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November 16, 2007
freezing in my apt?
I live on the top floor of a 4 story brownstone> the thermostat is on the bottom floor above the boiler and basement. The top floor where i am is freezing. It is around 8 to 10 degrees cooler on the top than the bottom floor. I have gas steam heat with radiators. Do i need to move the thermostat? my wife says to just put the thermostat higher, but i have it up to 76 and it is still only 68 on my floor. It will get to the set tempeture on the bottom floor and shut off i guess leaving us cold on the top floor.
Comments
Usually you can have 2 or more zones and each zone is separate. If that was never done, then I believe that each radiator can be retrofitted for its own thermostat. You can check with an HVAC person. Also how well insulated is the roof?
Posted by: guest at November 16, 2007 9:59 PM
Get a wool sweater and drink a glass of bourbon every night.
Seriously.
Posted by: guest at November 16, 2007 11:03 PM
Start by insulating the cellar steam pipes. That will help direct the heat into the system and prevent it from leeching out into the cellar and preheating your garden floor.
Fiberglass insulation, not less than 1 inch thick, works best.
Next is to balance the system by venting it properly.
...finish up with a glass of bourbon.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at November 17, 2007 7:47 AM
I had the same problem. I moved the thermostat to the top floor so that the boiler would have to run longer to reach that floor. In addition I got a programable thermostat so I can set it to be warmer at specific times during the day. I find with the old steam system it's hard to get a even temperature on all floors of the house. I set the programable thermostat to go up two degrees early in the morning and at about 5 pm at night. I wish I knew a better way to do this. Steam heat seems to cool down much faster than hot water heat systems. Perhaps Mr B can get Master Plumber on video to talk about this?
Posted by: Rick at November 17, 2007 7:55 AM
You are freezing at 68 degrees. I set my thermostats at a toasty 68 degrees. hardly freezing and 13 degrees above legal limit.
Posted by: guest at November 17, 2007 7:59 AM
7:59 -- what country has a legal limit of 55 degrees in a residential space? Or are you talking celsius here?
To the OP: I was renting the top floor of a brownstone and had the same problem (also, my place wasn't insulated -- I had HOLES where the floors met the walls which I couldn't touch because the landlady was anal about retaining her vintage look). It was hot on the bottom floor (where the landlady lived) while freezing on my floor.
The discomfort of walking around my house with cold hands or waking up with a frozen face just ruined the rest of my day. It drove me insane and I moved out.
Posted by: guest at November 17, 2007 9:27 AM
Also try to shore up any places where the heat might be getting out or cold getting in. Weatherstripping doors and windows, etc. Try calling in an for insulation consultant, they can now blow the stuff into your walls from the outside
Posted by: guest at November 17, 2007 11:11 AM
Bleed the radiators and make sure the top floor ones are working. Hang lined heavy drapes on your windows if they aren't new and well-insulated. Open the drapes on sunny days to let the sun heat the rooms, and always always close them tight right away when the sun goes down. Drapes keep out an extraordinary amount of cold. We had a drafty window over our bed in our former place, and after I hung heavy drapes on the window the room was seriously 10 degrees warmer.
Posted by: guest at November 17, 2007 12:24 PM
12:24's spot on.
Having the same problem. Bleeding my radiators (assuming hot water versus steam) helps a ton. Pulls the air out of the system which blocks hot water from travelling to higher floors. Hardware store will have a key for the valve. Turn it until you get water coming out.
Best to do while heat's off ;-)
Posted by: Johnny at November 17, 2007 12:57 PM
The system is steam. Do you guys think moving the thermostat to the hallway will help?
Posted by: guest at November 17, 2007 7:26 PM
Like I said earlier, moving the thermostat to a higher floor will help. The trouble is that your boiler isn't running long enough to push steam to the top floor because your thermostat reaches it's setting and turns the boiler off. If it's too hot on the first floor you could shut one radiator off. However, I wouldn't call 68 freezing at all, in fact I think you're in the zone of what should feel okay. You may have the wrong size vents too. The larger the hole in the vent the faster steam will reach that radiator. Perhaps you should get a plumber in and check your system out.
Posted by: Rick at November 17, 2007 8:11 PM
The heat just not only takes longer to get to the top floor...it just disappears once it gets there. I have mine on the bottom floor also and I have it set pretty high. I turned most of the radiators off on the 1st floor. That really helped. How old are the windows on the top floor? The heavy drapes and carpet really help. The thermastat on the top floor would totally help. The middle floors are always so warm since they are sandwiched. Can you add a radiator up there?
Posted by: flowbee at November 18, 2007 12:34 AM
I have been changing the air vents with those home depot jobs i am keeping the hole smaller at the bottom apts and larger at the top. thanks to everyone who commented. I think i am going to move the thermostat to the hallway on the parlor floor. Does anyone think i should turn up the pressure? will turning up the pressure help at all? the pressure is between 1 and 1.5 pounds. This is a gas steam heating system. 4 story building and a basement.
Posted by: guest at November 18, 2007 1:13 AM
Yes, you can try adding to the preasure but I think you are in the range of what is needed. I would try adding only a very small amount and see if that helps. Are the radiators shimmed so that they drain back to the shut off valve? Steam radiators need this so they don't get blocked with water that collects after the steam condenses. If your radiators are full of water the steam can not get through.
Posted by: Rick at November 18, 2007 9:39 AM
RAISING THE PRESSURE WILL NOT HELP.
Moving the thermostat alone will only serve to bake the lower floor tenants.
Turning off radiators may add to the problem as it will deprive those portions of the system of those radiators' air vents.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at November 18, 2007 9:54 AM
I have the same problem in my house. My advice to you comes from all things I've tried. My system works really well right now however Master Plumber is right when he says that the 1st floor is very warm. It may sound crazy but I'm considering adding an electric baseboard heater to the top floor back room. I'm tired of overheating the house so that the top floor back gets enough heat!
Posted by: Rick at November 18, 2007 4:44 PM
Check out www.federalconservation.com. They will blow insulation into the crawlspace between the 4th floor ceiling and the outside roof by cutting a hole in your tar roof and blowing in insulation, for about $1700. They cover the hole with a water-tight vent and add another vent on the other end of the roof for air flow. My tenants used to complain about being cold on the top floor all the time and now they don't. Plus you get a federal tax break for energy conservation (ask you accountant).
Posted by: guest at November 18, 2007 9:44 PM
Hi!
I am always looking on ways to save on my utility bills and I have actually found relief this winter because of a vent-booster called the airflow breeze.
I plugged it into my vent in my bedroom which is always way way way too cold and now it is cozy because of my AirFlow Breeze!
My bills are lower and I am saving a lot of energy---which means it is good for the environment!
You should really tell your readers about this great product, it has truly saved my winter!
Posted by: guest at November 19, 2007 9:26 AM
Had two rentals in brownstones where my room was the back of the top floor, and always freezing. In one (a duplex), the back of the 4th floor was about 10-15 degrees colder than the 3rd floor. In the second, the back of the fourth floor was about 15 degrees colder than the front of the apartment, and the back radiators NEVER got hot (even though my landlord bled them every year...)
A friend who had the same problem said her apartment got warm after the landlord replaced the ancient boiler. It may be that your old furnace just can't cut it anymore.
My advice: buy one of those electric, oil-filled heaters that look like radiators on wheels - I'm told they work well. Sleep with wool sweaters and hats on ... that's what I did until I bought a place (to me, apartment ownership = more control over heat!)
Posted by: guest at November 19, 2007 4:08 PM
I'm currently renting on the top floor and there is NO way it even gets up to 68 degrees in either the bedroom or living room. I have a space heater in both areas. One of them has a digital read out and often reads below 60 degrees (especially in the morning). Obviously running these has a huge impact on my electric bill. I've also put plastic on the windows in both areas and there is a noticable draft -especially in the living room. How should I approach my landlord about this issue? He and his family live on the three floors below me and it's quite warm down there.
Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 8:44 PM
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