroom is very long and narrow. How Can I safely heat the bedroom will I sleep. I live in a basement apartment which helps hold in some heat but I wake up to being 63 degrees when it is 30 degrees outside. What does anyone suggest? I have to bear through this winter again and once my lease is up I am moving!

do electric space heaters give off fumes? Until I can get a hold of my landlord again on monday I need to do something. It will be in the 20s and 30s for lows the rest of the week.

What should I do for tonight? I thought about running my heater until I go to bed than shut it off. Right now my front room is 75 but more than likely by the time I wake up it will be 60 degrees or lower. The low is 17 degrees tonight! Will I be ok if I shut off the heat and just use blankets? last year I had two heaters so I just used the small one in my bedroom.

Answer 1

Report your landlord to the health department and ask that the place be immediately inspected by them.

Answer 2

First your furnace, and smoke alarms...

If you can actually see smoke when using your furnace, then yes it needs to be replaced....
Most furnaces will smell funny the first few times they are used, because of the dust that accumulated on them over the summer months when it was not in use. It stinks... but won't harm you. A few uses, and the dust will be burned off, and won't be a problem any more. Having the unit cleaned thoroughly before the heating season starts will help eliminate this problem.
Many 'smoke alarms' can be triggered by more than just smoke.... some are temperature sensitive... a sudden change in temperature, and they will go off (ours in the kitchen goes off when the oven door is opened). Others will be set off by an ion charge in the air, this can happen when a furnace kicks on, or when a saw is used to cut piece of wood indoors. There's no fire, no smoke, but the positively charged air will set the alarm off. I cannot say this is what is happening for certain, in your case, but with an electric furnace (and dust buildup) it is a possibility.

I would suggest...that you have your landlord come for a short visit, and while he/she is there, turn on your furnace, and let that smoke alarm go off... hehehe. Let's admit it... its a whole different situation 'hearing' about it happening, than being there when it happens. Let the landlord experience the problem... and you might find them more willing to deal with it.
And if there is actual smoke when using the furnace, it definitely needs repair or replacement, and the landlord can be in a great deal of trouble for negligence in something that serious.

Now.. as to using space heaters... I strongly recommend an oil filled type... this looks like a small radiator. The heating element actually warms up the oil in the unit, providing an economic, evenly distributed heat source. DeLonghi makes an excellent oil filled heater, and it runs about $30. I've got one out on my non-heated front porch office, and it keeps up with the winter temps just fine by itself.

For tonight, if you have a small fan, set it so that it will blow air from your living room into your bedroom...this will help circulate the warm air into your room... just use a low speed setting, and aim it to blow thru your door, not necessarily on your bed. You'll be surprised how much this will help. You can also consider moving your heater into the room you are using...for example, into your bedroom at night, and into the living area during the day.

As for the 63 degrees.. hehehe.. just goes to show that 'comfortable temperature' is relative.... we keep our furnace set on 65 to 67 degrees during the winter. If the temp gets up to 70, we are ready to turn on the airconditioning, lol.

If you had a gas furnace, I would have strongly recommended a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide is created by anything that burns an open flame... a natural (or propane) furnace, or even a gasoline powered generator for example. Carbon monoxide is odorless and invisible... you cannot smell it or see it, but it will kill in high enough concentration. And that high concentration is all too easy to reach indoors. Do NOT use a kerosene heater, or other fuel burning space heater indoors without GOOD ventilation. I won't even run my vehicle in the garage... I back it out into the drive.
Carbon monoxide is not generated by an electric furnace, so that is one concern you can rest easy about.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Did the landlord service the furnace himself? And btw, the filter should be replaced monthly! Send a certified letter.
If the furnace burns natural gas - an inspection for odors might be free - call and ask.

Try vacuuming the vents in your apt, and if they are easily removed, do so and wash them and vacuum any debris you can see. Document your efforts. There are some filters that you can put on vents on forced air systems, that you may want to explore if the furnace is professionally checked and retains a smell past the first couple days.

Answer 4

If there is an agreement in your least that the landlord makes repairs then he is breaking the lease. Make sure you read it carefully. If this is so you can move now. I also suggest you stay away from basement rooms for health reasons and also the dampness is hard on computers. I lived in a basement room for a couple years and was sick all the time. I lost part of my hearing from illnesses also til I moved out.

Answer 5

Read your lease. He might be in violation of the lease, in which case you can say he broke the lease by not living up to his end of the agreement. Space heaters give of fumes, it is not fair to make you live that way. Are you being reimbursed for the additional electric costs?

(ok maybe the electric ones don't give off fumes but you should not have to live like that)

Answer 6

Leasing agent PHX. you will possibly desire to require the owner honor an uphold his words of the hire. it is to grant a residing the is in a position to be secured., in a position to have legally grant utilities to it. in any different case, a well being and protection subject exists. the owner might desire to grant yet another condo. Or by some means grant temporary abillity to cook dinner, wash, warmth, and funky your condo. That what you pay hire for. seek for the regulation on your state the defines the courting betweeen landlords and tenants. Then quote the well being and protection subject via serving the owner in writing. Then if subject demands take him to court docket and cite the occasion and themes to a choose. which will launch you out of your hire. good good fortune

Answer 7

ABSOLUTELY NOT !!!!
if you live in the us
call code enforcement
that is a clear violation (depending on your state law)
code enforcement will tell you how to handle handle
excuse my french but thats BULL$HIT!!

also in MOST states if you send 3 certified lettters to him asking him to fix it and he doesnt you can legally break your lease

Answer 8

call the board of health