Balancing Act

GMCfourX4

I own a 2 family house just outside of Boston with a gas fired single pipe steam system. Until recently, I lived in the smaller unit, which is on the first floor, and has the only thermostat. After wrapping all the pipes in the basement with insulation, and putting all new Maid 'O Mist vents throughout the house, things seemed to be working fairly well. I put large "C" and "D" vents on the radiators in the common areas, and "5" vents in the bedrooms. I would keep the thermostat on 70*, and it would typically be around 68* upstairs. I kept an indoor/outdoor thermometer in my livingroom, and noticed that when I cooked, the temp upstairs would drop (the heat from the stove would keep the thermostat from kicking on). When it's cold out (think dead of winter), the temperatures upstairs and downstairs would stay fairly consistent (assuming I didn't do a lot of baking). Now that I'm renting both units, the tenants living on the first floor are keeping things at a comfortable 68* or so (and doing a lot more cooking than I ever did), and the upstairs tenants are complaining that they're freezing. I believe them, and I'm debating the best way to resolve the issues. I'm thinking TRVs in the first floor bedrooms and kitchen, and I'm debating whether I should move the thermostat upstairs, or just add a second sensor. Thoughts? Am I thinking about tackling the problem the right way?

Thanks in advance,

-Chris

NYCLandlord

I had the same problem

We had the same problem where the thermostat was located in the apartment that did more cooking then the other.

In the home, I used a wireless thermostat.  Instead of having it fix on the wall, the temperature sensor was relocated to a different location(room) and controlled the on/off of the boiler.  For example, instead of having it on the wall in the livingroom (near the kitchen) its in the bedroom to match the temperature for the other unit.

By using  TRV on the first floor, what would happen if they didnt cook?  The heat will go on, and stop at the TRV temp which is set at much lower to trick the system.  Wouldnt the 1st floor unit then complain about the cold?  Or, if theres so much cooking on the 1st, the thermostat may never call for heat, then 2nd fl complains.

I would get the wireless and put it in a cooler room on the 1st.  So, when it gets cold, everyone gets heat, when the 1st cooks and gets too hot, they can open a window, but its not on your dime.

GMCfourX4

Wireless Thermostat

I'm thinking wireless will be my best bet, but I'm also thinking that it may need to go upstairs. The 1st floor apartment is smaller, and the 2nd floor apartment includes rooms in the attic with no doors, so there will always be heat floating upstairs from the 2nd floor. There isn't really a cool room to put the thermostat in on the 1st floor (every room has radators, plus steam pipes running up to the other floors). I think as long as I put TRVs on the 4 radiators on the first floor, they should be able to keep things at a comfortable temperature.

Thanks,

-Chris

NYCLandlord

Wireless thermostat

That would work also.  The unit we used was a battery powered programmable thermostat that controlled the on/off on the receiver mounted outside the boilerroom.

I'm not a heating professional, just a landlord paying the bills, and this my take on TRVs.  If you used too many, you're obviously overheating the place and the heat should be turned down.  They should be used in rooms where the radiator is oversized or for people who just like it cooler.