heating an apartment above an unheated commercial space

Michele Abramsky

I am trying to figure out the heat loss caused to my apartment from the unheated commercial space below me. Here are the relevant facts:
My apartment: 540 sq. ft.
Unheated Commercial Space 5,133 sq. ft.
We use gas heat.
How much higher are my heating bills due to the fact that this commercial space is unheated. (Legally, it is supposed to be heated.) The commercial space is not directly beneath our apt. There is a lobby beneath most of our apartment. The commercial space is beneath the lobby.

Thanks!

bob young

shakey case

i got a feeling you might be out of luck. best check with a good real estate attorney. is it below say 65* they must maintain some temperature to prevent pipes from freezing

Steve Ebels_3

I'm not following you

Is any of the apartment above the unheated space? Is the lobby portion heated? Is some of your apartment above the lobby and some above the unheated space?

According to a very rough and dirty heat loss calc I just ran using 540 sq ft of uninsulated floor over an unheated space, your heat loss would be 5,223btu's/hr at a design temp of 10* and indoor of 72*. There would obviously be no heat loss if the space below was the same temp as your apartment. That equates to nearly 1 gallon of fuel oil or 1.3 therms of nat gas per day. OUCH!!

cattledog

Michele--

The heat loss from your apartment is to the adjacent space below--ie. the lobby. If you tell us the temperature in the lobby and the temperature in your apartment the heat loss can be determined. The unheated commercial space is relevant only in so far as it determines the temperature in the lobby which is above it.

steve_29

Just curious... what do you mean "legally it's suppose to be heated", who mandates that, the courts?

I'd be surprised to find that true, but ya never know!