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I know this is a common problem in old NYC buildings.... but in my cooperative apartment building in winter, there is hellish heat from the steam radiators in the rooms and also from the pipe that runs through the bathroom. Now, I can't do anything about the pipe, but the radiators can be shut off by turning a knob. I was advised by building staff never to shut off the radiators because water leaks can occur around them, and cause water damage and mold. The only solution is therefore to keep windows open that let cold drafts in and leave me shivering overnight when the temperature drops. Or, in the worst case, I can run the air conditioner. Not only is it ridiculous to have the A/C noise and energy use in the winter, but my window A/C won't start up when its snowing. (Fortunately , this winter has been mostly mild).
Is it really risky to shut the heaters off by the valve , or can use a try and see approach? Could water damage be hidden between floors?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by derekP8; 01-16-2021 at 12:32 PM..
Reason: k
Steam leaks can occur but that shouldn't be your problem, that's the buildings problem for not maintaining their heating system to where if an occupant wants to reduce the heat in their apartment a leak may occur. I get where you are coming from, my apartment is so hot in the winter even with the heat turned off I have to open the windows to prevent my throat and sinuses from drying out while im sleeping which caused nose bleeds every morning.
I would try turning it down but not off if the leak claim is valid.
If your windows allow you to open the top, keep the bottom closed and open the top window just a bit to let the air out and prevent drafts.
A window fan set to exhaust can also help
I moved into an old apartment building when I was going to NYU. I remember when it got cold and I started seeing people in the building next door (I could see through the windows) were butt naked all the time. Thought it a bit odd at the time, but soon joined them. Curtains left open to increase the cooling effect in winter.
I know this is a common problem in old NYC buildings.... but in my cooperative apartment building in winter, there is hellish heat from the steam radiators in the rooms and also from the pipe that runs through the bathroom. Now, I can't do anything about the pipe, but the radiators can be shut off by turning a knob. I was advised by building staff never to shut off the radiators because water leaks can occur around them, and cause water damage and mold. The only solution is therefore to keep windows open that let cold drafts in and leave me shivering overnight when the temperature drops. Or, in the worst case, I can run the air conditioner. Not only is it ridiculous to have the A/C noise and energy use in the winter, but my window A/C won't start up when its snowing. (Fortunately , this winter has been mostly mild).
Is it really risky to shut the heaters off by the valve , or can use a try and see approach? Could water damage be hidden between floors?
Thanks in advance.
1- That pipe is called a *riser* and is how steam leaves the boiler, and in your case (one pipe steam heat) condensate returns to same. Sometimes these risers are hidden in walls, others they are left exposed to provide heat. This is a cost effective method rather than attempting to design and fit in radiators or convectors.
2- One pipe steam heating systems are either "on" or "off". That is the primary means of controlling heat is to either open valve all the way, or close it. You cannot open or close it half way because that leads to issues like water hammering, leaking and so forth because the condensate cannot get out of rads back down to boiler.
3- Tell your building to pound salt, and if that is the only way you can control heat then close off valves in rooms you don't want (or need) heat.
4- If valves are leaking and or don't shut off tightly they need to be replaced (common enough after 50, 60 or more than one hundred years of use). A heating contractor or good handyman can do this job.
5- Finally if you want to control steam heat with a one pipe system look into Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRV). These valves have been around in one form or another for almost one hundred years. Basically they act to control room temperature by limiting how much steam enters rad. Instead of rads getting 100% steam all the time and being full, depending upon setting they fill with 75%, 50% or 25%, etc.. of steam. This limits heat sort of like having a thermostat. There are a few other ways as well.
I know this is a common problem in old NYC buildings.... but in my cooperative apartment building in winter, there is hellish heat from the steam radiators in the rooms and also from the pipe that runs through the bathroom. Now, I can't do anything about the pipe, but the radiators can be shut off by turning a knob. I was advised by building staff never to shut off the radiators because water leaks can occur around them, and cause water damage and mold. The only solution is therefore to keep windows open that let cold drafts in and leave me shivering overnight when the temperature drops. Or, in the worst case, I can run the air conditioner. Not only is it ridiculous to have the A/C noise and energy use in the winter, but my window A/C won't start up when its snowing. (Fortunately , this winter has been mostly mild).
Is it really risky to shut the heaters off by the valve , or can use a try and see approach? Could water damage be hidden between floors?
Thanks in advance.
This happened to me and I ended up having to turn on a little fan on low.
The high heat that means you have to open your windows was designed that way to force people to let in fresh air during the 1918 flu epidemic. They knew back then that people in apartments with closed windows were more susceptible to Spanish flu. Fresh air was better than people congregating indoors. Same now with Covid. I guess what goes around comes around.
I know this is a common problem in old NYC buildings.... but in my cooperative apartment building in winter, there is hellish heat from the steam radiators in the rooms and also from the pipe that runs through the bathroom. Now, I can't do anything about the pipe, but the radiators can be shut off by turning a knob. I was advised by building staff never to shut off the radiators because water leaks can occur around them, and cause water damage and mold. The only solution is therefore to keep windows open that let cold drafts in and leave me shivering overnight when the temperature drops. Or, in the worst case, I can run the air conditioner. Not only is it ridiculous to have the A/C noise and energy use in the winter, but my window A/C won't start up when its snowing. (Fortunately , this winter has been mostly mild).
Is it really risky to shut the heaters off by the valve , or can use a try and see approach? Could water damage be hidden between floors?
Thanks in advance.
You are killing your AC by running it during cool or cold weather. Nearly every owners or service manual for AC of any sort will state minimum outdoor temp for operation is between around 60 degrees F.
Air conditioners usually attempt to keep at 20 degree difference between indoor and outdoor temps. You of course know that all sorts of refrigeration (including air conditioners) don't create cold per se, but remove heat. To achieve this there are two main components, an evaporator and a condenser. In order for system to work correctly and efficiently there needs to be a differential between ambient air around the evaporator (those coils on back, top or under your fridge, outside of air conditioners, etc...) otherwise system cannot give off heat properly.
This is why the cooler it is outside the lower one must set AC thermostat to get the condenser to come on and cool. Even when that happens unit tends to short cycle because it cannot dissipate heat (via evaporator coils) properly.
In warm/hot weather you close windows and let AC cool house down, then it will remain relatively cool (hopefully) so AC cycles on and off just to maintain (again like your fridge). Since your building has heat on it never will stay cool and you're just running an AC to death like a dog chasing its tail. Again it is like leaving the door to your fridge or freezer open and expecting things to say cool or cold inside that box. It just won't happen, and if it does not for long.
It also have an option that will recirculate the air inside the room or to exhaust stale air from inside the room outside which creates a negative pressure forcing fresh air to be drawn in from any open windows.
Fan mode is ok, it doesn't activate cooling system. We just use old style fans as they move more air. Have a vintage Patton fan that moves air like a jet.
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