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General Discussion => Essentially Flyertalk => Topic started by: BigCat on May 23, 2010, 10:15:41 PM

Title: House fires
Post by: BigCat on May 23, 2010, 10:15:41 PM
I live in an apartment and I've been freaking out for like four hours now that something is burning in my apt. At first I thought someone jacked their ribs badly on the grill (had my windows open) but from the center of my apt is where the smoke-smell is coming from. I've eliminated these types of smoke: Rubber, styrofoam, wood, hair/flesh, weed, cigarettes or anything else easily explainable.

I've tried to evacuate the scent but it will not dissapate. At this point I have even considered calling the FD. Nothing in my apt is on fire (that I can see) but who knows what my idiot neighbours are up to.

Suggests? :frown:
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: TBL on May 23, 2010, 10:17:04 PM
Flesh? wtf
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: BigCat on May 23, 2010, 10:22:11 PM
well you never know. I'm just eliminating 'known' smoke smells. So if you've ever branded it's just something you know. Scent is one of our most ingrained and infallible senses, which is why this one has me stymied.
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: TBL on May 23, 2010, 10:23:20 PM
You wouldn't happen to have a light fixture or vent in that area, would you?
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: BigCat on May 23, 2010, 10:33:18 PM
You wouldn't happen to have a light fixture or vent in that area, would you?

Both, but it's not the light fixtures. It could be coming from the vents but when the smell originated, they were not on. I'm on the second (top) floor, sharing a wall with two apts.

Since I haven't seen any actual smoke I'm assuming it is coming from another place, which is what really worries me most. Did my neighbour start something on the stove and then leave? I have no idea.

It's bad enough that I want to call the FD but I don't want to bring that down on everyone else if I'm wrong. :dunno: :dunno:
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: TBL on May 23, 2010, 10:37:14 PM
You wouldn't happen to have a light fixture or vent in that area, would you?

Both, but it's not the light fixtures. It could be coming from the vents but when the smell originated, they were not on. I'm on the second (top) floor, sharing a wall with two apts.

Since I haven't seen any actual smoke I'm assuming it is coming from another place, which is what really worries me most. Did my neighbour start something on the stove and then leave? I have no idea.

It's bad enough that I want to call the FD but I don't want to bring that down on everyone else if I'm wrong. :dunno: :dunno:

But....what if you're not wrong?............
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: BigCat on May 23, 2010, 10:43:46 PM
Well that's the thing... My grandparents house burned to the ground a few years ago so I'm definitely no longer in the "it won't happen to me" camp. I already knocked on a couple doors, btw, and nobody seems to be home.

I only have (to my knowledge of the HVAC architecture) one pure exit vent, which is the bano evac. It's been running for a couple hours and to no avail.

You can understand this, because there's nothing I hate more than using public funds for emergency services when there is no emergency. At this point I can't tell if it's dissapating or if I'm just used to smelling it now. I think the latter is true.
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: TBL on May 23, 2010, 10:46:08 PM
Well that's the thing... My grandparents house burned to the ground a few years ago so I'm definitely no longer in the "it won't happen to me" camp. I already knocked on a couple doors, btw, and nobody seems to be home.

I only have (to my knowledge of the HVAC architecture) one pure exit vent, which is the bano evac. It's been running for a couple hours and to no avail.

You can understand this, because there's nothing I hate more than using public funds for emergency services when there is no emergency. At this point I can't tell if it's dissapating or if I'm just used to smelling it now. I think the latter is true.

Don't worry about using the public funds. That's what they're for. Better safe than sorry.
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: BigCat on May 23, 2010, 10:50:33 PM
Well that's the thing... My grandparents house burned to the ground a few years ago so I'm definitely no longer in the "it won't happen to me" camp. I already knocked on a couple doors, btw, and nobody seems to be home.

I only have (to my knowledge of the HVAC architecture) one pure exit vent, which is the bano evac. It's been running for a couple hours and to no avail.

You can understand this, because there's nothing I hate more than using public funds for emergency services when there is no emergency. At this point I can't tell if it's dissapating or if I'm just used to smelling it now. I think the latter is true.

Don't worry about using the public funds. That's what they're for. Better safe than sorry.

I'm going to give it a little while longer (stupid) and then see what happens. I figure at this point I would have heard a smoke alarm even if it was in the next apt. Will advise.
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: Rage Against the McKee on May 24, 2010, 12:00:11 AM
I once lived in a second floor apartment where I would smell smoke from time to time. I finally realized that it was because the people below me used a charcoal grill right under the staircase, and all the smoke rose up into my apartment. I asked them nicely once to move their grill out away from the building, and they did. A few days later, I noticed that they had lit more coals right under my apartment again, and nobody was outside watching the grill. I dumped the grill on the ground right in front of their front door, and never had problems again.
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: BigCat on May 24, 2010, 12:22:45 AM
I once lived in a second floor apartment where I would smell smoke from time to time. I finally realized that it was because the people below me used a charcoal grill right under the staircase, and all the smoke rose up into my apartment. I asked them nicely once to move their grill out away from the building, and they did. A few days later, I noticed that they had lit more coals right under my apartment again, and nobody was outside watching the grill. I dumped the grill on the ground right in front of their front door, and never had problems again.

That would be hilarious and fun, but my apts are not quite set up that way. Second floor walkout (walkdown). It literally just finally started smelling ok a couple minutes ago. Six hours of being worried... Not sure what the deal was. I think someone came home and grabbed a pan off the stove is my only guess. Next time I'll probably be consumed in flames as a result of my procrastination but the apt mgr came over (I called) and we spent like two hours diagnosing the problemo. No resolution other than the chemicals have reliquinshed their hold on my olfactory organs somwhat.
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: BigCat on May 24, 2010, 12:50:49 AM
So, no thanks to nebuddy but TBL I managed to put the fire out. Thanks bros, ice ya l8r.
Title: Re: House fires
Post by: WillieWatanabe on May 24, 2010, 07:12:13 AM
Yeah, Parents house burned to the ground. Def. am more worried about that crap now.