Too cold in apartment? (tenants, landlord, law)

[Chuckity]

Originally Posted by allen2323

I didn't say it was fair, that is just how that goes and I was stating the facts, in chicago anyway. Even in the higher rent areas like lakeview this complaint is very common, and landlords who are responsible for the heat keep it on average in the 60's. When I was in grad school my apartment was freezing in the morning. I would turn on the space heaters and climb back in bed for another 20 minutes. In fact I have never been to a boiler heated apartment in chicago where this was not an issue. The temp should be 65 degrees at 7:30 a.m. , 68 degrees from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m, 63 degrees from 10:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. That is still very chilly and I don't see how someone could feel comfortable in there apartment without space heaters. The rent is set in heat included apartments based on those guidelines, not on keeping the temp at 72-75 degrees which is a comfortable room temp.

It's your opinion - not fact.

[allen2323]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

It's your opinion - not fact.

The temp guidelines that I posted are facts. Those are the city of chicago's own temp guidelines for landlords that are responsible for heat. The landlord in question is probably skimping on other things. Do you have roaches also by any chance?

[nikitakolata]

Originally Posted by grapico

If you read my post again I stated it was 59 in the day and 57 at night. That isn't even close to it, its 9 degrees off what it is supposed to be in the day time and 6 degrees at night off, the only time the heat ever comes on. It hasn't even gotten that cold outside yet and I am wearing socks/fuzzy slippers in doors and gloves with the fingers cut off with a fleece to keep warm. Yeah it doesn't seem like it is THAT cold but trust me you get cold after awhile.


UChicago Apartment Guide - Troubleshooting

I was searching around and apparently I should contact the president

I don't actually think Allen was trying to say you want it unreasonably warm or anything... I think his point is that a lot of landlords don't do even the minimum, despite knowing what those minimums are and knowing that they're actually not a comfortably warm temperature. I could be reading things completely wrong though...

Anyway, the real reason I wanted to post was to say that I hope you get your heat fixed soon. But, in the meantime, my husband bought me this space heater for my office (the building people wouldn't have liked that too much, but I was always super cold) at my last job and it is an amazing little thing. This is the one he got, probably at Target or something:

Amazon.com: DeLonghi DFH132 SafeHeat Fan Heater: Kitchen & Dining

It's cheap but is surprisingly effective. I sometimes use it under my jewelry bench when I stay home from work because our house is rather large and there's no reason to heat the entire place during the day when I'm really only in a small space the entire time. I don't feel like it's unreasonably dangerous in any way, it turns off automatically and there are no exposed heating elements or anything. Of course, I have a kiln and a torch in the guest bedroom, so my safety standards may be a little more lax than those of many...

Good luck! Get warm!

[Chuckity]

Allen, below is the post I was referring to when you said you were just stating facts:

Originally Posted by allen2323

You are right, I guess that was a sweeping judgement. But, the original poster did not say it was freezing in there unit. The poster said that the unit was in fact getting heat properly, but it got drafty at times meaning when the boiler system is off. The advice to call the landlord and ask about it is good advice, but I would be willing to bet that it doesn't help. Almost all heat included buildings are like this. There are exceptions in higher rent newly renovated heat included buildings and buildings that tend to have more seniors living there. The boiler system is on a timer. It's usually an old and outdated system that has been patched and fixed countless times over the decades. There are usually several leaks and colder areas throughout the building. The landlord usually keeps the average heat in the buildings units up in the mid 60's. There is nothing scientific about it. The tenant is responsible for keeping there own unit piping hot which usually does not require more than a couple of electric oil space heaters to keep your unit temp in the mid 70's. The fact of the matter is the cost to heat a large apartment building is huge with a boiler system and the city only requires the the temp in the building be kept in the 60's. A reasonable temp for such a wasteful way to heat.

It wasn't in that post that you spoke about temp guidelines. That's why I said it was your opinion - everything in the post above is your opinion, not facts.

Originally Posted by allen2323

The temp guidelines that I posted are facts. Those are the city of chicago's own temp guidelines for landlords that are responsible for heat. The landlord in question is probably skimping on other things. Do you have roaches also by any chance?

Nope. And to insinuate that keeping a building at the required heat level would cause an investor to skimp in other areas, is again, another falsehood.

[allen2323]

Originally Posted by nikitakolata

I don't actually think Allen was trying to say you want it unreasonably warm or anything... I think his point is that a lot of landlords don't do even the minimum, despite knowing what those minimums are and knowing that they're actually not a comfortably warm temperature. I could be reading things completely wrong though...

Anyway, the real reason I wanted to post was to say that I hope you get your heat fixed soon. But, in the meantime, my husband bought me this space heater for my office (the building people wouldn't have liked that too much, but I was always super cold) at my last job and it is an amazing little thing. This is the one he got, probably at Target or something:

Amazon.com: DeLonghi DFH132 SafeHeat Fan Heater: Kitchen & Dining

It's cheap but is surprisingly effective. I sometimes use it under my jewelry bench when I stay home from work because our house is rather large and there's no reason to heat the entire place during the day when I'm really only in a small space the entire time. I don't feel like it's unreasonably dangerous in any way, it turns off automatically and there are no exposed heating elements or anything. Of course, I have a kiln and a torch in the guest bedroom, so my safety standards may be a little more lax than those of many...

Good luck! Get warm!

That is exactly what I was saying. And, for an apartment the oil filled electronic space heaters are better at heating the unit. And are 100 percent safe as long as you don't keep anything around them. They cost less than 20 bucks at home depot. Be sure to buy atleast 2 of them. Don't worry the extra cost on your electric bill will be little to not even noticeable. I have always had space heaters even to this day. Now it's more of a comfort thing that I have gotten used to, like when I am in my home offfice.

[nikitakolata]

Originally Posted by allen2323

That is exactly what I was saying. And, for an apartment the oil filled electronic space heaters are better at heating the unit. And are 100 percent safe as long as you don't keep anything around them. They cost less than 20 bucks at home depot. Be sure to buy atleast 2 of them. Don't worry the extra cost on your electric bill will be little to not even noticeable. I have always had space heaters even to this day. Now it's more of a comfort thing that I have gotten used to, like when I am in my home offfice.

I agree that space heaters can be a great way to make a particular area more comfortable and they're really not that expensive. But, I don't think the OP should absolutely NEED space heaters since heat is included in her rent. At the very least, the apartment should be the minimum required temperatures and then at that point, if the OP wants to make it warmer, a space heater could be the way to go.

I was only suggesting a space heater as a temporary solution so the OP isn't miserable. If the landlord won't fix the heat, that's not right, and I'd probably look into terminating the lease if I were in that situation.

[MannheimMadman]

Maybe we can trade apartments, grapico. It is consistently 82 degrees in my apartment because my radiator or building boiler is on overdive all the time

I literally have to turn the knob all the way so it shuts off. Either that or I have to keep my frontroom windows open, even in 10 degree February days.

The only complaint I have is that the radiators are super noisy. Nothing like the sound of someone beating your radiator with a nine iron at two in the morning.

[aragx6]

Fwiw, a new UL listed electric space heater, if kept away from anything flammable is plenty safe. They don't just light aflame at random.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by MannheimMadman

Maybe we can trade apartments, grapico. It is consistently 82 degrees in my apartment because my radiator or building boiler is on overdive all the time

I literally have to turn the knob all the way so it shuts off. Either that or I have to keep my frontroom windows open, even in 10 degree February days.

The only complaint I have is that the radiators are super noisy. Nothing like the sound of someone beating your radiator with a nine iron at two in the morning.

Having it warm then opening some windows to cool it down to optimal temp probably better.

The only other issue I had is the windows as mentioned, and they had to replace the dishwasher. I rarely use it, but it didn't work at all, they came and put a new one in no problem except it took several weeks. The main problem is it is just a really old building. I would be fine with bringing them receipts for the space heater(s) and additional electric bill difference, then taking that cost off the rent. I'm certainly willing to be cooperative but I'd like it to be warm, with no additional expense to me because times are pretty tough.

[Muppet123]

IIRC there is some kind of tape you can use by the windows that will help keep them less drafty. I had to use it in my last place, also due the age of the place.