Steam Heat
Comments
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EmilyM wrote: I was envisioning getting the same kind of radiator (cast iron), just a smaller one, and hopefully a less leaky/noisy one. I'm not sure we could integrate a different kind of radiator into the building's system. (Actually, I'm not sure this plan will work at all, but it's worth a try.)
You can definately hook up a new school radiator to old school pipes, some of the radiators look modern and arent as heavy and brutish. Google it.
Also, FYI to all, you have to replace the valves on the readiators every few years becasue the get clogged with deposit residue. They are also set to different sizes corresponding to how much heat the radiator should generate, so one on the first floor are smaller than those on the top floor. -
EmilyM wrote: I was envisioning getting the same kind of radiator (cast iron), just a smaller one, and hopefully a less leaky/noisy one. I'm not sure we could integrate a different kind of radiator into the building's system. (Actually, I'm not sure this plan will work at all, but it's worth a try.)
You can definately hook up a new school radiator to old school pipes, some of the radiators look modern and arent as heavy and brutish. Google it.
Also, FYI to all, you have to replace the valves on the readiators every few years becasue the get clogged with deposit residue. They are also set to different sizes corresponding to how much heat the radiator should generate, so one on the first floor are smaller than those on the top floor. -
Subject: Sleeping in my hat again.
I went out with my neighbor this weekend and he informed me that our landlord does not turn the heat on until November. Sure enough, it is cold as a witch's teat in my place. I go home and put on my hat, shawl and generally swaddle myself in all the knit crap I've made over the years.
What do you think I should do considering 1) November, the supposedly magical time when the heat gets turned on, is only a few days away and 2) I dont really want to be viewed as an uppity trouble-making tennant this soon into my lease. -
Subject: Sleeping in my hat again.
I went out with my neighbor this weekend and he informed me that our landlord does not turn the heat on until November. Sure enough, it is cold as a witch's teat in my place. I go home and put on my hat, shawl and generally swaddle myself in all the knit crap I've made over the years.
What do you think I should do considering 1) November, the supposedly magical time when the heat gets turned on, is only a few days away and 2) I dont really want to be viewed as an uppity trouble-making tennant this soon into my lease. -
Your landlord is doing something quite illegal. New York City law requires that between October 1st and May 31st the following:
6am- 10pm.- if temp is less than 55 outside, must be at least 68 inside;
10 pm- 6am- if temp is less than 40 outside, must be at least 55 inside.
See this link www.tenant.net/Court/Howcourt/heat.html
for suggestions as to your remedies.
Good luck! -
Your landlord is doing something quite illegal. New York City law requires that between October 1st and May 31st the following:
6am- 10pm.- if temp is less than 55 outside, must be at least 68 inside;
10 pm- 6am- if temp is less than 40 outside, must be at least 55 inside.
See this link www.tenant.net/Court/Howcourt/heat.html
for suggestions as to your remedies.
Good luck! -
Subject: Re: Sleeping in my hat again.
Cupcake wrote: What do you think I should do considering 1) November, the supposedly magical time when the heat gets turned on, is only a few days away and 2) I dont really want to be viewed as an uppity trouble-making tennant this soon into my lease.
Learn more about landlord-tenant law! Landlords are required to provide heat when the temperature goes below a certain level, even if that happens in July. I would start by calling and disingenuously pointing out how cold it's gotten. If that doesn't work, buy a portable thermometer to get readings. That way, if the landlord is a real bastard about it, you have evidence for city agencies, etc. -
Subject: Re: Sleeping in my hat again.
Cupcake wrote: What do you think I should do considering 1) November, the supposedly magical time when the heat gets turned on, is only a few days away and 2) I dont really want to be viewed as an uppity trouble-making tennant this soon into my lease.
Learn more about landlord-tenant law! Landlords are required to provide heat when the temperature goes below a certain level, even if that happens in July. I would start by calling and disingenuously pointing out how cold it's gotten. If that doesn't work, buy a portable thermometer to get readings. That way, if the landlord is a real bastard about it, you have evidence for city agencies, etc. -
Egads. They're only obligated to heat the place to 55 degrees at nighttime? :shock:
I guess I have to get a thermometer and get on it. I wonder how my other neighbors are coping.
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Egads. They're only obligated to heat the place to 55 degrees at nighttime? :shock:
I guess I have to get a thermometer and get on it. I wonder how my other neighbors are coping. -
What about filling the window gaps with cupcakes?
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What about filling the window gaps with cupcakes?
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Jack wrote: What about filling the window gaps with cupcakes?
Or maybe daveb can help you with some spackle. :twisted: :P :twisted: -
Jack wrote: What about filling the window gaps with cupcakes?
Or maybe daveb can help you with some spackle. :twisted: :P :twisted: -
Whatever you do, don't ever let Behrouz Nahidmobarekeh come near your cupcakes!
Nahidmobarekeh: the name you can't trust in baked good! (tm) -
Whatever you do, don't ever let Behrouz Nahidmobarekeh come near your cupcakes!
Nahidmobarekeh: the name you can't trust in baked good! (tm) -
The clanking is a sign that the system needs bleeding and maybe those valves changed. It's not something you have to live with.
And if it's too hot, turn one of the radiators off. Or turn some of them down -- there's an open/shut screw cap on the side that does not have the valve. Lefty loosy, righty tighty . . . it's usually a sort of flat brown plastic disc that you turn. -
The clanking is a sign that the system needs bleeding and maybe those valves changed. It's not something you have to live with.
And if it's too hot, turn one of the radiators off. Or turn some of them down -- there's an open/shut screw cap on the side that does not have the valve. Lefty loosy, righty tighty . . . it's usually a sort of flat brown plastic disc that you turn. -
Those pipes that go all the way to the ceiling, but then terminate, and have a little valve on top are called risers. Very often the top floor of a building has them. They work fine keeping the room warm, if you have one in every room.
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Those pipes that go all the way to the ceiling, but then terminate, and have a little valve on top are called risers. Very often the top floor of a building has them. They work fine keeping the room warm, if you have one in every room.
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Thanks for all the tips and the alarming story about the guy sprinkling manure on baked goods in Texas. Key word: Texas. That reminds me of this quote from Overheard in New York:
"Y'know, Ma, you always do this shit, you, say, give, say, something nice and then you ruin it with something shitty. Why do you have to do that? It's fucked up, it's so hurtful. It's like you bake me a delicious chocolate cake and then you ruin it by frosting it in diarrhea."
Update: after one more night of freezing, I was laying in bed this morning when I heard a familiar sound. Hssssssssss. I jumped up like a kid on Christmas morning, ran to the radiator, and sure enough, someone had turned the heat on.
Conclusions: either my landlord reads the Board or he could tell I was about winding up to do my thang. :P -
Those knocks, bangs creaks and hisses the radiators make always make me feel happy, because you know you're going to be warm.
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On the clanking and knocking -- if you have a single-pipe system -- meaning the radiator only has one pipe attached to it and the hot steam and condensed water travel up and back in that same pipe, then you need to be sure that the radiator valve is open all the way. If not, the returning water can fight the steam to get through the valve, causing knocks.
With a single-pipe system, you can't really use the valve to control the amount of heat -- it's not a thermostat. (Some radiators have a thermostatic valve that vents excess steam -- that's one of the potential sources of the occasional hissing.) -
xdg wrote: On the clanking and knocking -- if you have a single-pipe system -- meaning the radiator only has one pipe attached to it and the hot steam and condensed water travel up and back in that same pipe, then you need to be sure that the radiator valve is open all the way. If not, the returning water can fight the steam to get through the valve, causing knocks.
thanks xdg!
With a single-pipe system, you can't really use the valve to control the amount of heat -- it's not a thermostat. (Some radiators have a thermostatic valve that vents excess steam -- that's one of the potential sources of the occasional hissing.) -
Ah, xdg, you are obviously an expert--do you know how to muffle the hissing that comes from the vent thing? Ours is almost deafening at times--it'll be quiet for 10 or 15 minutes and then blast for 5, almost like our air-conditioner does in the summer only noisier. Do we have a dud vent or something?
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EmilyM wrote: Ah, xdg, you are obviously an expert--do you know how to muffle the hissing that comes from the vent thing? Ours is almost deafening at times--it'll be quiet for 10 or 15 minutes and then blast for 5, almost like our air-conditioner does in the summer only noisier. Do we have a dud vent or something?
The vent thing has to be replaced every so often, until then try throw an old sock over it. -
EmilyM wrote: Ah, xdg, you are obviously an expert
No -- I'm just a creative and diligent Googler. Here's one of the best sites I've found:
http://www.heatinghelp.com/
It's by Dan Holohan, who wrote "The Lost Art of Steam Heating". Apparently, it's "the manual" on the subject. Lots of useful tips on the site. (Could be better organized, though.)
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