Are the true build dates of prewar walkup buildings in Manhattan unknown?

[Javawood]

Originally Posted by riact

Is that safe to do? My building (built in late 1930s) all of a sudden became unbearably hot during the winter last year, and I had to resort to putting a fan in the window at night, even if it was in the 20s outside! Ridiculous.

I mentioned the issue to the board, and they said there's only so much they can do since it's an 80-year old building. I was tempted to reply, well, could we have the heat we had when it was, ummmm....a 79-year old building? Because that amount of heat (nice and low) was AWESOME.

I have an absolutely terrible heat tolerance. I can't sleep in the heat and I can't stay asleep in the heat. During the summer, it sometimes doesn't get cold enough and I need melatonin to subsist lol! People always assume when they see my bottle it's because I live in the Lower East Side. Nope! it's to deal with my body not being able to handle heat. The worst is when I wake up drenched in sweat in the winter. Absolutely terrible. I defaulted to taking two showers a day.

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by Javawood

My building supposedly was built in 1900. I can definitely see it being built around that date as I straddle where the main elevated line that ran along Allen St was. The station was half a block from my apartment. The building is sound architecturally, but it's one of the more bland tenements of the time. It definitely has a more pre-law feel to it with the lack of proper air shafts. I find the air gets a little stuffy if I don't circulate it! That being said, I like it cold and usually run the AC in the winter, so there ya go.

I usually look deep into the buildings history when I choose an apartment haha. It's mostly to confirm issues like the landlord not handling hot/cold water issues or bedbugs, but I have a penchant for history and would even wager my favorite style of movie is documentary. If only it made good money, I would have majored in it in college.

Nearly all AC owners manuals will state that units should not be used when outdoor temps are below 68F or so.


Have stated this before; air conditioners try to maintain a twenty degree difference between indoor and outdoor air temps. Once the latter starts dipping below 70F it just causes all sorts of issues including making the unit work harder.


My building like others it is routine to see AC's "die" after four or five years use. Am sure this is due to their being run when they shouldn't.


You walk down streets on UES on days and nights when temps are in the low 70's to high 60's and hear plenty of air conditioners running.


The other thing is that in winter/heating season running the AC is forcing that appliance to perform an impossible task. Cooling indoor air that is constantly being heated by whatever central system. It's like running an AC while having the oven on full blast.