Is your apartment so overheated in the winter that you need to leave your window open to feel comfortable?<\/p>\n
If that\u2019s the case, you\u2019re likely living in one of the many buildings in New York City lacking modern boiler controls which include indoor temperature sensors.<\/p>\n
Unlike single family homes, where indoor thermostats which control the heating system are the norm, many New York City multifamily buildings lack these temperature sensors in individual apartments and offices. This, combined with radiators which can\u2019t be regulated or even turned off, exacerbates the problem and leaves occupants with no control over the amount of heat entering their premises.<\/p>\n
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Many residents have no choice but to use their windows as thermostats. Open windows bring in noise, dry air and can even pose a security risk. A number of companies, most notably New York\u2019s own Radiator Labs, are looking to address this problem, and the ecosystem of potential problems and solutions<\/a> is vast.<\/p>\n Most buildings in the city still burn fossil fuels for heating<\/a>, giving off harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Every time we overheat, we create more air pollution and accelerate climate change, wasting energy and throwing money out the window (in this case, literally).<\/p>\nOverheating in New York City apartments leads tenants to throw money out the window <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n Addressing overheating and under-heating\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n One way to get a handle on this problem is to address overheating and under-heating by monitoring indoor temperature. The tools to do this have long existed and are utilized by most commercial buildings in the city. For residential buildings, current laws require that landlords provide at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit of heat during the day. If there are no indoor temperature sensors, how can a landlord be sure they are complying with minimum heating requirements?<\/p>\n Tenants can file complaints when their apartments are not warm enough, but there\u2019s no formal way for them to protest if they experience too much heat. Unfortunately, the easiest way for some landlords to avoid complaints and fines from the city is to simply turn up the heat.<\/p>\n Steam heat is a 19th century, inefficient heating technology – at the very least, it should be combined with modern boiler controls and other measures that help balance steam systems. New York City\u2019s Retrofit Accelerator<\/a>, a free consulting program that helps building owners reduce energy use and balance heating systems, can serve as a tool to incorporate different temperature control technologies and avoid overheating.<\/p>\n