Heating Temperature Control
I asked this question the other day and based on the responses realized that I didn’t explain the situation well: “I live in a 16 unit, 4 story building with steam heat. The temperature is controlled by a thermostat in one of the apartments. This situation is not working out and we are looking for…
I asked this question the other day and based on the responses realized that I didn’t explain the situation well:
“I live in a 16 unit, 4 story building with steam heat. The temperature is controlled by a thermostat in one of the apartments. This situation is not working out and we are looking for a solution to maintain a steady, consistent temperature throughout the building. Has anyone found a system that works for them? So far the suggestions have been an outdoor sensor, a sensor in a common area, or multiple sensors throughout the building.”
The problem we have in the building isn’t with the temperature control in people’s apartments; it is that we have the thermostat in an indidvidual’s apartment and therefore the building is subject to that individual’s personal temperature preferences. We would like to move the thermostat out of the individual’s apartment and need a solution for how to regulate the heat in the building.
Thanks again!
Arches, control systems like Tekmar do not use wireless hardware yet.
The way they work is they send a teeny-weeny amount of voltage out to the sensors and sort of read how much of it comes back.
As the air temperature changes, the sensors’ resistance to conductivity changes and so that’s how the control reads what goes on in a heated space as a boiler cycles on and off.
Then it tells the boiler how to react smartly.
I don’t like to get into pricing online, but doing it right goes like this: the controls generally cost around $600-$800 and include the basic sensors. Extra sensors will add to that by about another $200 and then installation can run $1,000-$2,000. More for multi-floor wiring if needed.
Are newer buildings built with multi-zones? I mean… the pick a temperature for the whole building method is killing the earth… no? 1st and 2nd floor comfortable, 3rd to 4th has the windows open all winter.
How long would it take to recover the costs of retrofitting this “16 unit, 4 story building with steam heat” into 2 or more zones? Especially with fuel costs now… seems like it would be something to look into.
Does the tekmar have any provisions for wireless room temperature sensors? Seems like it would make installation a lot simpler. Or are the sensors typically hardwired in a mid-to-large building retrofit?
What does it cost to install a tekmar type setup (i’m thinking in the context of a 25 unit co-op)? Obviously there are unique circumstances to every installation – just talking very rough numbers here. Any guidance would be appreciated, Master P.
The outdoor and system (return line) sensors will work fine on their own, but adding the room sensors creates a noticeable improvement in how the controls react.
The more you have the better, but one is all you need to see those benefits.
Tekmar claims a fuel savings of up to 30% over the use of a thermostat alone, but that’s under laboratory conditions.
A savings of 10%-15% is more realistic.
Master P – Yes that is very helpful. I am hesitant to put a locked thermostat in a common area for that reason.
I have spoken with a heating contractor and he was pushing the full sensor package with all the gadgets. I like the idea of using something more than a heat timer, but do I need 4 remote apartment sensors? Will it result in fuel savings? Is a return line sensor and outdoor sensor adequate?
PJ
Op, this statement “So far the suggestions have been an outdoor sensor, a sensor in a common area, or multiple sensors throughout the building.” means you’ve pretty much covered all your options to eliminate control from a single tenant.
I’m sure you called a plumbing/heating contractor or two that recommended products such as these:
The Tekmar 279
http://www.tekmarcontrols.com/literature/acrobat/d279.pdf
and the less-good-but-better-website Heat-Timer
http://www.heat-timer.com/?page=epu\
Either of these will work well but the Tekmar is a bit more adaptive (it learns how your building heats and cools over time).
OTOH, you could do what the previous poster said and put a locked thermostat in a common area. The only problem with that is that the common areas often are not representative of the temperature of the living spaces.
That help?
That’s funny: a 16-unit building with a single thermostat in one of the units, subject to the whim of one resident. What’s wrong with the idea of removing that thermostat, and installing a single, locked, programmable thermostat in a public area, like the stairwell?